This isn't a frequently asked question, but it should be! A variety of informational files about GNU Emacs and relevant aspects of the GNU project are available for you to read.
The following files are available in the `etc' directory of the GNU Emacs distribution, and also the latest versions are available individually via anonymous FTP (prep.ai.mit.edu:/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/):
APPLE -- Why the FSF doen't support GNU Emacs on Apple computers
DISTRIB -- GNU Emacs Availability Information,
including the popular "Free Software Foundation Order Form"
FTP -- How to get GNU Software by Internet FTP or by UUCP
GNU -- The GNU Manifesto
INTERVIEW -- Richard Stallman discusses his public-domain
UNIX-compatible software system
with BYTE editors
MACHINES -- Status of GNU Emacs on Various Machines and Systems
MAILINGLISTS -- GNU Project Electronic Mailing Lists
SERVICE -- GNU Service Directory
SUN-SUPPORT -- including "Using Emacstool with GNU Emacs"
These files are available in the `etc' directory of the GNU Emacs distribution:
DIFF -- Differences between GNU Emacs and Twenex Emacs CCADIFF -- Differences between GNU Emacs and CCA Emacs GOSDIFF -- Differences between GNU Emacs and Gosling (Unipress??) Emacs COPYING -- GNU Emacs General Public License NEWS -- GNU Emacs News, a history of user-visible changes LPF -- Why you should join the League for Programming Freedom FAQ -- GNU Emacs Frequently Asked Questions (You're reading it) OPTIONS -- a complete explanation of startup option handling
These files are available via anonymous FTP (prep.ai.mit.edu:/pub/gnu/):
tasks -- GNU Task List standards.text -- GNU Coding Standards
In addition, all of the above files are available directly from the FSF via e-mail. Of course, please try to get them from a local source first.
These additional files are available from the FSF via e-mail:
GNU'S Who
What Is the Free Software Foundation?
What Is Copyleft?
A Small Way to Help Free Software
GNUs Flashes (important recent developments for project GNU)
Free Software Support (and how to get it!)
Copyrighted Programming Languages
AT&T Threatens Users of X Windows (and other software patent threats)
Project Gutenberg
GNU Project Status Report
GNU in Japan
GNU Wish List
Help Keep Government Software Free
GNU Software Available Now
Contents of the Emacs Tape
Contents of the Compiler Tape
Contents of the X11 Tapes
VMS Emacs and Compiler Tapes
GNU Documentation
How to Get GNU Software
Free Software for Microcomputers
GNU Software on Apple computers
GNU Software on the Amiga
GNU Software on the Atari
GNUish MS-DOS project
Freemacs, an Extensible Editor for MS-DOS
GNU in Japan
FSF Order Form
Thank GNUs
A collection of past GNU's Bulletins is available via anonymous FTP:
/ftp.funet.fi:pub/gnu/Bulletins/