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Lindows Ordered To Stop Using Lindows Name

Posted by michael on from the wah-wah-waaaaaaaaaahhhh dept.

TheSpoom writes "InfoWorld reports that Lindows, a distribution of Linux and other software designed to emulate Windows, has been ordered to drop their name after Microsoft won a preliminary injunction yesterday from judges in Finland and Sweden."

3 of 922 comments (clear)

  1. The rest of the story: by shystershep · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's another article at the Reg about this, and one at Newsforge about Lindows new website, ChoicePC for taking donations to help Lindows European resellers fight this.

    --
    The bigotry of the nonbeliever is for me nearly as funny as the bigotry of the believer. - Albert Einstein
  2. But is Lindows on sale in Sweden? by pesc · · Score: 5, Informative

    I live in Sweden, and I'm not aware that Lindows is available for sale here. I don't think the general public (outside of Slashdot) knows anything about it. So if they would like to market it here, just give it a new name first. No big deal.

    And seriously, I kind of agree with the judges. "Lindows" is a bit too close to "Windows". They should try to build their own name by themselves.

    --

    )9TSS
  3. Re:In Other News... by unclethursday · · Score: 5, Informative
    It is pretty obvious that Lindows intentionally named their product for just this sort of attention.

    You may be right, but Lindows is using a tactic in their US court case that may work. May.

    They're saying that "Windows" is a generic computing term, especially in GUIs (which it is). You are not supposed to be allowed to trademark generic terms.

    If that part works, then Microsoft will lose their trademark on "Windows" by itself. They could still have thier trademark on the phrase "Microsoft Windows", but they would no longer be allowed to have the word "Windows" itself trademarked, like it is now.

    They're also going after the fact that Microsoft has failed to try and protect their trademark in the past, and that the only reason they are doing so now is because the Lindows.com "LindowsOS" is a competitor. (Trademark laws state you can and will lose your trademark if it is not actively defended.)

    So far, it seems US courts seem to be agreeing with Lindows.com on the issue.