Re: [gNewSense-users] firefox in search of a solution revisited [long mail]

[jeff]

Brian Brazil wrote:

> As it stands, my preferred solutions:
> 1. recompile firefox, leave it as firefox with the packaging changed,
> but not the source (are we allowed do this?)
> 2. recompile firefox. Rename.
> 3. Remove firefox. Recompile all dependant packages to use something else.
> 4. Remove firefox. Replace with IceWeasel
>
> I do consider firefox as-is in gNewSense to be free software, however
> the obvious references to non-free stuff is a concern that we should
> do something about.

export BUILD_OFFICIAL=0
export MOZILLA_OFFICIAL=0
mk_add_options BUILD_OFFICIAL=0
mk_add_options MOZILLA_OFFICIAL=0

This gives you a firefox stripped of trademarks (renames it Deer Park or Bon 
Echo). Then rebuild firefox. When a new release comes out (e.g. 1.5.0.7 to 
1.5.0.8), rebuild it again, optionally snagging debian/ubuntu patches when they 
appear.

Firefox may be Free Software, but the use of their trademark is not (as I'm 
beginning to understand the picture more & more). I believe those build options 
above yank everything they require you to yank. You can still distribute the 
source package fine (as I understand it).

I believe RMS concurs on that: "Images and sounds need to be free if they are 
essential parts of the software.  But if they are just decoration, and easily 
replaced, then they do not have to be free.

Thus, images containing logos are acceptable, as long as it is easy to
remove them without damaging the software itself." [1]

-Jeff

[1] http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/FreeSoftwareAnalysis/FSF