Not really, we have guidelines about making “Haiku-compatible distributions” and on none of them does it say “if you don’t modify the kernel, it’s not a ‘fork’”. In fact even installing extra software and redistributing that is “not Haiku” by some metrics if you don’t obtain permission from the Haiku project to use the name, it’s only “Haiku compatible” (hence Haikuware’s “Senryu.”)
We aren’t Linux (or Android), so we don’t do things “the way Linux does”, necessarily; in this case we have policies directly contrary to the Linux philosophy.
If I make a respository and create packages to adapt stock Haiku to my use case then that’s nobodies business. A completely different case from if I were distributing it premodified which I again see no need of doing.
Distributing it premodified is obviously “a distribution” and so can’t use our trademarks without permission. Distributing packages for people to modify – not just extend though official APIs, but actually modify – is a grayer area we have not fully explored. Whether or not this would cross it into “not Haiku” is an open question.
Because if you are swapping out components to make the system more palatable to a touch-screen interface & usable as an actual navigation system in a car, that would probably be changing it far enough that it may “not be Haiku” anymore. Hence why “Hakilo” isn’t “Haiku”; removal of the package manager is removal of a key feature that at this point is one of the defining traits of Haiku.
I do not intend to make a distribution at all. I respect the Haiku trademark and have been a long time contrubutor of bug reports etc… and Have a good understanding on what would need to make a distro if I ever needed to.
Edited for politeness and relevance to this thread.
Having attempted to build a fork myself, I painfully and quickly learned what I couldn’t handle. I think a simple unofficial flavor or distribution that would blend in a few things wouldn’t be that bad (and I’ve thought of doing that; new icons, backdrops, etc. to make it appeal to users more), but you’re absolutely right. Forking an OS is a nightmare; you’d really need a team.
Yes if ever even began to enter my mind I’d probably look into removing the branding and things as required to comply to distribute an image derived from Haiku. It might even make sense to talk about some sort of Powered by Haiku type branding in exchange for supporting the Inc, but like I said, that is nowhere near the ol’ Radar scope right now.
I think of one case a premodified image could still be called Haiku: ideally if OEM preinstall it but “customized” by preinstalling drivers and its supporting apps, obviously in this hypothetical case that should be with Haiku Inc permission to use the TM and IP.
This is possible, if you ask Haiku, inc to check your work and grant you permission. For example, there was a “discover haiku” distribution for some time, shipping with a lot of preinstalled software.
and what if someone were to make a new distro/de that looks like haiku/be ???
without using the logo or brand name, would that be again the guidelines?
No, of course. Haiku is open source, you can do whatever you want with the code and even the icons. Only the Haiku name and logo are trademarked and subject to the distro guidelines restrictions.