Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1999 14:10:53 -0500 From: Jonathan Lemon <jlemon@americantv.com> To: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org> Cc: chat@freebsd.org, jkh@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Market share and platform support Message-ID: <19990910141053.25557@right.PCS> In-Reply-To: <4.2.0.58.19990909213518.046fe100@localhost>; from Brett Glass on Sep 09, 1999 at 10:06:24PM -0600 References: <local.mail.freebsd-chat/19990909090916$318e@fish.pcs> <local.mail.freebsd-chat/Your <local.mail.freebsd-chat/4.2.0.58.19990908203747.0463bd20@localhost> <4.2.0.58.19990909213518.046fe100@localhost>
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On Sep 09, 1999 at 10:06:24PM -0600, Brett Glass wrote: > At 10:31 AM 9/9/99 -0500, Jonathan Lemon wrote: > >What it sounds like you're asking is: > > > > 1. "I want to go off and do my own distribution based on FreeBSD". > > 2. "I want assurance that FreeBSD Inc. will not undercut or discredit me". > > > >As far as I can tell, you don't need permission to do #1. > > Maybe, maybe not. Who owns the FreeBSD trademark? Do I need permission to > use it? If so, can Walnut Creek influence whether or not I can use it? Ah, now this is a different kettle of fish. FreeBSD, Inc. probably owns the mark, and they get to choose who they license it to. Additionally, (I may be wrong here) I seem to recall that BSDi owns the "BSD" mark, and the 3 BSD's (open/free/net) have a special dispensation from BSDI to use it. So, while the code may be free, the mark is not. This may definitely pose a problem, as to whether you are permitted to take the existing code base, make massive changes, and still call it ``FreeBSD-Foo''. > FreeBSD must be eminently usable on the desktop as well as on the server, or > it won't meet this important need. Fortunately, it's close to being so. But if > Jordan, the nominal project leader, says it isn't, he's harming the project > and the product more than *I* ever could. No, I don't recall Jordan ever saying that FreeBSD isn't suitable for the desktop. I recall him saying that FreeBSD is targeted to servers. There isn't anything wrong with this - it's basic marketing. If you want to attack a new segment, you can introduce a new product, (say FreeBSD-Desktop), and position this as the desktop solution. Or you can create a new brand (FreeLinux, based on the world-class FreeBSD server operating system, with the friendliness of Linux!), and position this brand at a new segment without fear that it will "pollute" the image of an existing brand. I see that Jordan is attempting to defend the "Brand Image" of FreeBSD, by refusing to associate with what he perceives as "rabid advocacy". Whether you agree or not is a moot point, as it should be acknowledged that he _is_ the brand manager for this particular distribution. > >In closing, I'll note that you don't necessarily need support or goodwill > >from Jordan to succeed. Take a look at Etinc, for example. > > I don't know much about them. Can you elaborate? ETinc makes bandwidth management products for FreeBSD. However, the owner does not appear to have a good relationship with Jordan, who has gone on record stating that he can't recommend them due to their customer support issues. -- Jonathan To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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