Slashdot Mirror
Lindows becomes Lindash
Daveh writes "The Register is reporting that 'The operating system Lindows is now available as Lin---s (pronounced: Lin-dash) in those countries where Microsoft has blocked the availability of the desktop Linux distribution. The new name complies with a recent Amsterdam court ruling (PDF), the San Diego company says.' There are a few new sites to reflect the name change, including Lin---s.com and Lindash.nl."
But that is the stupidest name I have ever heard... I hope someone named Linda sues them :)
"Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
I guess that's one way to dash Microsoft's evil plan.
That's pretty f------ g--.
They obviously arn't happy about the change, seeing as how their current front-page picture shows a hang-man with only d, o, w left in the letter-box. (Lin_ _ _ s might be a better way to put it.)
"For years, I struggled with reality... but I'm happy to say I finally won out over it." -- Elwood P. Dowd
In a related story. Bill Gates has decided to rename Windows to be close to this product. The new proposed name is Balder-Dash (in honor of Steve Ballmer)
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
it's a bit slapdash
--
code newbie: help for coding newbies
the distro formerly known as LindowsOS would have been better.
This is infantile. If you are being forced to change your name, just do it. Having a name like Lin---s.com is just plain dumb. The graphic on the one site is hangman with D,O,W remaining.
Other programs have had to do this before and at least they had the decency to come up with something more original. I suppose when you start out with something as unoriginal as Windows/Lindows they what do you expect?
It truly is sad to think that Microsoft can block distribution of a particular flavor of Linux. I guess when you can't win in the free marketplace, you resort to sleazy underhanded tactics such as this.
changes name of of lindows to lind-hash.
BSD may be forced also to change it's name to BUD.
lysergically yours
Lin---s? I feel like I'm on some kind of game show.
I'd like to buy a vowel!
the names...
winix
uniwindows
linuows
microsnix
lindix
NFM
So Long and Thanks for all the Fish.
Because it's not funny.
Actually, Lindows Inc. isn't very funny either.
So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
Next on Slashdot: Microsoft is suing all companies with products that start with a W.
Microsoft is now known as Micro---- (pronounced: Microdash). This is to settle a lesser known lawsuit with video game maker SquareSoft.
Lindows will now sue Microdash for trademark violations.
Will it ever end?
Cases like this boggle the mind. Now all they had to do was change their name to something (albeit strange) catchy, and they get even more free publicity. Windows on the other hand, continues to foster its bully image and ends up really not accomplishing too much at all.
What a waste of everyone's time and money.
Lin--s?
Honestly, that is just a horrible name.
I mean, it's target audience has enough problems with "dot com," how are they going to make sense out of "Lin--s" ?
Anyone else get the feeling that this particular distribution will end up being the 800-lb gorilla just because of the name change? I would almost be willing to wager that the forced name change will drive people to it, not from it (even though the name is dumb).
Be excellent to each other. And... PARTY ON, DUDES!
F---edcompany maybe?
As a double bonus is gets around any Microsoft-friendly internet censorware that has lindows.com blocked as "terrorist" or "hate speech".
-JoeShmoe
.
-- I wonder which will go down in history as the bigger failure: the War on Drugs or the War on Filesharing
Dis-y
Mic--oft
AO--ime---ner
S-O
This is fun!
-Cyc
/.'s 10 Millionth
visionary [vi'sion'ar'y] adj 1. full of foresight: characterized by unusually acute foresight and imagination
Microsoft(R) Encarta(R) Reference Library 2002. (C) 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Good for Lindows. Too bad being a visionary is copyrighted by Microsoft.
A programmer is a machine for converting coffee into code.
Gone with something like Lindose or Lindoze.
Hilarious ... another great moment in sarcasm history, and yet rather thought-provoking on the question of intellectual property.
-- (Score:i, Imaginary)
Lin---s reminds me of this cartoon. Fill in the blanks? What else can we stick in those three dashes? I'd grep my /usr/dict/words if I wasn't in Windows.
