2007/07/23
Firefox vs. Swiftfox (LINUX)
Swiftfox is an optimized Firefox-based browser (Linux only). And I have been using it since my migration from Windows to Ubuntu [Linux]. Well, after perusing the Swiftfox website, I came across THIS. It is the licensing information for Swiftfox (and source code).

Now, I am not a Linux GURU or a l337 master of *NIX, but I read something that was perplexing. If the idea behind Open Source and GNU is to promote 'free' distribution of software in order to help the software develop, why does Swiftfox violate that? The Swiftfox licensing says: (I will quote it): "Binaries provided by getswiftfox.com are not licensed MPL and therefore are not freely distributable. The license to use Swiftfox extends to the user that downloads Swiftfox from this web site. No one may repackage or redistribute Swiftfox binaries in any form without prior permission.". Now, if that doesn't violate the 'free' idea, I don't know what does.

For that reason, I have left Swiftfox, and went back to Firefox. Please steer clear of Swiftfox.

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// sk0t @ 10:45 PM :: Comments [1] :: Digg This ::