The following just appeared on the "103attendees" list. It
raises several questions that should, I think, be of broader
interest especially as we transition to the new IETF LLC model
and independence (of the LLC) Trustees of the IETF Trust. For
example:
(1) When "IETF" is giving (and denying) permission like this,
who is the authorizing body or individual? In what minutes or
other statement is that documented?
(2) If the IETF (presumably the IETF Trust, but I'm not sure)
owns sufficient rights to t-shirt images to grant permission,
does that mean it asked for and got explicit transfers of
copyright from designers or that it obtained a license giving it
permission to authorize use beyond t-shirts? If those things
did happen, why is that information (apparently) not public? (I
note that searches for "t-shirt" and "elephant" in the IPR
Disclosure database yields nothing, that there is no hint of
t-shirt designs on the Trust's "Trademarks, Patents, & Logos"
page, nor is there any information on the Trust's "Licenses",
"Assets", or "Contracts" pages that looks anything like t-shirt
designs.)
(3) If "the IETF" does own those rights, is there a reason for
not granting permission to reproduce the entire t-shirt design
without special authorization, much as that permission has been
granted for reproduction of RFCs? Is there a plan to either
reproduce old t-shirts and sell (or auction) them to contribute
to the IETF LLC coffers or to sell off the right to do that? If
so, where is that discussion reflected in minutes and why are
t-shirt designs not listed as assets of the IETF Trust? And,
noting that, on quick inspection, I wasn't able to find any
authorization for the revised IETF Trust to sell assets, who
would do the selling (under IASA version 1, it was fairly clear
that the closely-linked IAOC could do that, but, with the
changes in the linkages, this might actually be a loose end).
I don't know if these questions are important in and of
themselves but, as we move forward, the ways in which things
like this are managed may be important examples of how we want
the new Trustees and the LLC Board to behave (or not behave and
the time to either get specific in documents or establish clear
precedents is probably now).
best,
john
--On Friday, December 7, 2018 03:03 +0000 "Chengli (Cheng Li)"
<chengli13@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi guys,
>
> Good news, IETF has approved that we can have the design of
> IETF 103 T-shirt for free, but only for the front image! That
> "elephant".
>
> You can have the elephant at
> https://github.com/muzixing/ietf103-tshirt.
>
> However, We CAN NOT use the back image of the T-shirt.
>
> Regarding the Zen logo, if you want it, you can ask IETF for a
> LICENSE of using it for "non-trademark" purpose, and no money
> is needed.
>
> Sounds good enough! Hope you and your family will like the
> elephant, Hahahaha. Thanks for liking it!
>
> Enjoy!
>
> Best Regards,
> Cheng