It just shows how much money Microsoft has wasted to punish this company.
They could've renamed it Linfox instead.
Might I suggest:
lin-XXX.com
Mod +5 Drunk
Microsoft sues dictionary.com for trademark infringement.
- (-) n.
An opening constructed in a wall or roof that functions to admit light or air to an enclosure and is often framed and spanned with glass mounted to permit opening and closing.
Lindash isn't too bad of an OS name. But why not just spell it lindash? It would be much easier
www.thelinuxdistroformerlycalledlindows.com
lindosft.com
lindoor.com The only thing easier then a window is a door - great slogan
msmadeuschangeourname.com
You guys can come up with the rest. This has to be the most stupid thing I have ever read. And that includes my own posts.
Should've changed it to Lackintosh.
! up job, boys--now put on your ^s, head down to the big \ at the local # |, and party 'till you see *s!
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
Sometimes its Lindash, sometimes Lin-s, sometimes Lin--s. Why the double dash? If they are replacing "dow" then it should be Lin---s. Do we pronounce the "s" (e.g. Lindashs/es)? Please help me.
Lingerie? Lingham? Lingering? Linched?
Dr. Nick's "I can't believe it's an operating system!"
much less your personal computing to a company that engages in this sort of nonsense?
At least they didn't rename themselves GNU/Xenix.
*gong*
Then it would become L-----s.
(Not that it's likely, of course. Heh.)
---!
"Lindash. Lindash. I like it. It sounds fast. It will make your computer run quickly. And it's Linux, so you know it'll be stable.
"Yeah, I like Lindash a lot. And it sounds WAY better than Laguar or Lanther."
that they also avoided renaming it to LinOS, to avoid getting scolded at by the Linux community?
They should have renamed it "Lizzle" That would hizzle bizzle the shizzle.
Can the use of dashes stand in court? Imagine people start using "-indows" (Dashindows) or "l-nux".
Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
I'm all for the concept of a super easy to use/set up linux distro.
He had me on board with the idea of trying to compete with Windows in terms of getting it installed on a OEM PC.
I'm rooting for him when he takes MS on and calls a spade a spade.
But this??? WTF!!!
This is just mindless, infantile crap. Frankly the "Lindows" name was always stupid, and amateurish, something that you joke about over a few beers with your buddies. Now we've simply magnified the stupidity with "Lind---" or whatever it's called.
I hope they crash and burn ASAP so this can be forgotten.
Mrs. Dash people.
Much like any other marketing ive seen by lindows, it seems to reflect the tongue-in-cheek attitude towards opposition. :D ( http://www.nvu.com/ )
Its unfortunate that in the corp market, where linux seems to actually have a strong chance of adoption, these antics seem childish and unprofessional. Lindows would be better served catering to the executive market imho, rather than people that just "hate" microsoft...
On a positive note, looks like Robertson made good on a frontpage replacement
...pretty fucking ridiculous.
Lin-shizzle.
When I first read that, my mind associated BIN LADEN with that name....
For one, they're already using S and O and neither have been crossed out. They've already missed 18 times. Unless they're counting every bone in the hangman's body, the game should be over.
Linuendows
Lindash zuigt nog erger als Lindows, en verdomme gisteren heb k lindows nog gedownload. Vertaal zelf maar :-P
They need to hire some marketing and branding people. That is the stupidest name I have heard. At least Lindows was clever. Why didn't they think about it?
Rmrember taht one?
My journal. Mainly about freedom.
Screw Mac and Microsoft and call it: iWin___s!!!!!!!
Well, what more can you expect from a company that copies Apples old aqua tab-design on its website.
All the ones that start with "L" too.
Just to be on the safe side.
How'm I supposed to search for "lin---s" in google, for example? Please don't break out the meta-escape, its already past time for a headache remedy on this Lindows name issue ...
;)
A better name would've been "Lintel", but okay, I guess the Dutch Govt' wouldn't have seen the humor in that name-switch, eh?
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
Drzi gobec ker bedak si.
