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28 June 2022 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo ALBERT VAN BILJON
Leanne Manas and Prof Francis Petersen
In conversation: Prof Petersen and Leanne Manas.
An outward-looking, globally competitive university that ranks among the top-tier universities in South Africa and on the continent, driven by a strong human-centred, diverse social-justice approach. This is at the heart of the vision Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, shared with multi-award-winning news anchor Leanne Manas during a sit-down conversation on Friday 22 July 2022.

Prof Petersen reflected on the great strides and difficulties faced during his first term, as well as navigating the UFS through the COVID-19 pandemic to position the institution in a strategic and focused manner as a university of choice on the continent and in other parts of the globe.




Prof Prakash Naidoo, Vice-Rector: Operations, introduced Leanne Manas
Prof Prakash Naidoo, Vice-Rector: Operations, introduced Leanne Manas
Prof Francis Petersen
Prof Francis Petersen
Leanne Manas and Prof Petersen In conversation
Leanne Manas and Prof Petersen In conversation
Leanne Manas
Leanne Manas
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Prof Petersen with some of our staff members
Prof Petersen with some of our staff members
From the left; Prof Prakash Naidoo, Leanne Manas, Prof Francis Petersen and Temba Hlasho, Executive Director: Student Affairs
From the left; Prof Prakash Naidoo, Leanne Manas, Prof Francis Petersen and Temba Hlasho, Executive Director: Student Affairs
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
From the left; Prof Prakash Naidoo, Prof Francis Petersen and Quinton Koetaan, Senior Director; HRA
From the left; Prof Prakash Naidoo, Prof Francis Petersen and Quinton Koetaan, Senior Director; HRA
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.
Leanne Manas meeting our staff members.

News Archive

Free software a matter of liberty, says computer programming expert
2013-09-03

Dr Richard Matthew Stallman
3 September 2013

“Free software is a matter of the users’ freedom to run, copy, distributes, study, change and improves the software.”   That is according to well-known freedom activist and programmer, Dr Richard Matthew Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation and leader of the GNU project.

The computer programming expert visited the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State, where he delivered a guest lecture on “A freeware generation.”

At this lecture, Dr Stallman, referred to by many as ‘the father of programming’ spoke about the threats that non-free software has and how the users are mandatory controlled by the software, instead of the user having complete freedom on the programme itself.

He told the audience in the Albert Wessels Auditorium that free software has advantages for the user, such as:

  • The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
  • The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs.
  • The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour.
  • The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits.

Thus, ‘free software’ is a matter of liberty, not price.

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