Subject: Re: Need to pay to use the word "Linux" in commercial
	products/services!
From: Jon Masters <jonathan@jonmasters.org>
To: Alan Cox <alan@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Cc: andy <rootstrap@googlemail.com>, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
In-Reply-To: <20081125225708.6399ba14@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
References: <2c918050811251439g713c71ddy252c37497b1199b@mail.gmail.com>
	 <20081125225708.6399ba14@lxorguk.ukuu.org.uk>
Content-Type: text/plain
Organization: World Organi[sz]ation Of Broken Dreams
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:24:42 -0500
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On Tue, 2008-11-25 at 22:57 +0000, Alan Cox wrote:
> On Tue, 25 Nov 2008 22:39:27 +0000
> andy <rootstrap@googlemail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hi
> > 
> > I found it a bit strange that the word "Linux" has to be licensed!
> > The "word" is protected under GPL v2, as it is appear first in 1991
> > in GPL code.  Trademarks and Patents are not allowed in GPL!
> > The registration of the name at later point of time, and now the
> > licensing terms are very confusing to me, could someone help
> > me to understand better please?
> 
> The GPL protects copyrights not trademarks. The Linux trademarking is an
> interesting question and I know a lot of companies take the view that the
> mark is unenforcable. On the other hand it stops abuse of the name for
> other unrelated software.

Personally, I love washing my clothes with Linux detergent :)

They tell me it's also a popular Operating System kernel.

Jon.


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