Just change 'Lindows' to something else. It sounds corny enough as it is and makes an otherwise pretty good distro come across as a Windows knockoff.
What a stupid name. Noone but a bunch of geeks (who wont pay for lindows anyways) gets the joke.
I'd have come up with something original, and marketted it as a great commercial OS - highlighting its actual features, rather than running it as the "MS is teh ghey!!1!! lOOLOL GAYER THEN AIDS!!1!" system.
Move over, HURD, here comes Lin---s.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
http://www.dash.com/default.shtml
random jibberish to make /. let me post&&
Surely it would be "hip" and "rad" among the young "dudes" of today.
It would be a good homage to Homer Simpson too..
---- It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again. It does this whenever it's told.
Rmedins me of tihs sotry...
# fuser -v
#
Truly, it is the name made by geeks for geeks.
Why is it that some geeks, who are supposed the intellectually elite, come up with the most stupid ideas ever? I say some, because that would be an insult to me and the rest of the minority of the geek population.
I went to lindows.com to have a look, and followed the link to "buy one now" and followed that to a reseller of Lindows boxes.
/customkititems.asp, line 368
Nice webpage:
Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a01c3'
Object not a collection
Real men use Kg'#^%$&*YEJkl;j
Some things are more important than an animated rat
Oh for crap's sake. Can't they just get the Mozilla people to rattle off a few dozen name candidates? Their projects change names with every CVS commit.
--riney
"Yes, this is horrible, this idea." - Samir
"Things are more moderner than before- bigger, and yet smaller- it's computers-- San Dimas High School football RULES!"
Michael Robertson is as much interested in the fight with MS as the future of his company, which he is using as a vehicle. I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing - Lindows is privately held, after all, so he can do what he likes, and I respect his convictions. What Robertson really would like to see, I think even *more* than the success of Lindows, would be for a US court to strip Windows of trademark protection.
I think what they're doing is right on. Lindows tried protesting M$'s ridiculous assertion (that it can trademark a word common in the English language and in computing circles *before* there was ever a Microsoft Windows(tm)) in the courts. Now they can continue their protest of this ridiculous ruling via their new name... and they rightly should protest. The European ruling is idiotic.
The US courts are more reasonable, and likely won't let Microsoft pull words from the English language/computing circles like European courts have. Lindows is a great marketing name for a linux desktop solution, combining linux, a term the average joe may be unfamiliar with, with windows, a term most people use in reference to their computer everyday (not M$ Windows(tm), but those little boxes people are used to dealing with on their desktops in *any* OS environment, when they are instructed to "close the window" etc.). Trademarking the word "windows" is like trademarking the words "mouse" or "cursor".
I don't know much about the distro or the company... but I give them props for their name. Marketing wit is something the linux community can always use more of.
this gave the wine an underground cachet. So the next year he just had the lables printed with the black dash. This was great till Taylor wines sued him again, and arguning before the same judge, won the case that the black mark had become identified with "taylor".
So the next year he left off the black mark and instead just put oil paintings of his deceased relatives on the bottles with the captions, joe TAYLOR. mary TAYLOR, etc....
Taylor wines sued him again. So he once again he erased the name and left the pictures that every one now recognized as the taylor family portraits. .
Taylor sued again and won. He was ordered to turn over the lables so he loaded them in the manure spreader and spread them around taylor wines office building.
Finally he altered all the portraits to cyclopses and dared them to say he was related. Around then he also adopted the name "bully hill winery". ANd there it ended.
I'd say lindash should just use a strategically placed Star or fig leaf to cover the last part of its name.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
When can we expect DashSlot?
OpenOffice.org will be sued next month, and forced to change their name to OpenOash.org, which not only makes no sense but is also unpronounceable.
KDE were unavailable for comment on the issue of renaming KPaint Kash.
User: I can't find my mail
Support : Press the Lindash start button.
User: Ok, a lindash opened with a lot of icons.
Support : Ok, now click the mail icon and you will see a lindash asking you for your password.
User: Yes, see that lindash.
