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"The Linux Foundation protects the public and Linux users from unauthorized and confusing uses of the trademark and authorizes proper uses of the mark through a
by pawadu 10y ago
"The Linux Foundation protects the public and Linux users from unauthorized and confusing uses of the trademark and authorizes proper uses of the mark through an accessible sublicensing program. The Linux Foundation offers a free, perpetual, world-wide sublicense to approved sublicense applicants. In return, the sublicensee holders must agree not to challenge Linus Torvalds' ownership of the Linux mark in any jurisdiction, and to provide proper attribution of ownership on their goods, services and elsewhere. The Linux Sublicense Agreement is available for review."
https://www.linuxmark.org/ https://www.linuxmark.org/
- dchest 10y agoThe parent meant that they could protect CoreOS (http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4805:a60d9j.4.2 http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4805:a60...), but might not be able to acquire trademark for Container Linux, because "container" is a descriptive term. Like, you can protect "Colgate", but not "White tooth paste". Pretty sure, though, they know what they were doing and consulted lawyers :)
- jgillich 10y agoLinux is a trademark, toothpaste is not, that's the difference. You could definitely trademark "Black Colgate", "Ubuntu Linux" and "container linux", the latter two via the Linux sublicensing program the comment above yours linked to. IANAL.
- icebraining 10y agoThe sublicense agreement just means you get to use Linux in your name. It doesn't mean you get to protect your new name with your own trademark. That's up to the law.
- otterley 10y agoAs a (non practicing) lawyer, I would have said "oh hell no." But that's the thing about lawyers; you can find one to agree with you on anything if you look hard enough.