Adam Thompson <athom...@athompso.net> writes: > On 14-12-07 06:37 AM, Martin Schröder wrote: >> Is OpenBSD actually a registered trademark? The USPTO doesn't list it. >> FreeBSD is, though. > The answer appears to be "no", as CIPO doesn't list it, either. > My guess is that keeping the lights on (literally) was a higher priority > than paying the annual registration fee.
> I'm reasonably confident that if someone were to step up to not only > fund the trademark application (looks like >$500/yr /in perpetuity/ in > IPO fees alone???), but find a trademark agent willing to do the work > /pro bono/, and spend the time filling out the paperwork, etc. etc., > etc. then it could probably happen fairly rapidly. > I believe it would have to be done through the Canadian office > (http://cipo.gc.ca/) since both Theo and the Foundation are based in Canada. > AFAIK Canada does not yet comply with the Madrid Protocol, the Nice > Agreement or the Singapore Treaty, so that registration would only be > good in Canada. An international application would probably be best > done through the USPTO, which incurs similar costs. For the record, I get enough use out of OpenBSD that in case Mr. De Raadt (or some other appropriate person from the OpenBSD Foundation) desires me to do so, I am happy to research and shepherd the OpenBSD trademark in the US; although I am not currently familiar with USPTO regulations/procedures in general, I have considerable experience dealing with bureaucracy--formerly, I was a member of the US Army and I worked for around five years as an employee of a state government, and was specifically tasked in both instances with interpreting (and in some cases, writing) bureaucratic policy. (I work for a private company now, and am much, MUCH happier.) I am not, however, willing to pay the required fees out of my own account, without reimbursement. I have five children who must, in fact, be fed, it turns out. Carson
