Richard Stallman’s frustration with a Xerox printer at MIT was a small problem that revealed a much bigger issue. The printer broke frequently, and without access to its source code, Stallman couldn’t fix it. Xerox refused to share the code because it was proprietary.

This denial motivated Stallman to act.

In 1983, he launched the GNU Project to create a free Unix-like operating system. He founded the Free Software Foundation to promote software freedom and wrote the GNU General Public License (GPL) to guarantee that software remained free.

Stallman’s vision was about more than software, it was about freedom.

He believed that knowledge and tools should be shared to foster innovation and collaboration. The free software movement he ignited emphasizes transparency.

The transparency of open-source software means anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance it, preventing hidden traps. Like him being denied to change the printer's driver.

The printer incident was a catalyst for monumental change. It showed that standing up for your rights can lead to a freer world. Today, Stallman’s legacy lives on, proving the power of freedom in the digital age.

So, what could you change by standing up for your rights?