Linus wants money for the word Linux

[mobrien_12]

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050816092029989

Ok, we all know Linus owns the trademark on "Linux."  He's let people use it pretty liberally, so long as they don't call some software Linux that has nothing to do with his kernel.

Well, that's changed.  He's decided to start a nonprofit center "to protect the public and Linux

[skyman8081]

If he doesn't enforce the trademark, then he stands a chance of losing it.

If that happened, some unscrupulous company could swoop it up, and be even worse.

[hm_murdock]

It's one of those things in law that requires trollish behavior. If you don't act like a cunt, somebody else has the right to.

[Refalm]

It's this kind of stuff that destroys a community. If this continues, we'll switch to BSD as the kernel.

[Pathos]

The law was made so no one could register trademarks as placekeepers until someone wanted to use it then sell it eg squatting.

The fee is pittens for a commercial business. I would look to businesses associated with Linux to be generous and try cover some of the fees for the free distributions. All you need is 20 people to donate $10 a year per distribution and Linux will be safe.

It has to be done, Better safe then sorry.

[Kintaro]

Personally I agree with Torvalds. To many people for starters associate the trademark wrongly with it being an entire operating system due to people distributing what is GNU/Linux under names like Red-Hat Linux and other things. I think this is fair enough, I doubt you would have to pay that trademark fee for mentioning that your product uses the Linux Kernel, using the Linux name in your product, company, or organisation name however is different.

And no Refalm, this is not a good reason to use BSD instead, nor is it a grounds to destroy a community.

[noob]

he will be one rich man. unless linux was all a plan to get rich. make it popular, then charge for using the name. dont flame me for saying that, because it makes it sound like a microsoft type scheme.

[Kintaro]

Oh fuck, read the fucking article. He makes barely anything, the only people getting rich are people in the law/trademark industry.

IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO READ THE ARTICLE, YOU SHOULD NOT POST EITHER. ARGH.

[Jenda]

I hope this is not true

[Aloone_Jonez]

Don't flame kintaro after all he is a noob.

[Pathos]

Don't flame kintaro after all he is a noob.

Its the only way they learn

[mobrien_12]

Linus ins't going to get rich from this.  He has clearly stated that the proceeds from the trademark licencing will go to his non-profit foundation to protect the trademark from abuse.

Nor will the lawyer in Australia get rich.  He has stated that he put up a quarter of a million of his own dollars to get the ball rolling (don't know how that tranlates into U.S. Dollars).

I think this is a good idea in general.  What I don't think is a good idea is the $200/year fee for non-profit groups.  If you are a big foundation that's a pittance, sure.  However, if you are an average Joe/Jane who wants to make a custom Linux Distro, use the word "Linux" in the title, and release it for others to use, this is a heck of a lot.  Also, what if you are a fan and want to make a Linux discussion board and callit, oh I dunno, "www.linuxboards.org  Linux Discussion Boards:  a place to get together and discuss Linux!"  and you have to pay out $200/year, even if it's run by just one person on a server sitting in his/her living room.  

I think he should have come up with a more reasonable payment for the non-profit groups who help to support, spread, and popularize the Linux kernel + Operating System,for free.

Maybe $200 for the big foundations and $10 for the really small fry.

[Jenda]

Or free, eh?

[Aloone_Jonez]

I think they would have to charge at least a small token amount.

[Pathos]

What they need is a catch word to replace "Linux"

eg xunil