Islamic Linux distro changes its name to avoid trademark dispute

By Tim Conneally | Published May 12, 2009, 10:02 AM

Sabily (formerly Ubuntu Muslim Edition)We all remember Windows Me. It's a moniker that has become synonymous with incomparable stability problems and generally ridiculous bugs. Did you know that until recently there was also an Ubuntu Me? The "Me" in its case stood for "Muslim Edition."

Currently, however, the Linux distribution catering to the Islamic faith has sloughed off both its association to "Me" as well as its outward association to Ubuntu, and has changed its name to Sabily, a term taken from a Qur'anic verse which translates to "my way."

The project, which takes Canonical's Ubuntu and loads it up with free software pertinent to Islam (prayer scheduling, Qur'an recitations and translations, Web filtering) had to change its name in March because Canonical found both the name of the distro and its related Web site to be inconsistent with its trademark policy.

The first version to go by the name Sabily is version 9.04, built from Jaunty Jackalope, the Ubuntu build of the same number. Its new slogan will be: This is my way; I invite unto Allah with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me, from the surah of Surat Yusuf, verses 108-9 of the Qur'an.

Sabily (formerly Ubuntu Muslim Edition)

Comments

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no offense to muslims. It's always the extremists that ruin it for everyone.

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Where is the Al-queida Edition? It must not have caught on really well. Last i heard it only showed videos from Osama Bin Laden. And only had one button "jihad" and then it would blow up.

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Interesting, now just a sheik is missing to sponsor the development and Microsoft is done in the Muslim world... just kidding.

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I thought Ubuntu Muslim Edition was also known as Linux Mint.

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Nah, that's the Linux Pork

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And does anyone really think that even the mighty Microsoft would push for a law suit against Islam? I seriously doubt it.

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This is hillarious. One would wonder how they come up with such ideas.

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Exactly.

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