On Sat, 16 Aug 2003, Stephen Smoogen wrote:
On Sat, 16 Aug 2003, James J. Ramsey wrote:
>
>IMHO, what is needed is some trademark policy that
>specifically allows CheapBytes, etc. to name future
>RHL CDs in a non-obfuscatory fashion, so that
>potential RHL users can actually *find* the CDs. Maybe
>a trademark specifically for CheapBytes and similar
>resellers, i.e. "Downloaded Red Hat Linux"?
>
I think someone said very early on that this was being worked on but it
would take a while to make sure it was a 'valid' policy in the eyes of
US and International Trademark law. I wish whoever is doing this luck..
I got a migraine on trying to read a 'simple' last will and testament
with all the parties, side restrictions, etc etc.
I am sure that all the CD vendors would gladly make a payment to the rhl
project for the use of such trademark.
We (
cheeplinux.com) tried to license the trademark from redhat, but the
terms were so onerous that it was not practical. Primarily we were only
allowed to sell single copies to individuals, whereas a lot of our
business is to trade customers.
I suspect that the other vendors have found likewise as each adopted their
own name for the set of isos.
We have always felt that cheap cds are a good way to introduce new
users to different distributions, and some will then go on to purchase
boxed products or support contracts, or recommend that their companies
roll out a particular distro and it really hasnt done redhat any favours
having their brand diluted, or sold as 'pink tie' etc , possibly because
of their lawyers misunderstanding of the way that gpl software is distributed.
Lance
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