For those who are unaware, there was recently a high profile (and, IMO, very shady) attempt in Australia to trademark the term Linux. In order to receive a trademark, the applicants had to demonstrate the term Linux is generic. While reading the article, this caught my eye:
"The applicant used Wikipedia and Google to back its claim but IP Australia dismissed the examples. 'The entry from the Wikipedia encyclopaedia indicates 'Linux is a computer operating system and its kernel' ... demonstrating generic use rather than trademark use.'" - http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Linux_trademark_bid_rejected/0,200...
Ok, I admit, I smiled a bit.
On 9/16/05, Mark Pellegrini mapellegrini@comcast.net wrote:
For those who are unaware, there was recently a high profile (and, IMO, very shady) attempt in Australia to trademark the term Linux. In order to receive a trademark, the applicants had to demonstrate the term Linux is generic.
Actually that should be non-generic. A generic term--one that is not commonly associated with a particular brand--cannot be trademarked..
But isn't Linux trademarked to Linus?
On 9/16/05, MacGyverMagic/Mgm macgyvermagic@gmail.com wrote:
Actually that should be non-generic. A generic term--one that is not commonly associated with a particular brand--cannot be trademarked..
Often it happens the other way around, though. A trademarked name turning generic. _______________________________________________ WikiEN-l mailing list WikiEN-l@Wikipedia.org To unsubscribe from this mailing list, visit: http://mail.wikipedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikien-l
On 16/09/05, Phroziac phroziac@gmail.com wrote:
But isn't Linux trademarked to Linus?
Evidently not. (RTFA)