One clarification: To say simply: While Trademark is important, Git is *abusing* their trademark by not simply accept GitBull quickly. The situation is stupid. Git had *no* reason to stop a Kallithea host from using a Git name, and trademark law should not give them that level of power. If a service is fully and completely using Git software and doing nothing that misrepresents their relationship to Git, they should be accepted. However, Git *should* have the ability to complain and stop the service from using the name if they start doing anything that could be confused.
I think instead of stopping the use of the name, Git should simply require a statement like "This service uses Git software but is not officially connected to the Git project or endorsed by the Git project." On 04/17/2015 09:13 AM, Aaron Wolf wrote: > Thanks for the news. > > Please learn more about trademark though. Trademark is NOT owning any > word. Normal words cannot be trademarked, and trademark isn't full > ownership of words. The Git project does not own the word "Git" if it > were used for something like a brand of ice cream. They do not own the > word in terms of people talking about the Git project. The do not > control it completely. They have exclusive control over only a small > area: the use of the word Git for *products* and *services* that are in > the area where people could confuse them for being official Git products > or services. > > In other words, trademark is a *consumer protection*. It helps make sure > that the public are not tricked into thinking something is an official > version or officially endorsed part of something when it is not. This > does not make anyone a slave. > > By complaining to you, Git was saying: "We don't know that we fully > endorse your GitBull service, and we are worried that the public may > think your service has official connection to the Git project. So, we > want to restrict the name Git here because we want people to know that > if they see Git in the name of something similar to or related to the > Git project that it isn't a fake thing or a trick or something." > > Now, *I* think it is wrong for Git to do anything other than realize > that GitBull was fine. But I do *not* think they should have no > trademark. I do *not* want someone else less responsible than you to > make Git-something that actually uses Git badly or pretends to be like > Git when it is actually not Git software but something similar but > different. That might make people have bad experience and think badly of > Git. Trademark is GOOD for the public, which is not true for patents and > copyright. > > On 04/17/2015 02:02 AM, Aurélien DESBRIÈRES wrote: >> >> Hello Coders! >> >> So ... on start this thread wake up with Alimiracle who request for >> support for fully free solution for his codes host. >> >> It is right that many solution already exist, but they are not all >> completly free or try to be, but are not. >> >> We try on our side to make this place a reality, which represent many >> trouble, but, find the way with kallithea. >> >> At first we have used the name gitbull, git for the tool ... bull for >> the horns of the gnu beast. >> >> But freedom is not the same in the mind of every humans. >> >> The Software Freedom Conservancy ping me (very correctly) but ping me on >> the fact we use the term git and the point that git is trademark. >> >> That make me discover that many things are trademark and by the way ping >> LibrePlanet to act on LibreMark. >> >> We can't own a name, because to make it short if i own the name earth >> you are all my slave. If I own the name fire, your ass will freeze ... >> >> A bit strong form of explanation, but simple enought to say that it is >> not because you own a word that in front the reality of this know part >> of the bubble universes where we live it is the reality. >> >> You don't own anything, but yes you can use the force to jail me. Very >> human and in human by the way. >> >> So, >> >> We push all our things to https://bull.codes >> >> and continue to make the things free as in freedom and price. >> >> I understand that this last point is very difficult for some people to >> understand, but if you think of this planet 7000 years before there were >> no money and things were not so bad. >> >> Maybe money is the chain of slavery you just don't have ping in your >> mind. >> >> Welcome to our Free Coding Community, Welcome to Bull Codes >> >> https://bull.codes >> >> >
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