TradeMarked Name --redhat-config-

[Lance Davis]

On Sun, 9 Nov 2003, Mike A. Harris wrote:

> >That really sums up redhats attitude does it ??
> 
> Attitude?  Um, no.  That sums up my personal opinion. Perhaps I
> shouldn't be feeding the trolls on a Sunday. <sigh>

or even trolling yourself. ..

> 
> 
> >None of the other projects / companies mentioned , including
> >XFree86 , Apache etc, use trademarks to restrict the
> >distribution of GPL software like Redhat does.
> 
> We're not using trademarks to restrict the distribution of GPL 
> software, so you are very wrong there.
> 

'released under the GPL as long as you conform to our trademark 
requirements' seems clear cut to me.

http://www.redhat.com/about/corporate/trademark/guidelines/page6.html is 
even clearer.

> >Who is to say that in the next release we may be told to rename
> >all of the redhat- rpms as well as redhat-artwork and
> >anaconda-images, because they use redhats trademark - it is
> >redhat inc that have chosen the rules and changed the goalposts
> >at each release of Redhat(TM) Linux(TM).
> 
> /me rolls eyes

attitude again ???
 
> >It is right that the questions are asked now, and hopefully
> >anmswers given. The use of redhat- for an rpm in theory
> >contravenes redhats published tradmark guidelines, and
> >permission is not given anywhere for its use.
> 
> The Red Hat legal department has clarified this issue in the past 
> when people asked, and they've been re-contacted to <sigh> once 
> again clarify the issue.

I dont believe they have clarified this actual issue, which is why AC said 
he would refer it to them.

> >Surely if redhat does allow this use then it may be weakening
> >its trademark position ....
> 
> You may wish to consult an IP attourney before making such 
> assumptions, but feel free to speculate by all means.

I already have - I am just going by missives from redhat ...

> >What if I called my package redhat-config-widgit because it
> >configures a widgit to work with redhat/fedora/other rpm based
> >distro ???
> 
> IANAL, so I don't have an answer for that one.

> ... ask your lawyers to give the
> >answers.

Lance

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