Yesterday I released MetaTags Sidebar for Firefox 1.5 Web browser. (Note that the homepage of this browser extension is not yet updated, but you indeed can download from there version 2.1 despite of that page says lesser version number.)

I will tell about the features (including displaying page meta tags, links, and other information as well as search engine submission integration, etc.) of this sidebar later.

Now I will publish a copy of info from the About Box of this Firefox extension, where I explain the legal aspects of this deal being not a business (commerce), despite of I have affiliate links there.

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Affiliate links but not a business

Certain things in this browser extension may look like being illegal in Russian jurisdiction. This page explains why it is indeed absolutely legal.

Regarding the affiliate LocalSubmit and Alexa links in this Firefox extension.

I have read in New Testament Do not bother about tomorrow what you to eat and what to clothe. and after this I have promised God that I never will be a businessman anymore.

After the promise I not only do not count myself not obliged to follow legal business transactions rules but even count myself obliged to not follow legal business transactions rules. (Anyway to follow these rules is simply impossible in Russia for overseas affiliate relationships! As of 2005 year Russian businessmen practically cannot be legal affiliates, it is the main reason why there are no Russian Bill Gates.)

So, because I now do not follow legal business rules, at first the affiliate links in this browser extension seem illegal. But they indeed are not illegal for the reason explained below.

Now I have URLs of affiliate links to LocalSubmit and Alexa stored on my local hard drive, but I do not have corresponding non-affiliate links locally. Now I have no money in the pocket and very little sum left on my Internet service provider account. So now surfing Internet to find the corresponding non-affiliate links would be too costly for me (and for browser users, et cetera who would lose my service), especially because Internet access is needed for a competition where I hope to win a $3700 prize. (Note that participating in this competition is definitely also should not be counted as a business act in the sense of applicable Russian laws.)

I am surely not obliged by any law to work and to spend my money and time with the purpose to make himself more poor. It is not only not required by any law, but would be comical. I claim that to require me to do this would be classified as slavery and is forbidden by anti-slavery laws and conventions.

Nobody has any right to require me to remove an useful free service from users. I claim my right to be considered as an unregistered non-commercial organization with one member and I have all rights of a non-commercial organization.

Anyway, I have even not (at least yet) taken the decision to withdraw earned affiliate commission. Maybe, I again will be left without money and will have an incident of grace like this one again! Or maybe I will have enough money (I am now under grace.) and will not ever withdraw these superfluous money.

It is not a business but is grace, God's blessing!

I am not going to add here any more affiliate links. If I will add other SEO services to the menu, I am going to use normal (not affiliate) links (note that the links to LocalSubmit and Alexa above are also not affiliate because I keep the promise to God to not be a businessman.

Related Links

• Declaration of Not Businessman (currently only in Russian language).
• Extreme Code Software - a failed (because of both my great hardships and crimes against me and of not willingness to do a commerce) software company project.
• Donate to a free software developer.
• Homepage of this Firefox extension.
• Author's homepage.