The purpose of the policy is to protect end-users - they should not download/install something thinking it is "Ubuntu", and it turns out that it isn't Ubuntu.

The purpose of the policy is to protect end-users - they should not download/install something thinking it is "Ubuntu", and it turns out that it isn't Ubuntu. Ubuntu encourages derivation, but there has to be balance in protecting users and the reputation of the Ubuntu project. One of the objectives for Ubuntu has always been to enable people to build on it - that's why it's always encouraged and supported derivatives. But, but there are effects are what causes this part of the policy: * Someone providing a version of "Ubuntu" for specific hardware, but which broke various bits of user-experience * Someone customising Ubuntu for a specific server load but replacing PHP with their own version that wasn't in the package system - consequently no more security updates to this component. This area of the policy solely covers publicly distributing: * If you're distributing Ubuntu without any alterations then there aren't any issues: for example people create CD's in countries with low-bandwidth. * If you're using Ubuntu for internal use then you can do whatever you want: including changing configuration, altering components etc etc etc. If you make alterations to the OS and present to the external world (distribute it publicly) as 'Ubuntu' then you need a bit of care. It's hard to write all the permutations, but in practise it's pretty easy. Just watch for things that fundamentally alter the OS as provided: changes to kernels, system packages, default installs or system configurations. In my experience adding things is unlikely to be problematic. If you're doing things like installing applications from the archives, or generally configuring things then there's unlikely to be an issue. Dustin wrote a good post: http://blog.dustinkirkland.com/2015/07/appellation-of-origin-from-ubuntu.html http://blog.dustinkirkland.com/2015/07/appellation-of-origin... You should read the policy directly and ask Canonical if you're still unsure.