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'''GNU IceCat''' is the official web browser of the [[GNU]] operating system.

==Regarding the difference between Firefox, Iceweasel and Icecat==

===It is illegal to distribute modified Firefox under the Firefox name===
The Firefox source code is [[free software]]. However, the Firefox trademark protects a brand owned by the Mozilla Corporation. This is not a nitpicky "infringement of freedom" issue, but a question of protecting the Firefox name from scammers trying to sell it or modified spyware versions. To ensure protection Firefox can be distributed on other people's CDs, but only in unmodified form. 

Now Debian and Ubuntu modified Firefox for some reason. Mozilla Co. themselves opened [http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=354622 the bug] for trademark violation. Rather than violate their general policy for how they distribute software, Debian decided to change the branding on their version. Ubuntu [http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/79 got permission] to continue using the Firefox name.

===What is Debian Iceweasel?===
Debian Iceweasel is Firefox 3.0 rebranded for the Debian distribution, as well as Gobuntu. There are no changes from the Firefox trunk and it will stay up to date with the Firefox trunk. Debian Iceweasel does not exist as its own Subversion repository. Debian is also responsible for rebranding Mozilla Seamonkey as Iceape, and Mozilla Thunderbird as Icedove.

Now here are the Iceweasel homepages.
* Official: http://packages.debian.org/unstable/web/iceweasel
* Unofficial: http://www.geticeweasel.org/
* For your amusement only: [http://sourceforge.net/projects/iw4win Iceweasel for Windows] (based on an old Firefox alpha-- do not use)

===What is GNU IceCat, formerly Iceweasel?===
[http://www.gnu.org/software/gnuzilla/ GNU IceCat] is a ''fork'' of Firefox 3.0. The trunk has been downloaded and modified for their purposes. GNU has its own repository that it keeps IceCat in.

Update: GNU seems to be mirroring new Firefox releases as they come down the pipe.

===What was gNewSense BurningDog?===
[[gNewSense]] BurningDog was Firefox 1.5 rebranded for the gNewSense 1.x distribution. There were no changes from the Firefox trunk. gNewSense BurningDog does not exist as its own Subversion repository.

[[Category:GNU]]

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