James, thank you for your post. I like the tone and the sentiment behind it.
Realistically, and based on feedback from non-lawyers, I now have doubts about whether "Couch" itself could count as a trademark upon which to infringe. But like others, I agree that the "has a trademark been infringed or not" question is not the most important issue here. It is the confusion that surrounds the topics we've been discussing. I also can't imagine Couchbase going through a 5th rename. I also don't want to see CouchDB rebrand. I love our name. Which leaves us with option three. "Explain The Differences Better On Both Sides." I would still like to reach out to the VP of Brand at the ASF and seek guidance. As I have previously stated on this thread, it is more than likely that they can advise a way forward that avoids mud slinging, and avoids aggression. I also think that our focus should be on getting 1.2.0 out of the door, then working on a second, kick-ass release, that can coincide with a revamped site. A site that, hopefully, address many of the concerns with the existing one.
