tlug: Re: Linux as Trade Mark

[Joe Marchak <joem@example.com>]

Matt Wrote:

> Whew! That's rather shocking. Perhaps there's more to this than meets
> the eye, but it seems that at best, PHT has committed an enormous faux
> pas in not hashing it out with Japanese users before making their
> move. Is this the same Cliff Miller who, not so long ago, publicly
> apologized for his employee because he was afraid said employee might
> have offended against Japanese mailing-list norms?

I think this may be getting out of perspective.  Cliff put PHT's resources
into reserving the Linux trademark here in Japan, and was very open about
PHT's plans on the Tlug Admin list.  Cliff wanted to protect the
trademark from a "De La Rouche" shark attack on what should be a free
trademark.  He sensed some urgency in doing this, and acted quickly.

At the time, we discussed ways in which Tlug could participate in getting
the trademark.  It came about that PHT was able to put the costs of
applying for the trademark against their Linux International dues, and so
we left it at that. 

I think that Cliff has done all of us a favour.  The trademark still
belongs to Linus, and legally it may not have been possible for a non-
commercial organization to apply for the trademark here in Japan in the
first place. 

-Joe.



Joe Marchak
joem@example.com

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