FOSS gamedev and creative worlds

First off, I know what coal looks like. That isn't the problem. I also know that you are supposed to mine the coal to collect it. Now that we got that out of the way, I'll tell you what the problem is- Coal is TOO rare for my tastes. I usually have to travel FAR (on my good days) to find some coal and on the public servers, it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE for me to find it (and I go DEEP into the caverns). I just want coal, so that I can make some torches for my spelunking needs. After all, it really sucks trying to make an underground fortress in pitch blackness.

burn trees :P thats what i do and use mese as fuel which irks most people when they ask me for fuel

Obviously most people on public servers take the coal, just use leaves as fuel or use any wood or saplings ect. and you can make coal in the furnace by burning un-refinied wood (the wood from the trees which is named Tree in inventory.

Coal is found underground regardless of the depth. You may smelt tree blocks to obtain coal, but not in the latest development version.