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Mark Shuttleworth first mentioned the idea of creating Ubuntu derivative, named Gnubuntu, consisting entirely of free software, on November 242005. Due to Richard Stallman's disapproval of the name, the project was later renamed to Ubuntu-libre. Stallman has previously endorsed a distribution based on Ubuntu called gNewSense, and has criticized Ubuntu for using proprietary and non-free software in successive distributions, most notably, Ubuntu 7.04.
While introducing Ubuntu 7.10, Mark Shuttleworth said that it will
feature a new flavour - as yet unnamed - which takes an ultra-orthodox view of licensing: no firmware, drivers, imagery, sounds, applications, or other content which do not include full source materials and come with full rights of modification, remixing and redistribution. There should be no more conservative home, for those who demand a super-strict interpretation of the "free" in free software.
Gobuntu was officially announced by Mark Shuttleworth on July 102007,, and daily builds of Gobuntu 7.10 began to be publicly released. The initial version, Gobuntu 7.10, was released on October 182007, but only in text-only installer, the first full release is expected to be the Long-Term Release codenamed "Hardy Heron".
Release 7.10 initially met with criticism from some free software advocates, since it included Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird, software which the Mozilla Foundation has insisted must be distributed only with non-free artwork, unless a derivative version is made with a different name. After some debate on the developer list, this problem was quickly addressed by Canonical, and the non-free products will be replaced in the upcoming interim release "Gobuntu Gutsy+1".
