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Re: Write after approval - processed by "None".
James E Wilson <wilson@specifixinc.com> writes:
> On Fri, 2005-03-11 at 17:48, Ian Lance Taylor wrote:
> > All true, but I want to note that the preferred non-GNU name is
> > sourceware.org.
>
> What about the trademark status? Last I heard, the trademark holder had
> asked us to stop using the name. That is when and why the machine got
> renamed away from sourceware.org. I have been careful not to use the
> sourceware name since. The sourceware.org name was kept for
> convenience, but wasn't supposed to be advertised. Did this trademark
> issue ever get resolved?
Back in 1997, they asked Cygnus to stop using the term sourceware to
describe Cygnus's products. I can't remember whether Cygnus changed
the machine name from sourceware.cygnus.com to sources.cygnus.com, or
whether the change happened after the Red Hat purchase.
The name sourceware.org came later, in 2001.
> Checking the US Patent and Trademarks office, I see that there is still
> a computer software trademark for sourceware, owned by Pliant
> Technologies, which was registered in August 1997. Pliant Technologies
> got bought by Market Central in 2003, and Market Central is still using
> this trademark.
> http://www.marketcentral.com/
I don't think that using sourceware.org as the name of a machine can
be construed as infringing on their trademark. Using sourceware as a
description of software, which is what Cygnus was doing, could be so
construed. Note that sourceware.com also exists, unconnected to
either us or to Market Central.
Red Hat personnel have encouraged us to use sourceware.org in
preference to sources.redhat.com.
Ian