Re: mozilla thunderbird trademark restrictions / still dfsg free?

["Michael K. Edwards" <m.k.edwards@gmail.com>]

It looks to me (IANAL) like, in US law, Debian has wide scope to alter
a source code product in the course of packaging, and still use the
upstream's trademarks, as long as it is labeled accordingly (and
Debian is not contractually bound not to do so).  See Prestonettes v.
Coty 1924 ( http://laws.findlaw.com/us/264/359.html ), which was still
good law at least as of Enesco v. Price/Costco 1998 (
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/circs/9th/9656571.html ).

I am in sympathy with the Mozilla Foundation's wish to exercise
quality control and to stay on the good side of contributors.  I'd
still like to see guidance for maintainers that says that bugs filed
by the upstream don't get downrated.  But in my view (IANADD either),
attempts in contract language to interfere unreasonably with this
liberty to use trademarks factually would violate the DFSG.

Cheers,
- Michael