Mare Nostrum

The text below is sent and published as 12nd comment to a thread in Ubuntu Forums with an original post stating: “You could argue that Ubuntu’s new ‘official’ package of Firefox is not free software, as it doesn’t allow modification under the same name. I propose that Firefox should be moved to restricted.” That post is related with the repository policy of Ubuntu and sent just after the appearence of Firefox with its original logo in Ubuntu “Edgy Eft” RC, contrary to the past practice of Ubuntu.

Hello Dear Friends,

Let’s be serious and responsible: Are you trying to “punish” Firefox for it is not “free as desired to be” or am I getting it wrong? If this is the case, its childish. Firefox, with its whole body, is a free software. What’s more, its one of the two battering rams of the Free Software front against the walls and gates of the proprietary dominance, opening the way for not only the GNU/Linux geeks but also for the masses -the other one being OpenOffice.org and the GIMP may be on the row. Up to my knowledge, Firefox -or Mozilla- is not waiting for medals for this tremendous effort and great victories they already had, but -if you ask for my feelings- they deserve a little bit more respect than trying to teach them such lessons.

Does the source codes of Firefox open? Yes, it is! Can anybody who likes to do so take those codes and change it, build something on it? Sure! Does the developer team of Firefox serve that software for the benefit of humankind without demanding any money? Absolutely, yes they do so!

So what is the problem?

Seems to be that: They want 3rd parties to use their original logo if its to be named Firefox! What a shame! What a big philosophical crime!

This is the point to be more serious, responsible and realistic: What Firefox demand is the most natural thing one can hear. Can you tell me why they shouldn’t ask for it? Why are you insisting on to use Firefox without its original logo? Let’s leave such hostile moves to the enemies of Free Software and let’s all struggle against them, against such moves. Oh yes, its our right to use Firefox as a software but we shouldn’t use Firefox’s original logo because logo is not “bona fiscalia”. Let me put it very openly: If they didn’t protect their logo, I would blame them for not doing so. In the present conditions of the world and under the current system its much more better to protect the logo. Who knows and who guaranties us that no one will use that logo in clownish ways for the benefit of their wallets? Or who knows which clown will attempt to use Firefox with its original name and with any kind of humiliating logo?

The fact is: Firefox is here, not hidden from anybody. Source codes are there, open to anyone who like to do something with them and name it after whatever they like. That famous and lovely logo belongs to Firefox. If you want to distribute Firefox with that name, you should use that logo. If you don’t want to use that logo, then don’t use the software with Firefox name. What is the point ruining free software philosophy here, in concrete terms?

Also: Philosophical principles are not send from heavens. They are abstract but not “supernatural”. They are closely linked with the material world, with the struggles going on that scene. If there exists a conflict with our Free Software principles and Firefox logo’s legal protection -stressing that I don’t think that there is such a conflict- then we should discuss about those principles not deal with excommunication of Firefox. Leaving assumptions aside, what we should do first is to understand the principles well.

Some days ago I’ve replied to the blog entry of a friend, stating that I would replace the blue world like sketch replaced with Firefox’s original logo manually on my OS, namely Ubuntu. Thanks to the friends in charge of command, its as it should be at the moment. I want it to stay so.

In which repository Firefox should be? From what I wrote up to this point, you can guess my preference, but if one sentence has to be written: Childish “penalties” can not reverse the fact, but give harm to those who take such measures.

History will judge our position with respect to Firefox software of the beginning of 21st century, among other things, as well.

Regards,

K. Deniz Ogut

a.k.a.

neophyrigian