On 2009-01-30 at 9:09:51 -0500, Ralf Corsepius <rc040203@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Tom "spot" Callaway wrote: >> Please, if you're a packager, take a moment and go read this: >> >> https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging:Guidelines#Trademarks_in_Summary_or_Description >> >> >> After talking with Red Hat Legal about how we should be handling >> trademarks in package summaries and descriptions, we came to the >> conclusion that it would be far easier (and less risky for Red Hat) if >> we did not use "(TM)" or "(R)" notations at all. This does not mean that >> you can use trademarks freely, you still need to be careful in how you >> use them. When in doubt, try not to use it. If you have questions, you >> can either email me or fedora-legal@xxxxxxxxxxx > > IMO, your advice collides with "fair use" of trademarks, in particular > when commonly used names actually refer to trademarked items or when > package even contain something trademarked. > > Cf. e.g. > http://www.sgi.com/products/software/opengl/license.html > http://www.sgi.com/products/software/opengl/trademarks.html Not really. Please keep in mind that SGI's interpretation of fair use is sketchy at best. In the US, only the owner of a trademark is permitted to use the (R) symbol, and SGI describes it as fair use for anyone to use it. IMHO, SGI should stop writing licenses, all of the ones they've ever written in house have been awful. Certainly, it is permissable to use trademarks in according with the US Lanham Act, in keeping with fair use, but also keep in mind that fair use for trademarks is much much more complicated than fair use for copyrights. The general rule (as a result of US Supreme Court decisions) is that no more of the trademark should be used than necessary for the legitimate purpose, and that confusion should be avoided whenever possible. ~spot -- fedora-devel-list mailing list fedora-devel-list@xxxxxxxxxx https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-devel-list
