Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

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jahid

Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by jahid »

I have recently customized the xubuntu 14.04.1 into my own desktop and removed all of it's artworks logos, styles, names etc. Now there's no way it can be told a xubuntu desktop anymore.

But the problem is, the way i have done it, is a little bit peculiar...

I changed the defaults (that's ok), But I have used xubuntu programs to do that, i.e the xubuntu programs for loading logos, artworks, icons, names are still there. For example, if the default icon for menu is loaded from /usr/share/pixmaps/xubuntu-logo-menu.png, I didn't change the name but changed the icon. I created another icon with same name and did overwrite on the default...

I have done same thing on ubiquity too..

So everything is loaded by xubuntu but it's not xubuntu anymore....

So if I want to share it with my friends, will that be legal or illegal??
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tdockery97
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Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by tdockery97 »

In my humble opinion, regardless of some of the original tools still being there, if you have changed all of the Xubuntu/Ubuntu branding then you should be able to do with your distro as you see fit. After all, Linux is supposed to be free to share and use as you like.
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jimallyn
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Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by jimallyn »

Probably doesn't matter much if you're just sharing it with a couple of friends, but if I remember correctly, most Open Source licenses state that you must make the source code available if you make changes to it.
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nomko

Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by nomko »

tdockery97 wrote:After all, Linux is supposed to be free to share and use as you like.
Linux is free to use and share under the GNU licensing. As long you comply to this licensing there's no reason to assume that modifiying a Xubuntu theme or the Xubuntu desktop (which in most part is a theme) is illegal.
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xenopeek
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Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by xenopeek »

That's grossly oversimplifying things. While many packages installed by default on Xubuntu, or available from its repositories, will be licensed under GPL, many are licensed under other licenses that may have other restrictions.

For the topic at hand though, Xubuntu is a registered trademark of Canonical. While I think this question is better asked at Xubuntu than here, for redistributing a modified ISO, now being your work, you have to take into consideration any trademarks and copyrights of the original distribution that you may be using by publishing your work (if you didn't get written approval to use those). Linux Mint is clear on this; you can't distribute your work under the name Linux Mint, or use any of the copyrighted or identity elements (artwork and such). But you can use the Linux Mint created software, as indeed those are licensed under GPL. So you can use "mintinstall", "mintupdate", and so on, under the terms set out in the GPL.

What the position of Xubuntu and Canonical on this is, I can't say. I know that Linux Mint has an agreement with Canonical for using the Ubuntu base; so if you are considering publishing your work I'd say at the very least talk to the Xubuntu people.

While I doubt having a file with the name "xubuntu" in it is a problem, can't you change the default menu icon file? That seems it would avoid headache :wink:
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jahid

Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by jahid »

Reading all the comments so far, I have come to understand some things...A long as it's under GPL I have no problem with that and probably don't have to worry about making the source available for everyone, because I haven't changed the source, only the outer part ( the lookings, and artwork). And about xubuntu, ubuntu, they say in their installation process that they use all free softwares and there was a option to install a third party software which has special license agreement with ubuntu. I think i will have to remove that part...

So may be i am on the right track... ain't I?
jahid

Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by jahid »

xenopeek wrote: While I doubt having a file with the name "xubuntu" in it is a problem, can't you change the default menu icon file? That seems it would avoid headache :wink:
yap, I will cahnge that too....


And , I am gonna post this on ubuntu forums as well...
jahid

Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by jahid »

http://www.ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-p ... rty-policy
http://www.ubuntu.com/about/about-ubuntu/licensing

* You, the user, must be able to pass on any software you have received from Ubuntu in either source code or compiled form.

* While Ubuntu will not charge licence fees for this distribution, you might want to charge to print Ubuntu CDs, or create your own customised versions of Ubuntu which you sell, and should have the freedom to do so.

* Must not require royalty payments or any other fee for redistribution or modification.It's important that you can exercise your rights to this software without having to pay for the privilege, and that you can pass these rights on to other people on exactly the same basis.

* Any redistribution of modified versions of Ubuntu must be approved, certified or provided by Canonical if you are going to associate it with the Trademarks. Otherwise you must remove and replace the Trademarks and will need to recompile the source code to create your own binaries. This does not affect your rights under any open source licence applicable to any of the components of Ubuntu. If you need us to approve, certify or provide modified versions for redistribution you will require a licence agreement from Canonical, for which you may be required to pay. For further information, please contact us (as set out below).
jahid

Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by jahid »

As I remember the last part from my previous post is the one for which Linux Mint had to sign a license agreement with canonical, isn't it?

So, does LM have something like that?

For convenience:
* Any redistribution of modified versions of Ubuntu must be approved, certified or provided by Canonical if you are going to associate it with the Trademarks. Otherwise you must remove and replace the Trademarks and will need to recompile the source code to create your own binaries. This does not affect your rights under any open source licence applicable to any of the components of Ubuntu. If you need us to approve, certify or provide modified versions for redistribution you will require a licence agreement from Canonical, for which you may be required to pay. For further information, please contact us (as set out below).
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xenopeek
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Re: Customized Xubuntu desktop, legal or illegal?

Post by xenopeek »

xenopeek wrote:Linux Mint has an agreement with Canonical for using the Ubuntu base
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