At least the name is. The rights were acquired by PC/Opensystems. It is another Ubuntu based release. While they are releasing Freespire, Linspire will set you back $80. And if you want the next major release, it will cost another $80. But it is supported till 2025, assuming they are still around.
None. It’s a Xubuntu reskin by a very small company. Their website is hosted on Blogger (not just their blog, their entire site). Checkout is via a very poor PayPal button. The installer freezes when attempting to restart into the new system (may have been a Parallels VM issue though, as I isolated it up the wazoo). There are references to Black Lab Linux (the same outfit’s other Ubuntu reskin) peppered in places, making me think they’re built from the same sources, making me think they want to trade off the Linspire name with minimal effort involved. There are literally no packages sources from this vendor; they are all stock Xenial apt sources, with an additional apt config for Skype (which isn’t installed by default). There’s literally nothing to recommend this over a stock Xubuntu install, other than there is paid support offered, but how many people can vouch for this crowd?
I sleep just fine, but this is copyright infringement, and probably trademark infringement too. Ripping off another company’s designs or assets because you either can’t be arsed making your own, or you want to trade off someone else’s work, is uncool. Especially when you’re trying to espouse open source community values.
I remember 40 years ago that a brief glance at an Aston Martin made me think it was a Ford Mustang. I see Fords today and think they are Aston Martin wannabes. But those are resemblances, which happens. And the design of one thing can influence another. But to look like a copy and paste job like what they did with this software store? That’s just wrong. And pathetic.
Do I think too much is made about design patents? Yes, it seems to get ridiculous at times. Unless, of course, it’s an obvious copy.
It is. Some of us, ok, I, don’t always realize that those dots I’m staring at are suppose to be connected! Should I be paid for teaching patience or convicted for trying it?