Torvalds steps into Linux trademark fight

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Not evil, just foolish

---I think your being hypocritical Arguing that MS is "evil" and
"greedy" for trying to protect the Windows trademark, while
cheering on Linus T. in his efforts is, well, you know---

Never said they were evil for trying to defend it, just foolish for
choosing a non-defendable word in the first place (and their
foolishness cost them $20 million). They were evil, in trying to
do an end run around the court system.

And from what I understand, Linus doesn't want "Linux" to be
copyrighted, and only holds it so no one else can claim exclusive
rights to it. Not much of a defense of a copyright, letting
everyone use it.

---They wanted to ride the MS/Windows trademark/name, they
wanted cheap publicity---

I think it was chosen as a sales ploy, to let buyers know it would
allow them to work in a similar way to Windows (at least that was
their early promise which they never fulfilled). Was it evil? It was
perfectly legal. People take advantage of other's business
mistakes all the time (see Bill Gates' early deal with IBM--was he
evil for taking advantage of them?). Now Real is doing
something legal, but bad for Apple. Am I annoyed at Real? No,
not really, they're doing what they're legally allowed to do.

Don't you make similar arguments to support some of MS'
shadier tactics? They are far from the most ethical company out
there, yet you continue to support them. If good starts within us
all, why are you running a business that props up unethical
people?

---I see two entities trying to protect something they value
highly and one is being jeered while the other cheered---

One is protecting a word he made up, and allowing all to use it.
The other is trying to take a common word away from us all and
lock it up, along with anything that vaguely sounds like it
("Lindash"? Come on).

Posted by: tic swayback   Posted on: 08/11/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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