This page introduces the Fedora Remix, which is a combination of Fedora software, with or without add-ons, that can be created by any community member at any time to produce interesting and compelling products.
What is a Fedora Remix?
A Fedora Remix is a combination of Fedora software, with or without third-party software, that any community member can create at any time. You can use a Fedora Remix to:
- Target a specific hardware platform like a netbook, router, or other device
- Provide an appropriate combination of software for a specific interest group, like artists, musicians, software developers, educators, craftsmen, et al.
- Demonstrate a layered product using the Fedora platform as the underlying operating system
- Build a portable, bootable environment for a classroom
- Offer promotional materials to customers inside a fully customizable OS
- Or any of countless other applications...
Do not confuse official Fedora distributions with a Fedora Remix. Fedora Remix products allow anyone in the community to create special derivations that may contain some Fedora software. The official Fedora platform contains only 100% free and open source software (with some exceptions) that is legally redistributable everywhere in the world.
Fedora is a completely free and redistributable computing platform that can be "remixed" into different combinations of software. It can also be combined with other, non-Fedora software to produce interesting and compelling products. A Fedora Remix product may contain some software that is forbidden to include in Fedora itself.
How do I remix Fedora?
You can use the remixing tools that come with Fedora, including:
livecd-tools- for creating bootable and installable Live media for CD/DVD/USBpungi- for creating install-only mediarevisor- a flexible alternative for creating installation medialivemedia-creator- a new way to create live media (included with lorax)
Most Fedora Remix creators want to use the Live media creation tools, since they create a complete bootable environment ready to distribute to users. To read more about how to use the Live media creation tools, look at How to create and use Fedora Live CD.
Including other software
The Fedora Remix allows you to combine non-Fedora software with Fedora, but you must observe the appropriate trademark guidelines, which include removing the fedora-logos, fedora-release, and fedora-release-notes packages and replacing them with equivalents. We provide the generic-logos, generic-release, and generic-release-notes packages for these purposes, but you may also create your own. Additional guidelines may apply, so please read them, and the following section as well, for more information.
Are there other legal requirements?
Laws concerning software differ by region, so the Fedora Project can't advise everyone on how each region works. The tools for creating a Fedora Remix give you everything you need to make a Remix; it's up to you to decide how you want to put the software together.
You can call your product a Fedora Remix without even asking -- just go ahead and do it! We also provide complete guidelines and a logo you can freely use to label your Fedora Remix. Those guidelines cover the use of the Fedora Remix mark so you do need to understand and follow them, but they're pretty simple, and as long as you do that, you don't need any special permission to use the Fedora Remix mark.
There are trademark requirements on just using the word "Fedora," or the official Fedora logo for your remix. These requirements help to protect the value of the Fedora brand. We reserve the official "Fedora" name and trademarks for the official products we publish straight from the Fedora Project. You may not use these without permission, except as written in our trademark guidelines. When naming or referring to your Fedora Remix, for example, you may not separate the words "Fedora" and "Remix."
Can a Fedora Remix have a different branding?
Yes. You can call it by a completely different name, and have different artwork and logos that do not use the Fedora trademarks or the Fedora Remix marks. You are free to choose whether or not to use the "Fedora Remix" name or logo.
Are Remixes and Spins different?
Yes. A Remix can be created by anyone with our tools, and labeled with the special "Fedora Remix" mark as set out in that logo's guidelines page. A Spin, on the other hand, contains only 100% Fedora software, not combined with any other third-party software, has been approved by the Fedora Spins_SIG, and granted the "Fedora" name by the Fedora Council. Spins are usually carried on our BitTorrent server and official mirrors.
What Fedora remixes are available?
There are several out there and the Fedora Project has no affiliation with any of them. Some of these are documented on the List of Fedora remixes page. These remixes may include multimedia codecs, drivers etc from third-party repositories.
How do I find out more?
You can find documentation at the following places:
- https://opensourceforu.com/2010/01/roll-out-a-fedora-remix/ [formerly linuxforu.com]
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHa1YHxc_bY [Screencast by Scott Dowdle of montanalinux.org]
You can sign up for the fedora-remixes mailing list if you need any help with creating your Fedora Remixes.
You can sign up for the fedora-spins mailing list if you need any help with creating your Fedora Spins.