[IAEP] [SLOBS] Notes SLOBS Trademark Discussion 4-12-10

[John Tierney]

Typed Copy of John Tierney written Notes of Key Points from 

SLOBs Trademark Discussion Monday night April 12th 2010 at 

OLPC Offices-Cambridge, MA. 


I believe I have cc'd everyone who was at meeting

plus Bernie, sorry if I missed someone.
(Please understand these were not minutes but personal notes, 

so please add comments or clarifications) 

 

Sean Daly

-Tech PR
-Build Brand



Logo/Symbol-Meaning
What Does it Stand For
Values
Discrimination/Exclusion-Means this, not that
-Platform


Ecosystem Activities
-Example


Adobe Labeling Program
Intel Labeling Program
-Which Allows for


Revenue Stream From OEM
Control Shaping of Brand
Chris Ball
-Agreement


Label O.K.
Revenue O.K.
Smaller Set
-Distribution of Code


Unmodified Sugar Code Being Used By Someone-O.K.
Unmodified Sugar Code with Slight Modifications-Translation, etc.-O.K.
Modified Code-Must Ask
-Example


Ziff.org-Write Codecs
GPL-Mention License Author Source
Areas of Agreement on Cases where potential partner must ask for Trademark use


0. Encouraging Phrases**
1. Websites-Must Ask

2. Modified Versions-Must Ask
3. Reserved Names("Sugar on a Stick")-Must Ask
4. Logo Program-Must Ask
5. Mostly Unmodified-Must Ask
**(This zero point was mentioned by Chris Ball actually last I didn't record what he might of actually titled this, this was the words I was using)

A few themes I took away from the meeting are as follows: 



Encourage vs. Discourage

Unmodified vs. Modified

Logo Program-With Gradations of involvement(Possibly 3 to 4 Different Logos for Partners depending on
        level of involvement. Possible to have one Logo to show partners with Modified Sugar Code)

My thought would be if we can focus on the Encourage and Logo Program Themes, I think it will help us come 
up with final wording that displays Sugar Labs as a Proactive/ Inclusive/Collaborative Partner.

A suggestion to achieve this would be to:


 Quickly come up with the names for the labeling program along
with what level of involvement and/or unmodified/modified Sugar Code that involves.
We in turn need to work on Logo's but are not necessary to written copy
**Sean can you post a draft outline of Labeling Program to begin discussion**
 

With a Labeling/Logo Description in place by default those definitions will answer many of the use cases. We can then take
the January 15 2010 Draft and build that language around Labeling Program with an aim to use encouraging/inclusive
and clearer language. 

 

These two portions in particular seem somewhat contradictory in language after reading them and

comparing them to notes and meeting discussion. Hopefully Labeling Program can absorb these two

parts and allow for a clear differentiation in use cases and proper interaction with Sugar Labs to

benefit the parties involved.

 

2a.

To refer to the Sugar Labs software in substantially unmodified form "substantially unmodified" means built from 

the source code provided by the Sugar Labs project, possibly with minor modifications including but not limited to: 

the enabling or disabling of certain features by default, translations into other languages, changes required for 

compatibility with a particular operating system distribution, or the inclusion of bug-fix patches). All such minor 

modifications must be released under an approved license.

 

**It seems to say you can use with some minor modifications but then says all minor modifications must be

released with approved license***

 

3.

You may use the Sugar Labs Marks as part of the name of a product designed to work with Sugar Labs, so long 

as the name as a whole (via its other components) clearly and unambiguously distinguishes the product from Sugar 

Labs software itself, and the general presentation of the product does not imply any official association or identity 

with Sugar Labs. Because it would be awkward to attach a trademark symbol to a portion of a larger name whose 

other portions might themselves be trademarked, the requirement to display the symbol is waived for this circumstance. 

 

***It would seem if the Sugar Labs Marks were part of the name of a product that would indicate that there is a

perceived official relationship or identity to Sugar Labs which then contradicts with the next statement***

 

Example: If I trademark "JT Linux" and then sell a product "JT Linux with Sugar on Board" from the reading above

I'm confused if I could do that or not. From the meeting my understanding is that I could.

 

Since many of the individuals who end up redistributing Sugar may very well be of the non-technical nature(in a writing/

coding/distributing Software sense) we must try to use language that encourages them and shy away from technical/legal 

language that may discourage/intimidate a potential deployer of the Sugar Learning Platform.

 

Again please fill in areas of importance that I have missed.

 

Appreciate the Chance to Participate!

 

John Tierney

 		 	   		  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/iaep/attachments/20100418/9c9e70ed/attachment.htm