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by jiggy2011 4485 days ago
They're not charging to "distribute" firefox as a product in this instance, they are simply charging for the service/time to install it so I don't think this applies, it wouldn't be any different from geek squad etc charging to install firefox on a PC (IANAL).
3 comments
markild 4485 days ago
That sounds like semantics.

Couldn't you say the same for any service where you _actually_ distribute it as well? "I'm not distributing it, I'm simple charging for the service of easy installation".

(I'm also not AL, though...)

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jiggy2011 4485 days ago
Software licenses are almost entirely about semantics. :) I think the difference would be between saying "I will give you this DVD containing a copy of firefox but you must agree to my $16 installation charge" vs saying "for $16 I will on your behalf obtain firefox from the mozilla foundation and perform the service of installing on your computer".
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peterpostle 4485 days ago
I've never understood the complaint that something is "just semantics", or "you're arguing semantics".

If someone can't argue based on the meaning of the words in a piece of text, what else can they argue about? The grammar? The spelling? Surely we _only_ want arguments based on semantics!

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MatthewWilkes 4485 days ago
The meaning of the sentence as a whole. "Just semantics" is used when you hinge your argument on the subtleties of meaning of one word.
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iopq 4485 days ago
Lexis and code generation, I guess
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tehwalrus 4485 days ago
It's getting distributed as well, when they ship the machine. Note that the trademark policy applies to Firefox in binary form on any medium, including a hard drive.

(this wouldn't apply to other laptops that come with preinstalled Ubuntu, for example, since there is no specific charge to add Firefox.)

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MatthewWilkes 4485 days ago
They're charging to install it on something that they then distribute. The distribution contains Firefox.

Installing it on a computer somebody already owns isn't distribution, you can charge for hours there, but installing it on something in the factory is different.

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alkonaut 4485 days ago
If the problem is the binaries being installed and shipped, that can be easily circumvented by dell installing a downloader stub that simply downloads and installs Firefox for the customer when the computer is first started. The charge would be for the setup of that automatic installer process.
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scott_w 4485 days ago
Nope, you're still distributing, just in a more elaborate way to try and evade the trademark agreement, which courts don't look too kindly on.
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