Support: Good, now type in your password and a lindash with the mail program should open. Do you see the lindash?
I hate MS, but I hate what Michael Robertson is doing more. Lindows, the name, implies 100% compatibility with Windows programs. Therefore, it does dilute the windows trademark. Even worse, it doesn't deliver on that compatibility because of a previous lawsuit MS filed.
Sigh, someone is gonna burn, even if it is just my moderator points.
And the new company name is: LindO'soft...
Come on... it only took me five seconds to think that one up (I guess I may show)
I think it's great!
Now let me just tighten this noose here...
C#.
:-)
Seriously, how the hell are you going to market that?
This reminds me of the case study done on white wines. Turns out that approx 75% of white wine drinkers prefer Gewertztraminer to Chardonnay grapes. Yet Chardonnay is still the top white grape in the world. Why? Because people can't pronounce Gewurtztraminer (Guh-vurtz-trah-mihn-er), and don't want to sound stupid.
Good luck with that dash thing, folks. Let me know how it works out for you.
What does it mean to wake out of a dream
and be wearing someone else's shorts?
BNL, Born on a Pirate Ship (1998)
This is further proof that MS should have just let this one go. This is again front page news on slashdot, which they may not care about... I also bet that this is news in any of those countries (which lindows wouldn't have had)... plus all of the tech journals in the US and Europe, plus it'll probably second page news on many sites and papers... AND it's one more reason all of the geeks have to hate Microsoft for being a big dumb bully.
Microsoft has from the beginning of this, given Roberson(SP?) (Lindows CEO) more free advertising opportunities than his product could have ever given him.
Keep it up Microsoft... one of these shots in the foot will keep you from walking!
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor
to put a green bar over the letter S in their hangman game...
I emailed Micheal Robertson several months ago and asked why he is using the -indows in his company name. I flat out told him that even though it is definitely a Linux distro, using the -indows associates his product with insecure, unreliable, expensive, proprietary software. And so I asked "What's the point of using the L- if the rest is -indows?". Obviously his whole point of Lindows is create an OS clearly distinguishable from Microsoft software (and the negative connotation). It would make much more sense to come up with a nice prefix for -nix. Of course he said something about how windows is a generic term and he should be able to use however he wants. I can't find the exact email anymore. He's so hung up on if he "could" that he doesn't consider if he "should".
Lindowpane. if anybody out there is old enough to get the LSD pun.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
a band called Panasonic. They got harassed by Panasonic the company, changed their name to Pansonic and released an album called "A".
In dutch: "Beveelt Lindows.com om binnen acht dagen na betekening van dit vonnis de toegang voor de website(s) van Lindows.com waarop zij programmatuur aanbiedt onder de naam "Lindows", "Lindows.com", en "LindowsOS", inclusief maar niet beperkt tot de website op URL http://www.lindows.com, ontoegankelijk te maken voor bezoekers uit Belgie, Nederland en Luxemburg." , which roughly translates to:
"(The court) Orders a verdict under which Lindows.com is to block access to the website of Lindows.com where she offers software under the name of "Lindows", including but not limited to the website at URL http://www.lindows.com, to all vistors from Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg."
I can still access it, even though I'm from Holland, but I feel I still have the right to get the Lindows product from Lindows.com as I please.
This view of the "Internet", and the websites that it houses is quite stalinistic in my humble opinion.
Slashdot: stuff for news, nerds that matter, matter for news, stuff that nerd
Worst. Name. Ever.
/-
Slashdash
Trademark, not copyright, but you're correct.
All they want is the name changed, they're not trying to stop them from selling it.
Yes, it's a stupid name, however what I think many people here are overlooking is this statement from Michael Robertson:
"Any action from Microsoft to block Lin---s will show their true intentions are not to protect their trademark, but to eliminate competition and maintain their monopoly."
Basically he's bear baiting.
Seeing that Walmart pushed Lindows into the "mainstream" they should just buy it and relabel it either Walmart/OS or W/OS.
If not what about LinBash?
Lindows was a lame name to begin with anyway.
