Difference between revisions of "Free Software Directory:UserNotices"

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(Remove blacklist antifeature as it is nonfree software. This could be limited to the talk page for the project.)
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<onlyinclude>The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers defines the term feature in IEEE 829 as "A distinguishing characteristic of a software item (e.g., performance, portability, or functionality)". UserNotices are flags applied to applications to warn of issues that may be undesirable from the user's perspective. Frequently it is behavior that benefits the developer, but that the end user of the software would prefer not to be there.</onlyinclude>
  <p>
 
    Do not modify this page, but please participate in the [[Free_Software_Directory_talk:Antifeatures|Discussion]] page so we can modify the [[Free Software Directory:Antifeatures/Draft|Draft]]. Also, categories are always reserved so don't remove them even if they don't have anything listed for the moment.
 
  </p>
 
  
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'''Team Captain''': [[User:David_Hedlund|David Hedlund]]
  
* '''Team Captain''': [[User:David_Hedlund|David Hedlund]]
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The pages of applications which have UserNotices include a prominent warning added to the page source.
* '''Summary''': Antifeatures are flags applied to applications to warn of issues that may be undesirable from the user's perspective. Frequently it is behavior that benefits the developer, but that the end user of the software would prefer not to be there.  
 
  
Antifeatures are flags applied to applications to warn of issues that may be undesirable from the user's perspective. Frequently it is behavior that benefits the developer, but that the end user of the software would prefer not to be there.
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Discussion is happening on the talk page and mailing list, and [[Free_Software_Directory:UserNotices/Dev|Dev]] for work in progress. Useful related pages: [https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html Free System Distribution Guidelines (GNU FSDG)] and [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.en.html software categories], [[Free Software Directory:Requirements]].
  
The pages of applications which have antifeatures include a prominent warning added to the page source.
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* Listed software tagged with UserNotice: {{#ask:[[UserNotice::+]]| format=count}}
 +
* [[Property:UserNotice_of|Alphabetic list]]
  
Discussion is happening on the talk page and mailing list, and [[Free_Software_Directory:Antifeatures/Dev|Dev]] for work in progress. Useful related pages: [https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.html Free System Distribution Guidelines (GNU FSDG)] and [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.en.html software categories], [[Free Software Directory:Requirements]].
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==General User Notice==
  
* Listed software tagged with Antifeature: {{#ask:[[Antifeature::+]]| format=count}}
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====Licensing====
* [[Property:Antifeature_of|Alphabetic list]]
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Aspect of an entry's licensing which the user should be aware of.
  
==Nonfree==
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Licensing]]| format=count}} listed:
 +
{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Licensing]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
  
===Bait and surrender===
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==Anti-features==
  
There are two versions of this software, one free and one proprietary. The proprietary version may have more features, but the free software version is still useful. Users should be careful to use only the free software version of the package, to avoid surrendering their freedom.
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===Nonfree===
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Bait and surrender]]| format=count}} listed:
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====Nonfree ML====
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Bait and surrender]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
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This program is a part of a non-free Machine Learning application (https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-is-working-on-freedom-in-machine-learning-applications)
  
===Nonfree documentation===
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::nonfree ML]]| format=count}} listed:
 +
{{#ask:[[UserNotice::nonfree ML]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
  
One of the following:
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====Bait and surrender====
* Primary documentation is not freely licensed
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Avoid the term [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.en.html#Freemium freemium].
* The primary documentation or important related resources (e.g. forum, news), require running nonfree code (e.g. nonfree javascript).
 
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Nonfree documentation]]| format=count}} listed:
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There are two versions of this software, one free and one proprietary. The proprietary version may have more features, but the free software version is still useful. Users should be careful to use only the free software version of the package, to avoid surrendering their freedom.
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Nonfree documentation]]| |?Name }}
 
  
===Free fork needed!===
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Bait and surrender]]| format=count}} listed:
 +
{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Bait and surrender]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
  
 +
====Free fork needed====
 
The developer has betrayed the community by moving to a proprietary license, but people can continue to use and fork the last free version.
 
The developer has betrayed the community by moving to a proprietary license, but people can continue to use and fork the last free version.
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Free fork needed!]]| format=count}} listed:
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Free fork needed]]| format=count}} listed:
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Free fork needed!]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Free fork needed]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
  
===Superseded===
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====Nonfree documentation====
 +
One of the following:
 +
* Primary documentation is not freely licensed
 +
* The primary documentation or important related resources (e.g. forum, news), require running nonfree code (e.g. nonfree javascript).
  
 +
{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Nonfree documentation]]| format=count}} listed:
 +
{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Nonfree documentation]]| |?Name }}
 +
 +
====Superseded====
 
The software is no longer maintained and has been superseded by another program based on it.
 
