On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 11:14 AM, Rahul Sundaram <metherid@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > On Mon, Oct 4, 2010 at 8:38 PM, Brandon Lozza wrote: >> >> >> That's what i've been saying all day. It's only free software if you >> change the name, in which case you may loose brand recognition. >> Imagine if Linus forbid people from calling their OS Linux if they >> didn't use the binaries provided by him. > > Free software can require that you can change the name for any modifications > you make and it still qualifies as free software. If you are in doubt and > want to ask FSF, go ahead. Before you continue with this discussion, I > strongly suggest you do that. > > Rahul > > -- > devel mailing list > devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/devel > I've already asked Richard Stallman and I am awaiting his reply but let's just go through a thought exercise. Let's say I recompile Firefox and make a bunch of my own changes and REFUSE to change the name. How long do you think it'll take for Mozilla's lawyers to start threatening me with trademark lawsuits? Firefox doesn't just include source code. It includes intellectual property with specific restrictions on what you're allowed to do with it. This is the same as what ID software does with its games. You can have the source code for Wolfenstein and Enemy Territory, but that's just the code. The code is free software. The name, the artwork, the graphics, music and story are all under copyright and are not licensed to everyone for distribution. This is the same with Firefox, the code is free, but the name, the graphics are copyright and are the intellectual property of MoFo, and not anyone else. They say you can't distribute modified binaries. How do you get Freedom #3 then? If they used GPLv3, they would be required to license their trademarks to us and THEN it would be free software. I'll refrain from replying further on until I have a reply from Richard, but you're totally wrong and your love for Firefox is blinding your principals (if you have any). You would STILL HAVE the exact SAME firefox if we compiled firefox with the compile time flag that removes branding. The branding is kept, i'm told, simply to attract users. Leaving a piece of poorly maintained software to attract users is silly. And if you or anyone else think Iceweasel is somehow inferior, you need your brain checked. You don't understand logic. Firefox, is ONLY free software when it does not include the intellectual property that is non free. -- devel mailing list devel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/devel