...you don't let engineers do your marketing.
Kind of a cute idea and there is nothing wrong with rubbin their noses in it but how long until the name is "morphed" in to:
LinTRASH?
He should have changed the name to LinDOS. MS can't claim that is too similar to their trademark without reminding everyone that Windows is really WinDOS itself.
from their news release on the topic ...
Copyright (C) 2004 Lindows.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lindows.com is not endorsed by or affiliated with Microsoft Corporation in any way - in fact, we don't even really like them because they are suing us.
vodka, straight up, thank you!
Kudos to M. Robertson et al. for managing to criticize with impunity but effectively the practices and prejudices in commerce that have absolutely nothing to do whatsoever with business. Lin---s ... I like it!
The judge has instructed the jury to evaluate the Trademark of Windows as it was before it was "Given" to MS. They will loose and we can call our favorite OS, Windows for Linux, Windows for BSD etc.
Help fight continental drift.
they have to defend it, or they risk losing, period.
-
Sponsoring several open source projects:
-
kde-look.org
- kde-apps.org
-
Mozilla
-
Nvu
-
gaim
-
And the list goes on
...
-
Hiring Everaldo
Yeah, let's hope they go belly up. Now, who is the baby ?Is THIS what you want your boss to think of when you're pitching Linux for the office? Do Linux and OSS a favor: stop supporting Lindows.
There's a Mercedes gap too. I want one and can't afford one, but it's not government's job to do anything about it.
LINL Is Not Lindows
Now I am facing a dillemma. Should I buy Lindows as support from Lindows.com, or would I play M$ in it's cold hands by doing just that ?
Slashdot: stuff for news, nerds that matter, matter for news, stuff that nerd
I think I would have renamed it to WINGATE...wait..taken...no lawsuit there...
humm how about LinGates!
I would still pronounce "Lin---s" as "Lindows", same as "Netscape" is been pronounced "Mozilla".
Rhymes with Wincrash.
wbs.
Huh?
Just change the name to Linios and make a nice open source cereal. Then come out with the chocolate version....Count Tuxula.
i actually like the new name. dash is also short for dashboard, which an os /overlay sort of imply. Hey, it makes sense, and is more original than not.
Reason, free market capitalism, and individualism
Did you mean: win dildo
Your search - windildo - did not match any documents.
No pages were found containing "windildo".
Suggestions:
Also, you can try Google Answers for expert help with your search.
John
so ... i can't start selling a new Product called Wicrosoft Mindows in amsterdam ?
Wicrodash Mindash (c)2004
this is nonsense!
Doh !
they have a sense of humor
It has a nice ring to it, and as far as I know... no one is marketing anything under the name longhorn.... right?
I can count to 1023 on my hands. Ask me about #132.
Many years ago, Apple was developing a new computer under the code name "Carl Sagan". Well, Carl Sagan learned of this and had his lawyers send a C&D letter to Apple. So Apple changed the code name to "Butt-Head Astronomer". A few details are here.
Maybe Lindows should be named Butt-Head CEO?The case should never have even been in existence..
Plus 'lindows' should be more adult about loosing in court.. regardless if the judgment made sense or not.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
for George Carlin fans,
the slashdash crowd will think...
how long until
Are those "em" dashes or "en" dashes? They look like "ens" to me, so why not call it "Lin-ens"?
We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends use Linux and if they use Linux Well they're no friends of mine
I say, we can go where we want to
And see Ballmer lose his mind
And see him act like he comes from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind
And see Steve dance..
[Sung]
We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
'Cause your friends use Macs and if they use Macs
Well they're no friends of mine
I say, we can go where we want to
A place where they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind
And we can dance
Danc|e!
I say, we can dance, we can dance
Everything out of control
We can dance, we can dance
We're doing it from wall to wall
We can dance, we can dance
Everybody look at Steve's dome
We can dance, we can dance
Nobody's using GNOME....
(micro)SOFTy dance
Is it safe to dance
Is it safe to dance
M-i-c-r-o-s-o-f-t, dance!
