Re: Free Software Logo

[Aaron Wolf]

On 2020-10-29 9:22 a.m., Jean Louis wrote:
> * Aaron Wolf <wolftune@riseup.net> [2020-10-29 19:00]:
>>
>> On 2020-10-29 8:40 a.m., Jean Louis wrote:
>>
>>> Did you see other logos on GNU website? That is what I meant. And
>>> there is no such  thing as control of "free software logos" in the
>>> context of trademarks, GNU and free software dedicated groups do not
>>> follow trademark doctrines. Open source groups do.
>>>
>>
>> GNU and free software  *do* follow Trademark law. See e.g.
>> https://www.gnu.org/graphics/agnuhead.html
>>
>> "The GNU head is, however, also a trademark for the GNU Project. If you
>> want to use the GNU head to link to a website run by the Free Software
>> Foundation or the GNU project, feel free, or if you're using it in
>> contexts talking about GNU in a supportive and accurate way, you can
>> also do this without permission. For any other requests, please ask
>> <licensing@fsf.org> for permission first."
> 
> Of course I know that. That is slightly beyond the point that I have
> mentioned and tried to clarify. There is way how would FSF and GNU go
> about the trademark violation and there is way how Mozilla or Rust
> would go about trademark violations.
> 
> FSF and GNU would most probably do no legal action against
> perpetrator, RMS would give few public remarks if GNU software would
> be used with proprietary software. Though I do not believe there would
> be court process, threats or similar. It would be in the spirit of
> friendship and friendly kind of ensuring observance.
> 
> Legal option would be really the last.
> 
> I am not representative for GNU. This is my opinion based on last 20
> years of observation.
> 

I don't think it has happened that proprietary software ever claimed to
be GNU, but if that happened, the GNU project *would* take legal action
if they couldn't first get voluntary compliance. The FSF is not opposed
to legal enforcement of trademarks and copyrights (copylefts in this case).