[Fsf-friends] why you shoul not call it GNU/Linux

[Mahesh T. Pai]

(replying to the list)

Rakesh 'arky' Ambati said on Sat, Jun 18, 2005 at 11:39:49AM +0530,:

 > Dear Pai,
 > 
 > Please explain more clearly, even when I read the link I didn't get the
 > idea.
 > 

>From http://www.linuxmark.org/who_needs.html,

and quoting from what I already quoted:-

``...review, an  engineering report, or even  printing literature that
merely refers to LINUX as the operating system,''
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Got it??

If you  refer to Linux  as _the_ operating  system, you do not  need a
(sub)license from linuxmark.org.

So, the  chap who writes a  book called ``Debian  GNU/Linux for ....''
requires a license to use the term ``Linux'', and the g[uy|al] writing
``FooBar Linux for lUsers'' does not.

To  be fair,  this  move by  Linus  seems to  be  a safeguard  against
corporate entities (the which  need education about what `free' means,
that is) (mis)appropriating the term, though.

On a  more serious note, this  (and the developments  at Mozilla*) mark
beginning of the new problem in Free Software world - trademarks.

(*) see http://www.mozilla.org/foundation/trademarks/policy.html

-- 
Mahesh T. Pai    <<>>   http://paivakil.port5.com
Man's most judicious trait, is a good sense of what not to believe.
    --Euripides