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Damn. I was hoping they would go with something like:
Lin-up-yours-billg
Oh Well
Wanted: witty unique signature. Must be willing to relocate.
...Windows viruses are now Win---s viruses?
the smileys look (when rendered) a lot like a o... Then Lind:-)ws would be legal ? or even Lind;-)ws. M$ patented the smileys yet ? ;-)
Dash is a commercial cloth washing product in the netherlands or was not sure...i dont do the washin very often,but dash had a commercial "dash 3 in 1" its about the product multiple things, lindows is even more..., go figure... :)
This whole thing just further confirms my belief that lindows and its ceo Michael Robertson are petty and unprofessional and just out for a quick buck made off someone else's name. I'm tired of hearing about their lame publicity stunts.
Balder-dash is a patch made by fans to Baldur's Gate. If MS renamed Windows to Balder-Dash, he'd be violating trademark, and they should sue him.
social sciences can never use experience to verify their statemen
How about 'lin-WeWereFrickinStupidToThinkWeWouldGetAwayWithT hatInTheFirstPlace.com'?
Microsoft chose a generic term, which why they only own "Microsoft Windows" and not just "Windows." They aren't calling it Microsoft Lindows, or even Licrosoft Lindows.
Did you notice on Sun's new Linux version they have a drive on the desktop labeled "This Computer" I wonder if you decided to spin out a *nix free based distribution and renamed that to my computer would MS take you to court... Now considering it's a free OS you're not making money off MS' so called labor so in theory you should be able to. Again however, money talks ;)
MoFscker
they could never have a more stupid name.
It's not "Windows" with an "L," you dolt! It's a combination of two similar words:
LINux
+winDOWS
--------
LINDOWS
There's no question it's partially a play of "Windows", but it's as much of a play off of "Linux". And no one is going to mistake the Lindows brand as representing Windows (nor do they want people to). They want people to see it as a LINux that's winDOWS like (user friendly, etc.).
Personally, I think Lindows is annoying, and I would never pay for it. But this isn't a ripoff of Windows's name, it's mix of two words (and the Windows name hardly deserves trademark status).
The Lindows name is similar enough to Windows, however, that the simple fact that it was partially derived from that word means a court could find for Microsoft.
-Dan
wintech doesn't claim to produce a competing product to what microsoft makes, and wintech doesn't have a website that claims their product is a replacement for windows, and wintech doesn't create a product made to look and work as much like windows as possible.
Thats the difference
Look at it this way. is lindows the victim of an unfortuneate naming coincidence ?
No. They're a linux distribution who's only reason for existance is to try and be as much like windows as possible, but not windows. And their name reflects exactly that purpose.
I'm sure you'll agree that i cant stard Fjord Motor Company, a car maker.
My opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
... and I thought Lindows was the worst possible name for a Linux Distribution. Looks like they managed to come up with something even worse.
Any inclination I might have had for holding some amount of respect for Lindows is now gone. This is a case of someone cutting off their nose to spite their face.
WinLinuxPro!
If Prince can call himself a "sex-Symbol sign" why not just drop the "indows" and call Lindows "L"? Let's see Windows sue that.
And then we'll have to refer to those household objects as casements, skylights, transoms, portholes, panes, windowpanes, or glass. (Yes, I got all those synonyms from M$ Word's "thesaurus", which interestingly did not provide "operating system" as a synonym for "windows" ;-)
"Obviously, I'm not an IBM computer any more than I'm an ashtray" (Bob Dylan)
They could have named it Lindex. :)
Linsoft? Micronux TuxXP
It's amazing they don't sue Macrosoft. After all, it is just "Microsoft" with an "a" instead of an "i". Yes, I recognize that the spelling is only different by one letter. But you clearly implied that "Lindows" was derived by replacing the "W" with an "L". I'm saying that's not the case--it was derived by recognizing the common letters "IN" and overlapping them to make a new word.
I'm sure you realized what I was expressing, but perhaps you really are a dolt. Originally, I had only used the term to chastise you for shortsightedness, but I guess it has more general application.