The software is no longer maintained and has been superseded by another program based on it.
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Superseded]]| format=count}} listed:
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Superseded]]| format=count}} listed:
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Superseded]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Superseded]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
  
==Adware==
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====Tiered software====
 +
* [[LibreOffice]]: LanguageTool is an optional grammar and spelling checker integrated into LibreOffice 7.4 and above, which raises privacy concerns because it sends user text to remote servers for processing. Although LanguageTool is not included in the LibreOffice package for free distributions, it is available in many non-free distributions. Also, LanguageTool is not enabled by default.
 +
 
 +
===Adware===
  
 
Adware, or advertising-supported software, is any software package that automatically renders advertisements in order to generate revenue for its author. Some users may happy to support the author in this way, but many would prefer this feature did not exist or was disabled by default.
 
Adware, or advertising-supported software, is any software package that automatically renders advertisements in order to generate revenue for its author. Some users may happy to support the author in this way, but many would prefer this feature did not exist or was disabled by default.
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Adware]]| format=count}} listed:
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Adware]]| format=count}} listed:
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Adware]]| |?Name}}
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Adware]]| |?Name}}
  
==DRM==
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===DRM===
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::DRM]]| format=count}} listed:
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::DRM]]| format=count}} listed:
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::DRM]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::DRM]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
  
==Name uses a word to avoid==
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===Tethering===
 +
[https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary-tethers.en.html ''&ldquo;Tethering a product or program means designing it to work only by communicating with a specific server.&rdquo;'']
  
There are a number of words and phrases that we [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.en.html recommend avoiding], or avoiding in certain contexts and usages. Some are ambiguous or misleading; others presuppose a viewpoint that we disagree with, and we hope you disagree with it too.
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We can verify whether the published software is free. The service is likely all free, so saying it is non-free is incorrect. It is more of a philosophical problem where we cannot make a judgement on services being free or not free.
  
When considering which free software to use, this anti-feature is less problematic compared to the others so it displayed less prominently in yellow.
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Nonfree network]]| format=count}} listed:
 +
{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Nonfree network]]| |?Name }}
  
==="Linux System"===
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===Tracking===
  
Linux is the name of the kernel that Linus Torvalds developed starting in 1991. The operating system in which Linux is used is basically GNU with Linux added. To call the whole system “Linux” is both unfair and confusing. Please call the complete system [https://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html GNU/Linux], both to give the GNU Project credit and to distinguish the whole system from the kernel alone.
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This UserNotice is applied to software that track you and/or report your activity to somewhere, either without your permission or by default (i.e. you'd have to actively seek out an option to disable it).  
  
This tag is reserved for obvious and unambiguous references to the GNU/Linux operating system, not the Linux kernel. This unambiguity includes the context of it's homepage and documentation. Note, software which depends on Linux kernel system calls or features usually do not have unambiguous references in their name.
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Tracking]]| format=count}} listed:
 +
{{#ask:[[UserNotice::Tracking]]| |?Name}}
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::name uses a word to avoid: Linux System]]| format=count}} listed:
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==Non-features==
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::name uses a word to avoid: Linux System]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
 
  
Search the FSD for [https://directory.fsf.org/wiki?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=advanced&search=linux&fulltext=Search&ns0=1&profile=advanced linux]
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===Software titles with words to avoid===
  
==Tracking==
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There are a number of words and phrases that we [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.en.html recommend avoiding], or avoiding in certain contexts and usages. Some are ambiguous or misleading; others presuppose a viewpoint that we disagree with, and we hope you disagree with it too.
  
This Antifeature is applied to software that track you and/or report your activity to somewhere, either without your permission or by default (i.e. you'd have to actively seek out an option to disable it).  
+
When considering which free software to use, this issue is less problematic compared to the others so it displayed less prominently in yellow.
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Tracking]]| format=count}} listed:
+
===="Linux System"====
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Tracking]]| |?Name}}
 
  
==Trademark==
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Linux is the name of the kernel that Linus Torvalds developed starting in 1991. The operating system in which Linux is used is basically GNU with Linux added. To call the whole system “Linux” is both unfair and confusing. Please call the complete system [https://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html GNU/Linux], both to give the GNU Project credit and to distinguish the whole system from the kernel alone.
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Trademark]]| format=count}} listed:
 
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Trademark]]| |?Name}}
 
  
==Update needed!==
+
This tag is reserved for obvious and unambiguous references to the GNU/Linux operating system, not the Linux kernel. This unambiguity includes the context of it's homepage and documentation. Note, software which depends on Linux kernel system calls or features usually do not have unambiguous references in their name.
  
