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Re: GNU, the "UNIX" trademark, and legal control over language
From: |
Alexander Terekhov |
Subject: |
Re: GNU, the "UNIX" trademark, and legal control over language |
Date: |
Sat, 26 Jan 2008 13:58:34 +0100 |
mike3 wrote:
[...]
> point, I'm talking about conversational English here -- UNofficial
> names, not official branding. Is the US Government, and perhaps those
The US Government (judicial branch) is on record:
http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/fdocs/docs.fwx?submit=showbr&shofile=06-2454_008.pdf
"One prominent example of free, open-source software is the Linux
operating system, a derivative of the Unix operating system written by
AT&T in the 1960s and now available without cost. (Unix® is a trademark
of The Open Group, but the source code to many variants of AT&Ts work
is freely available.) Linux is one of many modern derivatives of Unix
which is not itself under the GPL. Thus Apple Computer, which uses the
Berkeley Software Distribution variant of Unix as the foundation for
the Mac OS X operating system, is entitled to charge for its software.
[...] The number of proprietary operating systems is growing, not
shrinking, so competition in this market continues quite apart from
the fact that the GPL ensures the future availability of Linux and
other Unix offshoots."
Got it? :-)
Wait, there was a correction order:
http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/fdocs/docs.fwx?submit=showbr&shofile=06-2454_010.pdf
-------
Order
The slip opinion of this court issued on Novermer 9, 2006, is
amended as follows:
Page 2, first full paragraph, line 4, change "Unix®" to "UNIX®";
Page 3, first full paragraph, line 7, change "Williams" to "Wallace".
-------
But the rest stands.
Note also that http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Easterbrook
"... is noted for his use of economic analysis of law, his legalist
approach to judicial interpretation, for his clear writing style, and
for being one of the most prolific judges of his generation.
Easterbrook is one of the most prolific and most cited appellate
judges in America."
So we can safely call GNU >>Unix offshoot<< just like Chief Judge
Frank Easterbrook.
Hth.
regards,
alexander.
--
http://www.linuxtaliban.com/bilder.htm