[Foundation-l] Wikipedia trade mark misuse

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

Thomas Dalton wrote:
> On 15 June 2010 00:20, David Gerard <dgerard at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> On 15 June 2010 00:17, Jussi-Ville Heiskanen <cimonavaro at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> You are claiming the law is complicated. But the facts are
>>> plain and simple, and no amount of FUDD is going to support
>>> a view that there is any reasonable justification (by moral
>>> or juridifical standards) to claim WMF is the body to apply
>>> for permission to use "wiki" on something. That just ain't
>>> gonna happen, *nohow*. Sorry. That is just a fact. Don't try
>>> to squirm.
>>>       
>> Frankly, if we *could* try to claim a trademark on the word "wiki", we
>> *shouldn't*. At most, ask the site nicely to note somewhere  they're
>> nothing to do with "Wikipedia."
>>     
>
> I'm not suggesting we should claim a trademark on the word "wiki" (it
> wouldn't stand up). I'm suggesting that "wiki" when used as the name
> of an encyclopaedia is sufficiently similar to "Wikipedia" to cause
> confusion in the market (which is what trademarks are designed to
> prevent).
>
>   

You are of course aware </sarcasm> that there are a
remarkable range of encyclopaedia-like (even if limited
in scope) projects not handled by WMF, which the WMF
has excellent relations with, and no wish to "reduce
confusion" with regard. Such as Wiki-Travel, Wikia,
WikiHow, etc.

I have been accused before of using too strong language
on this mailing list, so I will pointedly restrain myself here
with a humongous effort.


Yours,

Jussi-Ville Heiskanen