Vivaldi as the default browser shipped with Linux
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I am curious, what is the policy (if any), of a Linux distribution bundling Vivaldi as the default web browser?
The Linux distribution would be free and open source.
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@NetscapeNavigator If they are expecting Vivaldi to be "free as in speech" as they like to phrase ir, they will be disappointed. Vivaldi is not available under the GPL (any version), the Apache license, or any similar license.
Having said that, there was at least one version of Linux that included old Opera (Presto-based) as default, so I'm certain Vivaldi has no qualms with a version of Linux including it as default browser. It's just that the license belongs to Vivaldi, and therefore won't match any FOSS license.
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Having said that, there was at least one version of Linux that included old Opera (Presto-based) as default, so I'm certain Vivaldi has no qualms with a version of Linux including it as default browser. It's just that the license belongs to Vivaldi, and therefore won't match any FOSS license.
Not only the old Opera.
Vivaldi has also become in the past the default browser in 2 linux distros.
In FerenOS and in Manjaro Linux Cinammon. -
@sgunhouse said in Vivaldi as the default browser shipped with Linux:
@NetscapeNavigator If they are expecting Vivaldi to be "free as in speech" as they like to phrase ir, they will be disappointed. Vivaldi is not available under the GPL (any version), the Apache license, or any similar license.
Having said that, there was at least one version of Linux that included old Opera (Presto-based) as default, so I'm certain Vivaldi has no qualms with a version of Linux including it as default browser. It's just that the license belongs to Vivaldi, and therefore won't match any FOSS license.
I am not worried about if something is open source or not.
Firefox, for example, is open source, but today they're including adware, spyware, and every AI (artificial intelligence) imaginable (some I've never heard of before). Just because something is free, open source, does not mean it is better. Arguably, there are virus programs hosted on GitHub that are technically, free and open source, but I do not think they're making the world a better place, anymore than Firefox is, today.
That said, I am not shy about non-free media codecs, firmware, drivers, and alike. I think the old school mindset that everything must be FOSS, has held Linux back for some time now.
Putting all that aside, my inquire was not to obtain the code or rights to Vivaldi. My inquire was whether you could bundle Vivaldi into a free (meaning, no cost) Linux distribution, or would that somehow violate Vivaldi's terms?
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@electryon said in Vivaldi as the default browser shipped with Linux:
Having said that, there was at least one version of Linux that included old Opera (Presto-based) as default, so I'm certain Vivaldi has no qualms with a version of Linux including it as default browser. It's just that the license belongs to Vivaldi, and therefore won't match any FOSS license.
Not only the old Opera.
Vivaldi has also become in the past the default browser in 2 linux distros.
In FerenOS and in Manjaro Linux Cinammon.Awesome! That is good news to hear. I was wondering if that was something that is allowed or not.
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@NetscapeNavigator, I think that with the path Mozilla is taking, Vivaldi will appear in more distros as the default browser. Today no browser with as many functions and possibilities as Vivaldi has, can have a unified license or be entirely FOSS.
In some reviews, Vivaldi is classified as "almost OpenSource", because the little proprietary part is full auditable and even moddeable by the user, apart it's only related to it's UI. It's not a full closed source product like Chrome, EDGE or Opera, they are also based on the FOSS Chromium, but full of own proprietary APIs and scripts, which is way different as the gutted Chromium base used by Vivaldi. -
@NetscapeNavigator said in Vivaldi as the default browser shipped with Linux:
I am curious, what is the policy (if any), of a Linux distribution bundling Vivaldi as the default web browser?
Vivaldi has a page dedicated to this on their site.
https://vivaldi.com/partners/linux/
It also has a small FAQ at the bottom that directly addresses some questions you would likely have.
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Also very usefull this page
https://vivaldi.com/compare/ -
This post is deleted! -
@nomadic said in Vivaldi as the default browser shipped with Linux:
@NetscapeNavigator said in Vivaldi as the default browser shipped with Linux:
I am curious, what is the policy (if any), of a Linux distribution bundling Vivaldi as the default web browser?
Vivaldi has a page dedicated to this on their site.
https://vivaldi.com/partners/linux/
It also has a small FAQ at the bottom that directly addresses some questions you would likely have.
Well, I think this answered my questions.
Do I need to sign an agreement with Vivaldi to integrate it?
You do not need an agreement with Vivaldi to integrate the browser, Vivaldi is free software so as long as your integration is open and without legal limitations you do not need any form of agreement.Are there any licensing costs involved?
Vivaldi is free software (though not licensed as "free and open source"). But as far as licensing, or other costs go there are none involved when you integrate Vivaldi.Do I need to inform Vivaldi before I integrate the browser and do I need permission?
Yes, we would strongly recommend that you inform us if and when you integrate the browser in your distribution or on a Linux device. We can not enforce this, but we do prefer to be asked for permission before you take on such integration.I have no plans on making any modifications to Vivaldi. No changes whatsoever. It will either the RPM repos or the Flatpak (still not decided) and once included left "as is" to be updated when updated. I'll forward a copy of the ISO in advance, before release, for Vivaldi to review.
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@NetscapeNavigator - miss Dominic (FerenOS). Hope he's "feren" okay these days.
MXLinux always has Vivaldi on its default package installer list.
No Snap or Flatpak for me.
Perhaps the latter a bit, when .deb is not available at all.
