Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2000 13:35:37 -0800 From: Doug Barton <Doug@gorean.org> To: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org> Cc: Paul Richards <paul@originative.co.uk>, freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: The Merger, and what will its effects be on committers? Message-ID: <38CC0DA9.F91EF779@gorean.org> References: <Pine.LNX.4.20.0003112034290.431-100000@theory8.physics.iisc.ernet.in> <4.2.2.20000312122651.00b1e880@localhost>
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[much snipping]
Brett Glass wrote:
>
> At 06:44 AM 3/12/2000 , Paul Richards wrote:
> >In FreeBSD's case, WC has a hefty influence on the project for many
> >reasons, not least the fact that they employ some of the most prominent
> >project members.
>
> Very true. WC runs the machines on which the builds are done, and employs
> a large percentage of the key developers. It is far and away the largest
> distributor of FreeBSD discs, just began to run the yearly FreeBSD
> convention, publishes the only book on FreeBSD (though others will follow),
> and does other things which give it overwhelming influence.
> >At the moment we are all encouraged to buy all FreeBSD products from WC.
> >If company X produces a better installer, why shouldn't we put some
> >money into their coffers by buying their installation in order to fund
> >the development of a better installer?
>
> I agreee 100%. This is a decision which, if handled by an impartial board
> that wanted to see FreeBSD proliferate, might go the other way. This is
> why I think that it is important for the board NOT to be the core team
> but rather to be representative of the whole community -- including
> users wand vendors other than Walnut Creek/BSDi.
You guys are comparing apples and oranges and calling it mincemeat.
There is absolutely nothing preventing anyone at all from taking every
bit of the FreeBSD code, slapping a new installer on it, and selling it
to their heart's content, as long as they don't try to call it FreeBSD.
That's true now, and it will continue to be true after the merger. In
fact, if I understand things correctly (and I make no claim to know more
than any other man on the street about the details of the deal) that is
for all intents and purposes exactly what BSDI is going to do (although
they will probably license use of the freebsd name to go along with
their product).
Now, where you run into difficulty is when you want to take the FreeBSD
code, add bits to it and CALL IT FREEBSD. Now you're running into
trademark issues. The owner of a trademark has a legal responsibility to
protect its property. If the trademark owner lets every Tom, Dick and
Harry use their trademark on other products their legal (civil)
protections for that trademark get watered down.
Therefore, I (as a proud freebsd contributor) WANT the core
team/foundation/whoever to jealously guard the freebsd name. Frankly, I
am ambivalent about whether or not anyone else should be allowed to make
what amounts to a "linux-like distribution" of FreeBSD. On one hand I
can see where something like that might be useful, but the potential
problems it can create outweigh the risks in my mind. At least, they do
now, in the absence of any concrete plans to evaluate.
To put my point in more plain language, Brett, stop whining. The
freebsd trademark owners are doing exactly what they ought to be doing
in regards to (not) giving you permission to use the freebsd name for
your imaginary product. Trying to make them out as bad guys is
disingenuous. This is business, and names have value. You know that or
you wouldn't be trying so hard to use ours.
Doug
--
"Welcome to the desert of the real."
- Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, "The Matrix"
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