[svlug] limewire on Linux

[Joe Buck]

Re: limeware:

On Thu, Feb 08, 2007 at 02:39:46PM -0800, Don Marti wrote:
> That's true, but the particular download that
> the Windows user has might be built with spyware.
> This is why the Mozilla Corporation is so strict
> about the "Firefox" trademark -- so that they can
> use trademark law to stop some Windows download site
> from redistributing a version with something nasty,
> but permissible under the copyright license, built in.

If that's the concern, people can obtain the software directly from
limewire.com, either the binaries or the source, and go after them if they
violate their "no spyware, no adware, no trojan horse" pledge.  Trademarks
offer no protection against crooks, because crooks will ignore the
trademark.  Someone unethical enough to offer a modified Firefox
with malware added isn't going to say, I was all set to steal everyone's
credit card numbers, but oh no, I can't, because there's a TRADEMARK!
Furthermore, trademark law wouldn't stop someone from packaging Firefox
together with an adware program in the same zip file or on the same CD.

Not that I endorse limewire, I know nearly nothing about it.  But Don,
that's just not a good argument.