Re: [GNU-linux-libre] Trademark licenses, example in Firefox

[Diego Saravia]

2011/8/3 Brett Smith <address@hidden>:
> On 07/21/2011 11:49 AM, Rubén Rodríguez wrote:
>> So, what we have here is a program under a proper free software license
>> (ignoring the fact that it recommends non-free stuff) that has actual
>> distribution restrictions. I think trademark licenses that say "if you
>> modify it, you have to rename it" are ok, but this one says "if you
>> don't rename it, you can't distribute it for a fee".
>>
>> * Does it render the program non-free?
>> * How does it affect the software license it ships under?
>
> Unfortunately, such a restriction in a trademark license does make the
> software nonfree.  As we've said in the past, a requirement that you
> rename the software when you modify it is fine -- but a requirement that
> you rename it before you distribute it commercially goes too far.
> Changing the name of a program should be straightforward enough for
> anybody who modifies the software (and if it isn't, that can be
> problematic too); the same isn't true for people who simply want to
> distribute it.

what is the end that knuth was seeking by fixing the names?: standars.
TeX is not only a software, its a language for describing pages, and
Knuth pretends that very old files could behave exactly in the same
way trouhgt ages, versions, machines, etc..

So, mantaining names in that files,  is a way that everyone that uses
official TeX gets the same

If free software definition do not aloud that kind of restrictions, we
cannot have free software standars instrumentations.


Mozilla ends are different, They are trying to stablish a trademark
for making money trought comercial restrictions. Thats not compatible
with free software.  You can make money with your free software but
not restricting others to use your project trademarks. ok trademark is
not software, so no need to be "free". But if they are parts of a
software distribution should be free. As FDL in debians packages, they
 must not  have non free parts. They -not us- have easy solutions,
modify its project.

Or they split their sources in trademarks and software, or they
software sources are not free. If they sources are not free we can not
make new free sources, because that will not be sources at all. Only
solution is to fork or develop a new proyect.

Its up to mozilla to separete its non free parts, as is up to linux to
put nonfree stuff in another project, as is up to debian to change its
vote to non mantain a non free repo in its organization and systems.

We must respect these project determinatios, we can make ways to round
the problems, but that solutions are not complete. We can distribute
compilable non sources, or free executalbes, but not liberate a non
free project.




>
> However, this doesn't affect the software license at all.  So if you
> *can* do the work to remove the trademark from the program, you have
> free software that you can distribute without these restrictions.
> That's exactly what GNU IceCat and friends do.
>
>> * Do you know of any other trademark license that restricts
>> distribution or usability?
>
> I'm not aware of any.
>
> Best regards,
>
> --
> Brett Smith
> License Compliance Engineer, Free Software Foundation
>
> Support the FSF by becoming an Associate Member: http://fsf.org/jf
>
>



-- 
Diego Saravia
address@hidden
NO FUNCIONA->address@hidden

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