Re: [Legal] Firefox not truly Free?

[Matthew Garrett <mgarrett@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

William Ballard <nospam_50301@alltel.net> wrote:
> I don't know what to make of this statement:
> 
> http://news.zdnet.co.uk/0,39020330,39189475,00.htm
> [quote]
> The main disadvantage of the deal with Google is that native language 
> versions of Firefox are not permitted to change the default search 
> engine to one that is more useful for searching Web pages in a 
> particular language.[/quote]

This only refers to official builds. The Mozilla Foundation refuse to
distribute localised builds that use different search engines. They have
the right to do so. However, localised builds using different search
engines can be distributed by other people.

Look at it this way - we (Debian) refuse to distribute CD images
containing non-free software. Other people can modify our CD images to
contain non-free software. Does that make Debian non-free?
-- 
Matthew Garrett | mjg59-chiark.mail.debian.legal@srcf.ucam.org