KDE Apps name trademarks

[Christoph Cullmann]

On 2020-07-09 13:14, Jonathan Riddell wrote:
> On Wed, 8 Jul 2020 at 17:51, Paul Brown <paul.brown at kde.org> wrote:
> 
>>> Should we add ™ next to the app names?
>> 
>> I don't think putting TM next to the name is enough, though. IANAL,
>> so take
>> the following with a grain of salt: in my experience (I had to
>> register
>> several names of magazines back in the day) you always have to go
>> through some
>> registry office or another to confer any validity to you brand name.
>> It is not
>> hard and it is not expensive, but it is a bit of a hassle.
> 
> It is enough to put the TM symbol next to the names, this asserts an
> unregistered trademark and is cost-free, bureaucracy-free and applies
> internationally.

You might be able to do that, but as soon as you start to try to keep 
people
from using the names, the cost-free, bureaucracy-free and layer free 
zone ends.

I really don't think we should start this.

We would need to draft some TM use policy, too.

e.g., would the normal distro be able to use the name? Or only if we 
like
the package? Is it allowed for others to upload the stuff somewhere cost 
free?
e.g. see the https://chocolatey.org/packages/kate package, is that ok? 
or not?

Better promote our own offerings better and be done.

(naturally only my personal opinion)

Greetings
Christoph

-- 
Ignorance is bliss...
https://cullmann.io | https://kate-editor.org