Re: AbiWord, trademarks, and DFSG-freeness

[Brian Thomas Sniffen <bts@alum.mit.edu>]

I think you're mistaken in calling the trademark issue a restriction
on modification.  It is a restriction on the manner of distribution of
certain modifications.  I can make whatever changes I like, but I may
not distribute them under the mark "Abiword."

Your substantive argument, however, is persuasive.  Debian should
distribute its modified work derived from Abiword as, perhaps,
Debiword.  It's OK to still have references to Abiword in it, and even
to prominently mark that it's derived from Abiword -- anything which
reduces confusion and avoids charges that Debian's changing names to
accrue glory to itself, as was the case with Red Hat a year or two ago.

-Brian
-- 
Brian Sniffen                                       bts@alum.mit.edu