Yes, perhaps Scientific Linux is safe based on "Acceptable Uses" (being it is, as you pointed out, built independently and is non-commercial), but it is the Unacceptable Uses that are targeting commercial uses of CentOS that create a bit of a gray area. So many uses of CentOS out there today are in the commercial usage realm. As I read #1, if I sell a product or service that is shipped/pre-installed by me on CentOS (like a hosted VPS service (like Amazon, Digital Ocean, etc), dedicated preloaded server (hosted or in-house), or myriad of appliances for example), it is *fuzzy* as to whether or not I can do so anymore using CentOS, as I would be redistributing CentOS in a commercial activity. I know they are referring to the Marks only, but how can you separate the two? CentOS went to great lengths to make sure all mention of Red Hat was obliterated from anything in CentOS. How they could leave in the file '/etc/redhat-release' I'm not sure. Perhaps because it was an inherent part of the configuration/filesystem.
Bottom line is that what was open with *no* restrictions (at least it's never been actively enforced) is no longer inactively so. So, however you side on the issue, if you are on the Unacceptable Uses end of it, this could become quite problematic. It appears there is an effort afoot to seek to have the marks canceled for a number of reasons (as Ward points out). This would negate the whole issue of restrictions by way of the Marks. Copyrights and Trademarks have long been successfully used to restrict how and when a thing is used. IANAL, but this is not a trivial matter from my perspective. And it is exactly one way Red Hat can shove those that now depend on CentOS for commercial purposes back over to the paying (or else) side out of fear of receiving a Cease-and-Desist letter. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Brian Pitts Sent: Monday, March 17, 2014 5:12 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [nlug] well, this will cause a "few" CentOS-based projects/products a "wee bit" of complication On 03/17/2014 04:43 PM, Mark J Bailey (JobsoftInc) wrote: http://nerdvittles.com/?p=8721 Ward Mundy at Nerd Vittles has always been level headed (IMHO) and thorough. Seems that Red Hat has now been assigned all the CentOS trademarks: http://tsdr.uspto.gov/caseviewer/assignments?caseId=86014936 <http://tsdr.uspto.gov/caseviewer/assignments?caseId=86014936&docIndex=0#d ocIndex=0> &docIndex=0#docIndex=0 and is now putting some new restrictions on the use of CentOS as the basis for a custom distribution (product or project - like Scientific Linux or Elastix) unless it is an "official" CentOS packaging/distribution. Not sure if they will provide a way for one to be "certified" by Red Hat or not, but either way, this is going to rain on quite a few parades. End users can still install CentOS and then load other stuff, but the days of the open and free use of CentOS as the basis for a rolled up specialized distro are now over. I don't think it limits your ability to use CentOS packages as the basis for a custom distribution, I think it just limits how you can use the word "CentOS" or the CentOS logos when describing your custom distribution. It seems like Scientific LInux would be fine, because they call the distribution "Scientific Linux" and not "CentOS". Here's what is allowed and not according to https://www.centos.org/legal/trademarks/ = Acceptable uses = * You may use the CentOS Marks in connection with your noncommercial redistribution of (1) bit-for-bit identical copies of official CentOS releases, and (2) unmodified copies of official CentOS source packages. * You may use the Word Mark, but not the Logos, to truthfully describe the origin of the software that you are providing but not the software itself, where what you are distributing is modified official CentOS source code or is a build compiled from modified official CentOS source code. You may say, for example: "This software is derived from the source code for the CentOS distribution." However, you may not say that the software is CentOS. * You may use the Word Mark to truthfully describe the relationship between your software and the CentOS software. In such a case, you may only use the Word Mark following a verb or preposition that describes the relationship. For example, you may say "MyProject package for the CentOS distribution" but you may not say "MyProject's CentOS package." * You may use the 'Powered by CentOS' logo to truthfully state that your application runs on or uses an official CentOS release. * You may use the CentOS Marks in themes, personas, or skins for applications to show your support for the CentOS Project, provided that the use is noncommercial and is clearly decorative, as contrasted with a use that is likely to be understood as the branding for a website or application. = Unacceptable uses = Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided in these Guidelines, the following are examples of unacceptable uses: * Use of the CentOS Marks in connection with commercial redistribution of CentOS software (Commercial redistribution includes, by way of example but is not limited to, redistribution in connection with any commercial business activities or revenue-generating business activities.) , regardless of whether the CentOS software is unmodified, except as may be permitted above. * Use of the CentOS Marks to identify software that combines any portion of the CentOS software with any other software , unless the combined distribution is an official CentOS distribution. For example, you may not distribute a combination of the CentOS software with software released by the FooStack project under the name "CentOS FooStack Distro". * Use of the CentOS Marks in connection with any rebuild of CentOS software, unless such rebuild is an official CentOS build, regardless of whether the CentOS software is unmodified. -- All the best, Brian Pitts -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NLUG" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nlug-talk?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NLUG" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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