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Update needed!]]| format=count}} listed:
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::name uses a word to avoid: Linux System]]| format=count}} listed:
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Update needed!]]| |?Name}}
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{{#ask:[[UserNotice::name uses a word to avoid: Linux System]]| |?License |?Version identifier |?Version date }}
  
==Retired, fork needed!==
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Search the FSD for [https://directory.fsf.org/wiki?title=Special%3ASearch&profile=advanced&search=linux&fulltext=Search&ns0=1&profile=advanced linux]
 
 
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Retired, fork needed!]]| format=count}} listed:
 
{{#ask:[[Antifeature::Retired, fork needed!]]| |?Name}}
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 +
* [[Free Software Directory:Notifications|Notifications]]
 +
* F-Droid Data: [https://gitlab.com/fdroid/fdroiddata/-/issues/2393 Proposed UserNotices found in the Free Software Directory]
 
* [[Free_Software_Directory:Free_software_evaluation#Software_evaluation|Software evaluation]]
 
* [[Free_Software_Directory:Free_software_evaluation#Software_evaluation|Software evaluation]]
  
 
[[Category:Project Team]]
 
[[Category:Project Team]]

Latest revision as of 15:34, 28 February 2025

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers defines the term feature in IEEE 829 as "A distinguishing characteristic of a software item (e.g., performance, portability, or functionality)". UserNotices are flags applied to applications to warn of issues that may be undesirable from the user's perspective. Frequently it is behavior that benefits the developer, but that the end user of the software would prefer not to be there.

Team Captain: David Hedlund

The pages of applications which have UserNotices include a prominent warning added to the page source.

Discussion is happening on the talk page and mailing list, and Dev for work in progress. Useful related pages: Free System Distribution Guidelines (GNU FSDG) and software categories, Free Software Directory:Requirements.

General User Notice

Licensing

Aspect of an entry's licensing which the user should be aware of.

1 listed:

 LicenseVersion identifierVersion date
Yggdrasil

Anti-features

Nonfree

Nonfree ML

This program is a part of a non-free Machine Learning application (https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-is-working-on-freedom-in-machine-learning-applications)

0 listed:


Bait and surrender

Avoid the term freemium.

There are two versions of this software, one free and one proprietary. The proprietary version may have more features, but the free software version is still useful. Users should be careful to use only the free software version of the package, to avoid surrendering their freedom.

1 listed:

 LicenseVersion identifierVersion date
LanguageToolLGPLv2.1orlater

Free fork needed

The developer has betrayed the community by moving to a proprietary license, but people can continue to use and fork the last free version.

1 listed:

 LicenseVersion identifierVersion date
SourceForgeGPLv2orlater

Nonfree documentation

One of the following:

  • Primary documentation is not freely licensed
  • The primary documentation or important related resources (e.g. forum, news), require running nonfree code (e.g. nonfree javascript).

0 listed:


Superseded

The software is no longer maintained and has been superseded by another program based on it.

1 listed:

 LicenseVersion identifierVersion date
QtiPlotOther

Tiered software

  • LibreOffice: LanguageTool is an optional grammar and spelling checker integrated into LibreOffice 7.4 and above, which raises privacy concerns because it sends user text to remote servers for processing. Although LanguageTool is not included in the LibreOffice package for free distributions, it is available in many non-free distributions. Also, LanguageTool is not enabled by default.

Adware

Adware, or advertising-supported software, is any software package that automatically renders advertisements in order to generate revenue for its author. Some users may happy to support the author in this way, but many would prefer this feature did not exist or was disabled by default.

1 listed:

 Name
Adblock PlusAdblock Plus (ABP)

DRM

0 listed:


Tethering

“Tethering a product or program means designing it to work only by communicating with a specific server.”

We can verify whether the published software is free. The service is likely all free, so saying it is non-free is incorrect. It is more of a philosophical problem where we cannot make a judgement on services being free or not free.

5 listed:

 Name
IVPN
Mozilla VPN
Mullvad VPN
NordVPN
Private Internet Access

Tracking

This UserNotice is applied to software that track you and/or report your activity to somewhere, either without your permission or by default (i.e. you'd have to actively seek out an option to disable it).

2 listed:

 Name
Adblock PlusAdblock Plus (ABP)
AtomAtom

Non-features

Software titles with words to avoid

There are a number of words and phrases that we recommend avoiding, or avoiding in certain contexts and usages. Some are ambiguous or misleading; others presuppose a viewpoint that we disagree with, and we hope you disagree with it too.

When considering which free software to use, this issue is less problematic compared to the others so it displayed less prominently in yellow.

"Linux System"

Linux is the name of the kernel that Linus Torvalds developed starting in 1991. The operating system in which Linux is used is basically GNU with Linux added. To call the whole system “Linux” is both unfair and confusing. Please call the complete system GNU/Linux, both to give the GNU Project credit and to distinguish the whole system from the kernel alone.

This tag is reserved for obvious and unambiguous references to the GNU/Linux operating system, not the Linux kernel. This unambiguity includes the context of it's homepage and documentation. Note, software which depends on Linux kernel system calls or features usually do not have unambiguous references in their name.

5 listed:

 LicenseVersion identifierVersion date
Circus LinuxGPLv2
Doc-linux-frPublicDomain
GFDL
GPLv2orlater
GPLv2
GPLv1orlater
BSD 4Clause
Linux-DistributionPerl
Linux-Distribution-PackagesOther
Linux-dashExpat

Search the FSD for linux

See also



Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the page “GNU Free Documentation License”.

The copyright and license notices on this page only apply to the text on this page. Any software or copyright-licenses or other similar notices described in this text has its own copyright notice and license, which can usually be found in the distribution or license text itself.