-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Larry Rosen kindly responded to my last request to the Apache legal-discuss list about using "Apache VCL" as the name of the project and NCSU continuing to use VCL in the name of its service. He cc'd the vcl-dev list, but it hasn't shown up (I guess it's a closed list or the messages are waiting for moderation). So, I'm forwarding the contents of the thread. I've rearranged it a bit because some of the messages were top-posted and others were bottom-posted. The archives of thread on the legal-discuss list can be found here:
http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/www-legal-discuss/200905.mbox/thread - ----------------------------------------------- >>>>> (This part was posted by Josh Thompson) >>>>> From those on the legal-discuss list, there's one thing NCSU would >>>>> like to get clarification on. If NCSU more clearly donates the name >>>>> "VCL" to Apache, would NCSU still be allowed to run a service that >>>>> contains "VCL" in the name of the service? >>> (This part was posted by Larry Rosen) >>> Yes. We can't and won't expressly trademark "VCL". >>> >>> NCSU doesn't need to donate anything, merely acquiesce in our >>> calling our software "Apache VCL". >> (This part was posted by Alan Cabrera) >> Let's say that IBM donates Websphere to the ASF. They acquiesce in >> our calling our software "Apache Webshpere". Would it still be ok if >> they had IBM Websphere? > (This part was posted by Larry Rosen) > Yes. (I presume you meant to type "Websphere"!) The key is acquiescence. It > would mean that IBM has acquiesced to the use of "Websphere" as a common > name for a variety of software products from different vendors, and they > would no longer be able to defend it as their exclusive trademark for their > own specific brand of software. But they could still use that name, because > we and others couldn't challenge IBM's continued use either. > > /Larry - -- - ------------------------------- Josh Thompson Systems Programmer Virtual Computing Lab (VCL) North Carolina State University josh_thomp...@ncsu.edu 919-515-5323 my GPG/PGP key can be found at pgp.mit.edu -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux) iD4DBQFKHqE/V/LQcNdtPQMRApiQAJdmk+N7y+bydRliQ9ikNlDX9HMNAJ4s7762 xDl/5nhdkxxojQBYbK/ivA== =Tggh -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