-Dan
Lindashes to ashes
Lindust to dust
Quit tryin to play
Micros*ft's bluff!
Just name the fricken thing LedHat or Lebian.. or even better... Loppix!! Or how about Lackware?
Slashdot.. Land of nerds, trolls, and FlameBait..
As far as trademarks are concerned, you need to protect them if you want to keep them. Second, it only applies if the other product is in the same competing field. Clearly Lindows is competing against Windows. Try making processor chips under the name Lintel or I bet there would be an uproar if you created another Unix like OS called Linicks.
hehe!
Yeah, the name is stupid, but so was Lindows... of course is was meant to confuse and infringe... why not just pick a cool new name? Failing that, name it after a hat.
--D
WiFi on Linux sucks.....
Could someone cure my ignorance and explain to me the relationship between Lin"dash" and Lin"---s"? Thanks.
I think the Wine folks should sue him. Just for the fun of it! ;-)
I would have just changed the name to "Doors".
Just say it like Homer: Lin-DOH!
(Does Fox have a trademark on "DOH"?)
One man's -1 Flamebait is another man's +5 Funny.
I've referred to Windows as Win@#%$! (pronounced Win-BLEEP) for years.
Why doesn't microsoft sue every homeowner or construction worker for that matter. For putting "Windows" on homes? its a crazy world we live in. Btw you can't sneeze without a license because I patented it. j/k
They should have changed their name to dontsumi
Ok, i'm not good at flash, but yeah heres an idea for anyone who wants to do it... This, but with Balmer's head on the badgers and "developers developers developers" instead of "badger badger badger".
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
Since we studied this in a law class last semester:
For a company to win in a trademark case, the biggest factor is showing that the allegedly infringing trademark is likely to cause confusion in a normal consumer. So it doesn't have to be precisely the same or anything, it just has to be to the point that your normal consumer might get confused by it, and hence you'd have your bussiness hurt.
That's why if it is two totally different products, there's usually not a problem. No one is going to mistake software called Firebird for the car called Firebird, two totally different thigns. However Windows and Lindows were both OSes, and Lindows selling point is being like Windows (similar interface, alleged compatibility, always root, etc).
That's probably why MS had a fairly strong case, since it seemed reasonable that a normal consumer would get confused. I think that is a reasonable statement, a non-savvy user could easily buy a Lindows machine believing it to the same as Windows.
The statements made by the developers of Lindows don't help either. As memory serves, they were touting it as a Windows replacement, and actually had to back down on some claims because they couldn't get compatibility as good as they thought. That sort of thing is factored in.
obviously the folks at Lindows are just a little bit immature. First, the picked a name they had to have known would get them in trouble with Microsoft for obviously trying to looks like "Windows". It'd be like opening up a fast food restaurant called McDowell's with golden arcs (not arches).
Now, picking a name like Lin---s is just stupid and childish. Grow up and pick a real name.
It's an OS. How similar a product is matters in case of trademarks. Winamp is rather dissimlar from Windows. One is a player that runs on Windows, one is the OS.
There is also the fact that in a trademark case you are trying to prove loss or potential loss of bussiness. Winamp clearly isn't taking bussiness from Windows, it actually helps to increase bussiness by adding features. Lindows clearly tried to take bussiness from Windows, being a direct competitor.
Before anyone shoots back, competition is perfectly legal, but not trying to confuse people with something similar to or the same as the trademark of the competing product.
If Microsoft has just ignored Lindows then Lindows would have been seen as just some shady characters to 'con' people into buying an inferior product (like those $9.99 SEEKO watches you can find). However, because of all the fuss they have made, Microsoft has both given Lindows publicity and credibility. Why credibility? The message being sent out is that Windows == just a name badge and has no technical merits.
Engineering is the art of compromise.
Would GNU/Lindows have been enough to placate the Courts?
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
I wonder if this is a good time to introduce my new site concept: *. (splashdot) I can't imagine anyone taking issue with that.
