[patzerhacker]

>copyright and trademark are poor excuses - if the search engine wants to be in the default set of search tools provided by the browser, they can trivially authorize the redistribution of a a simple icon

Debian's policy does not allow them to accept "special dispensation" for copyright and trademark permission - either everyone has to get it or Debian can't accept. This is part of why Iceweasel was split from Firefox in the first place:

Per the Debian social contract:

>License Must Not Be Specific to Debian

>_The rights attached to the program must not depend on the program's being part of a Debian system._ If the program is extracted from Debian and used or distributed without Debian but otherwise within the terms of the program's license, all parties to whom the program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the Debian system.

[pdkl95]

Why would you assume that such permission would be "special" to Debian? It's an icon. There is zero reason for a search engine to restrict such use (and distribution).

[patzerhacker]

>There is zero reason for a search engine to restrict such use (and distribution).

Because these logos depict their trademarked images, and the licensing that they'd offer would likely not allow use for any purpose. Debian's social policy requires that everything included in their distribution be freely licensed for any use.

[pdkl95]

> and the licensing that they'd offer would likely not allow use for any purpose

Then they don't want to be in the default set of search providers. Seriously, has the art of negotiating been lost completely? Google/Yahoo/etc need that strategic placement far more than they need to enforce some minor point about their logo's trademark. Debian's social policy doesn't mena they have to let themselves be browbeat by businesses without even an attempt at negotiating.

Do you really think Google or Yahoo would just say, "No, we don't care about being in Firefox/Iceweasel's default search list."? Would their shareholders be happy about losing market share over want of a trivial licence?

[patzerhacker]

>Do you really think Google or Yahoo would just say, "No, we don't care about being in Firefox/Iceweasel's default search list"?

Given that they haven't freely licensed their images and this has been an issue for some time I'm going to have to say the answer is "yes" because Firefox/Iceweasel download the missing images on startup.