[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: Logo trademark license vs. copyright license



On Tue, Apr 24, 2007 at 04:43:26PM +0200, Michelle Konzack wrote:
> Am 2007-04-18 03:39:58, schrieb Steve Langasek:
> > Er, businesses selling t-shirts using the official debian logo is *not*
> > permitted.  Currently, the manner in which this is being disallowed is
> > suboptimal, but it's still not something that we *permit*.  (Perhaps what
> > you're suggesting is that t-shirt manufacturers don't have to get permission
> > because we have a mark in the field of computers/software, not in the field
> > of clothing; but if what's being sold is Debian-related clothing, it's still
> > the Debian mark that's being used, and it is infringement that we have
> > standing to prevent.)

> Now I am a little bit confused, since if Debian does not permit the use
> of the Logo, why does some/many shops sell Coffe-Mugs and T-Shirts with
> Debian Logo and phrases related to Debian?

When I wrote "the official Debian logo", I was referring to the Debian
Official Use Logo, not to the Debian Open Use Logo.

> > Further, it's up to *Debian* to decide what uses of the logo reflect badly
> > on it and consequently should be disallowed because we don't wish to be
> > associated with them.  Your above statement includes an implicit value
> > judgement about which sorts of activities Debian will or will not wish to be
> > associated with, which may not be at all representative of the views of the
> > project members at large.

> Unfortunatly you can use Logos anzthing you like in Germany...

> The is a Product called "Dasch Ultra" and it was transformed to "Hash Ultra"
> :-)  , Henkel, the Manufacturer of this Soap has lost the juridical
> procedure...  Even if the Graphical Logo was trademaked

Parody is not the same thing as copying a mark and using it to confuse the
consumer.  I'm not surprised at a ruling allowing parody of a mark, and I
don't draw any conclusion from this that "you can use Logos any way you want
in Germany."

-- 
Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer                   to set it on, and I can move the world.
vorlon@debian.org                                   http://www.debian.org/



Reply to: