Translations of this page

Free Software is Useful

Free software is both versatile and effective in a wide variety of applications. Because the source code is given, it can be tailored specifically to an individuals needs... Something not easily accomplished with proprietary software.

"As you well know, GNU tools are all over the place for the various space missions. They are used extensively throughout the mission development, test and operations phases. I wrote the DARTS dynamics simulator for Cassini (spacecraft) several years ago and relied heavily on tools such as gcc, gdb, emacs, rcs etc. These and others are in use by many other spacecraft missions including Galileo, Mars Pathfinder, New Millennium etc. It is my personal belief that the FSF activities and software have been a tremendous source of high quality tools which are readily accessible and usable by the community."

Abhinandan Jain
NASA engineer

Regarding graphics development for the "Titanic" movie production:

"Using 200 DEC Alpha-based systems running the Red Hat 4.1 distribution of GNU/Linux, after upgrading the kernel to support the PC164 mainboard, Digital Domain found a performance increase of three to four over SGI systems. The combination of the GNU/Linux OS and Alpha CPUs also delivered the most cost-effective solution to time and processing demands."

Daryll Strauss
Digital Domain

"The proper care of our cancer patients would not be what it is today without [GNU/]Linux ... The tools that we have been able to deploy from free software channels have enabled us to write and develop innovative applications which ... do not exist through commercial avenues."

Dr. G.W. Wettstein
Cancer Center
Fargo, North Dakota

"Within three months, we demonstrated a product developed entirely on [free] software, the core of which were the programming tools (gcc and gdb) from the Free Software Foundation. Solid code, it was cross-platform compatible with either Motif (r) or Les sTif. Our satisfied customers extended the contract and we won some corporate visibility in a very high tech market ..."

"[The Free Software Foundation's] high quality software makes our work easier, and we value it greatly ... Recently we have received some prizes and monetary awards for our work. We believe we would not have received these without your software."

VSC Research and Development group
Toyota Motor Corporation