Registered domain name will I get in to trouble

[ade234uk]

I dont know if I was lucky, but I managed to register the domain name gnulinux.co.uk

I have held this domain name for about 6 months and every so often I stick a bit of info on the site about Ubuntu or other related Linux bits. Mainly for my own reference and others.

Will I get in trouble for having this domain name?

I am not selling anything on the site. Its a free information site.

[Engnome]

I wouldn't worry if I were you.

[Gerard Barberi]

No, you won't get in trouble. If anything, someone may someday want to buy that domain from you.

[ade234uk]

Everything I do with Ubuntu I list it on my site for future reference.

For instance last night I installed Ubuntu server and forgot how to install the GUI so I popped along to my site.

I will add other bits later on. The main purpose of the site is to promote linux. I dont want any money from it whatsover.

It's enjoyable sharing my knowledge and experience with Newbies. Its enjoyable to look back and see how far I have progressed.

[jclmusic]

lol that's the joy of open source stuff. u won't get in trouble the same way u would if u (perfectly legally) registered microsoft or apple dot whatever.

[an.echte.trilingue]

I dont know if I was lucky, but I managed to register the domain name gnulinux.co.uk

I have held this domain name for about 6 months and every so often I stick a bit of info on the site about Ubuntu or other related Linux bits. Mainly for my own reference and others.

Will I get in trouble for having this domain name?

I am not selling anything on the site. Its a free information site.

You should hold onto it, for sure. It might be worth bucks if linux ever "makes it on the desktop."

I am not a lawer, but I very much doubt you can get in trouble for this. If you have any doubt, just go to the FSF website and ask them (http://www.fsf.org/licensing) if you need their permission to use "GNU."

As for Linus's trademark enforcement of the term "Linux", his only concern appears to be that the term linux is applied to everything that uses his kernel. So, its Ubuntu Linux and not Ubuntu, Debian GNU/Linux, not Debian GNU. Essentially, he just wants to get the name out there as much as possible. Your domain serves that purpose.

Tux is trademarked, but you get permission (http://www.isc.tamu.edu/%7Elewing/linux/) as long as you fulfill these terms:
"Permission to use and/or modify this image is granted provided you acknowledge me lewing@isc.tamu.edu and The GIMP if someone asks."

Take care
-mat

[ade234uk]

Thank you all for your comments. I have contacted fsf about it.

[xabbott]

the site needs more ubuntu logos on it, imo.

[daynah]

I believe though, just in case someone's wondering, if you buy a domain name that is extremely similar to a very well known trademark, that's a big no no. There was a case with Microsoft (microsoft.com) agains micros0ft.com, and Microsoft won, about this. The United States takes the side that "disclaimers do not mitigate confusion" (link (http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:zZrOumA7-egJ:www.iana.org/comments/15aug1998-21aug1998/msg00034.html+microsoft+domain+name+case&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us&client=opera))

If someone there is a domain name dispute (which is what you are worried about) you'll need to talk about these things in court... (link (http://www.bitlaw.com/internet/domain.html))

1. that the trademark owner owns a trademark (either registered or unregistered) that is the same or confusingly similar to the registered second level domain name;
2. that the party that registered the domain name has no legitimate right or interest in the domain name; and
3. that the domain name was registered and used in bad faith.

ade234uk, you're perfectly fine. This is very important information to know if anyone owns a domain and you get it "stolen." Not many domains get stolen anymore, webmasters are wiser, but in the younger days, you would own a domain and some sleezy domain registrar would come along with some great deal, and you'd go for it, and you wouldn't have access to your domain. Absolutely illegal. They sell it as not a domain transfer (which is what it is) but as you just changing your domain host. They don't have any trademarks, no interest in the name, and proven by the deception, it is completely in bad faith. But most webmasters don't have the money to go to court about it. (See my stolen domain, daintyrose.org (http://www.daintyrose.org) and my second domain daintyrose.net (http://www.daintyrose.net)).

Web life lessons from Daynah.

[v8YKxgHe]

daynah; not sure if you've heard but there was someone called Mike Rowe, a 17 year old software developer and he brought the domain name "MikeRoweSoft.com" and Microsoft were on to him straight away! In the end he lost the domain name because it "sounded" like "microsoft.com"

Link (http://www.theregister.com/2004/01/19/microsoft_lawyers_threaten_mike_rowe/)