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Date:      Thu, 25 Feb 1999 19:32:38 -0600
From:      David Kelly <dkelly@hiwaay.net>
To:        Igor Roshchin <igor@physics.uiuc.edu>
Cc:        freebsd-chat@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD [3.1] is Unix ??? (Was: Re: 3.1 Release splash image) 
Message-ID:  <199902260132.TAA52038@nospam.hiwaay.net>
In-Reply-To: Message from Igor Roshchin <igor@physics.uiuc.edu>  of "Thu, 25 Feb 1999 17:08:25 CST." <199902252308.RAA22574@alecto.physics.uiuc.edu> 

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(moved to -chat)

Igor Roshchin writes:
> > In reality FreeBSD is a true blue-blood Un*x system, traceable to the 
> > origins of Unix.
[...]
> 
> I know what FreeBSD is, and I refer to it as "Unix" between my 
> friends/colleagues and myself. However, if technically speaking it
> is not Unix (TM) according to the current definition, - 
> it should not be called that way either on the official web-page, or
> on the logo-s.

That's why I spelled it "Un*x". And apparently a splash screen author
did the same. In the past others have named their product, "Xinu" (Unix
spelled backwords) to avoid the trademark issue.

One thing about a trademark, if its used generically, and widely, and
not actively defended by the trademark owners, then the courts will not
honor the trademark and it reverts to the public domain. But first
somebody has to get sued and fight back. I don't know anybody looking
for a fight. Certainly not myself.

"Unix" is a term widely used these days in context not refering to the
trademark owner's property. One would stand a good chance of winning.


--
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@nospam.hiwaay.net
=====================================================================
The human mind ordinarily operates at only ten percent of its
capacity -- the rest is overhead for the operating system.




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