Quoting Jaromil (jaro...@dyne.org): > On Sat, 30 Jul 2016, Nate Bargmann wrote: > > > If the logo is indeed a registered trademark, then the circled R may be > > required. Probably varies among jurisdictions. > > it really looks bad so lets omit it. we have a registered trademark to > defend ourselves from felony of all sorts, it won't be an (r) missing > from a sticker that weakens our positioning.
I would be glad to help with a general understanding of trademark law, if you are interested. The circle-R or variations thereof is _not_ required.[1] It is regulated only in the sense that people who've paid their national trademark offices for a registered trademark or service mark are the only ones who may lawfully use the symbol. The function of the symbol is to put producers of competing goods or services on notice about the existence of your trademark registration, to make it less likely they will be tempted to introduce competing offerings that use the marks in ways likely to confuse customers into believing those competing offerings were produced or endorsed by the trademark holder. Please note carefully that trademark is a _commercial_ right whereby someone has a qualified monopoly on commercial brand impression. The trademark holder has the right to prevent others from competing using that mark in ways that induce customer confusion -- within the same industry or market segment. The trademark owner _generally_[2] has no power to ban the use of similar marks in other industries / market segments, nor to have any control whatsoever over non-commercial uses. (Moen Faucets cannot enjoin me from selling Moen Beer.) The trademark owners also cannot enjoin _nominative_ use, e.g., CocaCola does not infringe Pepsi's trademarks if it says 'CocaCola tastes better than Pepsi'. I have a much-deeper explanation of trademark law basics here: 'Trademark Law' on http://linuxmafia.com/kb/Licensing_and_Law/ . I am not a lawyer (and only an attorney working for you may lawfully give Devuan Project specific legal advice). However, I did study quite a bit of business law on my day, and also intensively studied trademark law back in 2003 when my magazine, _Linux Gazette_, faced trademark threats from our previous Web host, Phil Hughes's SSC, Inc., which was then the publisher of _Linux Journal_. Hughes attempted to kill our magazine with toothless assertion of trademarks, and we politely called his bluff and prevailed.[3] [1] I am familiar with the law of trademarks in the USA and UK. Other jurisdictions will probably have generally similar provisions because of international treaty relationships. [2] Except for a few huge brands under the novel theory of trademark 'dilution' as a tort. [3] The early phases of that accidental confrontation are covered here: http://www.tldp.org/LDP/LGNET/issue96/moen.html _______________________________________________ Dng mailing list Dng@lists.dyne.org https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dng
