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List:       koffice-devel
Subject:    Re: KOfficeSource and KOffice
From:       jeff <akousw () gmail ! com>
Date:       2008-01-15 21:07:27
Message-ID: 200801151507.28077.akousw () gmail ! com
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On Monday 2008 January 14 14:37:28 Cyrille Berger wrote:
> On Monday 14 January 2008, C. Boemann wrote:
> > > * Should KOfficeSource GmbH in particular be allowed to use the
> > > wordmark "KOffice" in their (our) name?  Under which particular
> > > conditions (ownership, board, actions, etc)?
> >
> > I don't much like your use of KOffice in combination with Source. To me
> > it sounds like you claim the ownership of the sourcecode. I know you
> > don't but I still think the name implies that, so I really have issues
> > with that name.
>
> Not that my opinion matters, but I fully agree with that :/ It would be a
> perfect name for a foundation to protect the source code. But I especially
> found it ackward to associate it for a company whose main goal is
> (currently) not to specifically produce source code but services around it.
> That's my 2 cents.
>

I too.

The KofficeSource name actually applies 2 things: 1. the company that produces 
the source code for KOffice (or is the steward of some form of the same), and 
2. the merchant of KOffice.  In either case, the name implies the the Gmbh 
has proclaimed itself the keeper of the KOffice Source Code, and that is 
something that 

A suggestion I read earlier about allowing a statement of "partner of KOffice" 
I think applies.  So, I think that the use of KOffice should be limited 
to "contributor to" "sponsor of" and "partner of" KOffice.

KofficeSource Gmbh should be allowed to call itself a partner of KOffice as 
long as it genuinly aids KOffice in a significant manner, but I think the 
name itself should not use KOffice in a way that assumes ownership or control 
of the KOffice source code or any other component of KOffice.  (So, I would 
also disapprove of KOGuys,...)

> I advised people to read the trademark law of their country (for France see
> [1]), it won't transform you into an expert especially that you will miss
> the knowledge on court use of the law, but still it's quiet short and quiet
> easy to read.
>
> As for KOffice beeing protected by the "current use". Well I am not a
> lawyer, but under french law, I do think we will have a lot of trouble to
> enforce it. Even if it's very likely that no one else can steal it, even if
> (under french law) it would either need to be a name publically known by a
> lot of people (it is not), or use by a "legal" entity (you might argue that
> KDE eV is a legal entity that use the name, so that might work). So if you
> are serious about protecting the name, you will have to consider
> registering it.
>
> Then you will have to define either a  "code of conduct" (but that might
> not be easy the people in the KOffice communauty have a very wide-ranging
> opinion) or restrict the name of KOffice to the name of the office suite.
>
> [1] FrenchTrademark law
> http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/WAspad/VisuArticleCode?commun=&code=&h0=CPROI
>NTL.rcv&h1=2&h3=61


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