huh?

[newbie2]

"MORE THAN 90 Australian companies have been asked to pay a licence fee for Linux software in a move apparently backed by the software’s eminence gris, Linus Torvalds.
Letters demanding US$5000 for use of the Linux name were originally dismissed as a hoax. But according to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Open Sauce king is dead serious."
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=25529
http://www.theage.com.au/news/breaking/linus-backs-trademark-charge-says-maddog/2005/08/19/1123958221375.html?oneclick=true

[sapo]

this is kinda difficult to believe ](*,)

[newbie2]

this is kinda difficult to believe ](*,)
http://www.linuxmark.org/index.html

[sapo]

http://www.linuxmark.org/index.html

I know that this stuff can exists.. but what is behind this "started to charge" stuff?

Its kinda wierd to start charging like it is written on the news... i think that it isnt well explained :p

Its saying that you need to pay a fee to use the name linux if you are going to sell a product.. here:

http://www.linuxmark.org/who_needs.html

Like.. to have "Ubuntu Linux" Ubuntu company have to pay a fee to use the "Linux" name... for me it isnt unfair.. and if you look at the fees.. is kinda low:

http://www.linuxmark.org/fees.html

[Knome_fan]

I know that this stuff can exists.. but what is behind this "started to charge" stuff?

Its kinda wierd to start charging like it is written on the news... i think that it isnt well explained :p


The express and only purpose of this organization is to set up a simple, self-funding procedure by which interested companies and individuals developing Linux operating system products and those desiring to sell services, accessories and related Linux paraphernalia can obtain a non-exclusive and simple trademark license for the proper use of the mark.

1. The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 1 characters.

[az]

1. The source of the news is crap.

2- The title is misleading. They talk about using the trademark _name_ linux. Not using linux software! But the first sentence reads:"MORE THAN 90 Australian companies have been asked to pay a licence fee for Linux software" That is not what they go on to say.



I am ignoring until further notice.

[Adrenal]

Was on Slashdot.
Headed by some scientologist 'lawyer' who is yet to win a single case.
Yes...we should be alarmed
/sarcasm

[Knome_fan]

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050816092029989

Groklaw to the rescue.
It's legit and it does make sense.

Edit:
And here's what Jon Maddog Hall has to say about it:
http://lists.linux.org.au/archives/linux-aus/2005-August/msg00084.html

[Takis]

1. The source of the news is crap.

2- The title is misleading. They talk about using the trademark _name_ linux. Not using linux software! But the first sentence reads:"MORE THAN 90 Australian companies have been asked to pay a licence fee for Linux software" That is not what they go on to say.



I am ignoring until further notice.

Right on brother. It's really annoying how Linux seems to be a great source of misleading "controversial" news stories these days. I remember this one recently with the headlines:
"Microsoft claims Windows more secure than Linux - and XP SP2 is 15 times safer"
The actual article was a two part: the first was MS's claim that Server 2003 was more secure than RHES, and the second part was MS's advice that XP boxes with SP2 were 15 times more secure than those without any SP.
Grrr. Stoopid trolling reporters.

[az]

I have a brother who is a reporter. He is a columnist, too.

[Takis]

I have a brother who is a reporter. He is a columnist, too.
And I have a sister who wants to get into reporting. Your point? Dude you shouldn't have read that as "all reporters are bad", it was "reporters who deliberately misrepresent the facts (e.g. by misleading titles) beyond a reasonable context (e.g. "Tigers Maul Eagles" for a sports header) are bad".

It was "stoopid trolling reporters", not "stoopid reporters".

[az]

And I have a sister who wants to get into reporters. Your point? Dude you shouldn't have read that as "all reporters are bad", it was "reporters who deliberately misrepresent the facts (e.g. by misleading titles) beyond a reasonable context (e.g. "Tigers Maul Eagles" for a sports header) are bad".

It was "stoopid trolling reporters", not "stoopid reporters".


I didn't take it like that. I guess I was vague.

I know that reportes can sometimes try to be objective and by doing so completely miss the point. This is not the case. This is the case of the journalists picking the wrong words to create controversy. This is why I say the source is crap.

[cowlip]

1. The source of the news is crap.

2- The title is misleading. They talk about using the trademark _name_ linux. Not using linux software! But the first sentence reads:"MORE THAN 90 Australian companies have been asked to pay a licence fee for Linux software" That is not what they go on to say.



I am ignoring until further notice.

I read on OSNEWS that it's actually in some Sunday newspaper too?

Anyway, threadstarter, could you edit the title to something more descriptive? :D

[newbie2]

Anyway, threadstarter, could you edit the title to something more descriptive? :D
ok... i'll change the title in that one from groklaw -->
The Linux® Trademark - Tempest in a Teapot
http://www.groklaw.net/