On Sat, Aug 13, 2011 at 10:41 PM, Simon Phipps <[email protected]> wrote: > On Aug 14, 2011 3:33 AM, "Andy Brown" <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Simon Phipps wrote: >> >>> >>> I don't follow that reasoning. If (hypothetically) I want to pay for you > to >>> go to Bermuda for a vacation, it's between you and me and no business of > the >>> Bermuda Tourist Commission. So while I can see the hardware donations > will >>> have to end, why is it anything to do with this project if (also >>> hypothetically) Team OOo wants to pay for you to go to ApacheCon in >>> Vancouver where you've got a paper on AOOo accepted, or wants to pay a >>> student to work on AOOo code for the summer? >>> >>> S. >>> >> >> Well, it not the first time, but it seems I have misread/misunderstood > what was being discussed. It would seem as long as funds are not sent > through ASF and does not use 'trademarked' items they can do as they wish. >> >> Apologizes to all for confusing the matter. > > No worries; I think you expressed an outlook others held too. It helps > refine what the actual issue at hand may be. > > I think that issue is: do we want third-party groups to be free to raise > funds on the grounds they will use them in relation to AOOo and if so what > guidelines do we need? (This would be my preferred option) > > Alternatively, do we wish to devise a trademark-related policy that would > prevent and/or discourage them from doing so? (I currently view this > negatively) >
We have a trademark policy that states what uses are permitted without additional permission, and which uses may be allowed with specific permission from Apache. The policy does not differ based the incorporation status of the requestor. However, the application of the policy, on a case by cases basis, will obviously take into account the specific circumstances of the request. Remember, a non-profit organization is no guarantee of virtue. There are many organizations out there (speaking generally, not specifically about any organizations named on this list) that spend 80% of their raised funds on staff salaries, staff travel and general overhead, with very little going through to the underlying charitable mission of the organization. So I think it would be unwise of us to give any blanket approval for trademark permissions to non-profits in general. We should take each case on its own merits. > S. >
