Re: [Bug-gnuzilla] [gnu.org #829168] GNUzilla and IceCat for Windows?

[Ivan Zaigralin]

Brett Smith is not the final word on whether or not Firefox is
free software. Any Joe Shmoe can build Firefox without
branding by using an upstream switch. It's a very minor hurdle,
and no, it's not at all clear that it makes the software non-free.

The main issue with Firefox is its reckless attitude towards
default settings, plugin licenses, and javascript licenses.
None of these things make it non-free software, but they all
directly suggest non-free software to users. To shield oneself
from the non-free code on the Web is the only valid reason to
run GNU Icecat over unbranded vanilla Firefox.

The point is, if your problem with Firefox is non-freedom of the
program, then then you should simply build it without branding.
And if you actually want Icecat's features, then you need to stop
and think, because the spyware known as Windows renders them
completely pointless.

On 05/10/2013 11:38 AM, Jason Self wrote:
> Narcis Garcia said:
>> You can use M.Firefox in MS/Windows, and you will enjoy the same
> advantages.
> 
> Except for that fact that Mozilla Firefox is not free software.
> 
> What makes it non-free, you ask? I refer you back to the four basic
> freedoms.
> For a program to be free you must be able to use all four freedoms on a
> commercial of non-commercial basis [0]. That's an important part:
> Commercial
> and non-commercial use must be treated entirely equally.
> 
> Mozilla does not allow freedom #2 on a commercial basis, rendering
> Mozilla-branded copies non-free [1]. Recommending that someone use a
> non-free
> program is probably not a good idea.
> 
> [0] http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
> [1]
> http://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/gnu-linux-libre/2011-08/msg00014.html
> 
> 
> 
> --
> http://gnuzilla.gnu.org
>

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