On 10 Apr 2022, at 18:02, Mark Thomas <[email protected]> wrote: > On 07/04/2022 16:07, Dirk-Willem van Gulik wrote: > > <snip/> > >> And finally - that we offer a non-exclusive license to the name (but without >> the apache prefix), trademark and full provenance/code history; to any party >> that wants to take over; provided they abide by the Apache license. > > With my VP Brand hat on: -1 > > There are various reasons why a project enters the attic. Whether to allow > the name to be used is a decision that needs to be taken on a case by case > basis. It isn't a situation where a general rule can be applied.
Just to clarify/understand - you are also concerned about this from a brand perspective if the apache prefix (e.g. Apache FooBar) is removed as per the original proposal. So it is the ability to call it ‘FooBar’ ? You would also be against licensing that (so it is not a transfer) on a non exclusive basis - perhaps with the insistence that they prefix it with something like; like ‘CivicFoundation FooBar’ ? > <snip/> > >> With the option; e.g. after 1 or 2 years; for that new community to petition >> the board for the actual trademarks, domain names and what not. > > Again: -1 > > We can't do this. At least not with out an awful lot of expensive legal hoop > jumping. Trademarks are an asset. As a US charity it is legally complex to > transfer one of our assets to another entity. Right - but the expenses I am not too concerned about - they can be covered by the receiving party - in the rare cases that we’d want such an exclusive transfer as opposed to the non-exclusive just ‘license’ case above. > We have had situations like this in the past. My aim as VP Brand is always to > try and do whatever is in the best interest of the project community whether > that community wants its home to be at the ASF or outside it. Right - but the issue is that we’ve lost the (nexus) of the community at the ASF - and there is some group of people outside it that wants to continue & build a new one — perhaps with different governance. As it is the latter that may likely be needed in the sort of cases where the software has become too core to society - yet no longer of interest to volunteer maintainers labouring under ASF governance. Dw --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
