Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 15:08:05 -0400 From: Paul Chvostek <paul@it.ca> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: "FreeBSD" as trademark Message-ID: <20000409150805.C36746@flarn.it.ca> In-Reply-To: <38EF0BC8.6228D07E@mail.ptd.net>; from Thomas M. Sommers on Sat, Apr 08, 2000 at 06:36:57AM -0400 References: <freebsd-questions.2.2.32.20000407012835.01333468@netmail.home.com> <20000407092202.A26DA7C88@yellow.rahul.net> <38EF0BC8.6228D07E@mail.ptd.net>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
Here's my favourite: http://trademarks.uspto.gov/cgi-bin/ifetch4?ENG+ALL+3+970449+0+1+88216+F+26+50+1+linux On Sat, Apr 08, 2000 at 06:36:57AM -0400, Thomas M. Sommers wrote: > > Rahul Dhesi wrote: > > > > "FreeBSD" is a composite term made up of two words: "Free" and "BSD". > > The word "Free" is not trade-mark-able when used with its normal meaning > > of "free of cost". The word BSD *might* be trade-mark-able if the > > University of California decided to make it so; but they didn't. I > > doubt that anybody else could claim trade mark rights over the word > > "BSD", when used to refer to "BSD". A valid trade mark gives the > > claimant a monopoly over the trade mark, and I doubt that anybody except > > the University of California could exercise such a monopoly over 'BSD'. > > > > The composite term "FreeBSD" would be a very, very weak trade mark, if > > it could be one at all. It would probably be no stronger a trade mark > > than any of these other composite words: > > > > FreeMarket > > FreeLunch > > FreeSoftware > > FreeSample > > > > Now as to whether a trade mark is *claimed* over 'FreeBSD', that's a > > different question. I believe there is such a claim. But a claim alone > > does not make a trade mark legally valid. > > > > Both BSD and FreeBSD are registered trademarks: > > BSD: > > http://trademarks.uspto.gov/cgi-bin/ifetch4?ENG+ALL+3+966392+0+0+498344+F+6+10+1+MS%2fbsd > > FreeBSD: > > http://trademarks.uspto.gov/cgi-bin/ifetch4?ENG+ALL+3+966392+0+0+344462+F+5+10+1+MS%2fbsd > > Amusingly enough, there is also a completely different BSD trademark: > > http://trademarks.uspto.gov/cgi-bin/ifetch4?ENG+ALL+3+966392+0+0+739172+F+7+10+1+MS%2fbsd > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message -- Paul Chvostek <paul@it.ca> Operations / Development / Abuse / Whatever vox: +1 416 598 0000 IT Canada http://www.it.ca/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?20000409150805.C36746>