Of course, according to this article, the new name is RestartNow
Clearly, what they should have done is to follow Prince's lead and just choose a logo and say, "that's what it's called!" forcing everyone to refer to it as "the OS formerly known as Lindows."
Accountability on the heads of the powerful.
Power in the hands of the accountable.
Lets all refer to it as Linux Distro formerly known as Lindows to eliminate the confusion.
Because of Microsoft Bill Gates is able to give lots of financial aid to charities. Should we therefore support Microsoft in everything it does?
Lindows helps support a few Open Source projects. I thank them. That doesn't mean we can't disagree with their vision of the future of desktop Linux. Lindows is a proprietary Linux whose goal is to get all of its users paying a monthly fee for its click-n-run program. If their model succeeds then the future of Linux is one more akin to what Microsoft offers than what backers of GNU have in mind. I'm not going to even say which one is right or wrong(although you could probably guess how I feel), but you can't blame someone for disagreeing with what Lindows represents.
If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
in which The Artist stated that he should once again be referred to as Prince.
I wonder if Linus will go to court over the Lin---s.com name.
Free Manning, jail Obama.
Well, a California court said Micro---- can't use Win---- in a proprietary way anymore, so...
Windix would have been much more appropriate.
I was under the impression the Walmart PCs were using the original Linux XP look alike www.lycoris.com At least they could come up with thier own name while ripping off the XP luna look.
Buy Desktop/LX pre-loaded on PCs at WalMart.com! Check out the entire line of MicroTel Desktop/LX- Certified PCs ranging from $199 to $558.
Post: Sigged, for your pleasure.
I'm not sure what just happened but I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.
Thundercougarfalconbird. I nearly split my side open.
Would you like freedom fries with that?
I'm replying to my own posting, and maybe that's a bit gauche, but, oh well...
Clearly, what they should have done is to follow Prince's lead and just choose a logo and say, "that's what it's called!" forcing everyone to refer to it as "the OS formerly known as Lindows."
I originally intended this as a joke, but the more I think of it, the more I think it could be a serious marketing plan. Erase any pronounceable name from the product line, and people are forced to use its former name to refer to it. None of that would be official, and Microsoft could do nothing about it.
Obviously, the company could not do anything that could be construed as influencing the public to use the word "Lindows," and that would be a gamble that they'd have to take, with this scheme. However, if they make a press release stating the name change (or name removal, rather), and laced it liberally with the phrase "OS formerly known as Lindows" then I suspect the informal moniker would stick.
They would probably need some kind of name that can be rendered in a western font, for invoices and the like, so maybe they could just choose some crazy set of letters, like "XZWUQMG," a name that nobody would really want to use.
Press releases would be kinda hard... So it's not a perfect plan, but it's far more reasonable than I thought originally!
Then again, I'm not sure how familiar the Dutch are with "the artist formerly known as Prince," and whether that name caught on there.
Accountability on the heads of the powerful.
Power in the hands of the accountable.
I'll be extremely surprised if anyone takes this shit seriously now.
Berto
Windoves
The logo would involve an open window where doves fly out.
So, do you think this'll fly?
Who is this Linda and her new shell?
Mpppppmfmpmfmfffmmmfp fmppffmmmpppfmmpmfmmmfmpmffppfppp: Pmfmffpppmpmmmmfmmmfp ffpfmfmffmfmfmp pppppfmfm mpppffmfmmpppff mmmpmffmm Pmfmffpppmpmppffppfmm, mppppp fpmmpppffmpmppfppmppmmpp mfmmfffmmfmpmpppffmppppp mfpmppmmp pmp pmfmffpppmpmppffppfmm pppppfmfm mfmmppmpmppffppppppmfppfmmmmpm. Fpmmpppfffmpmmmmmmpmf ffpmpppmfmpf ppmmmmmmmpff :-Pfm
Some people still don't seem to get it. There is no operating system called windows, no product called windows, and certainly no trademark on the word windows for ANY use including operating systems or graphical windowing systems.
There is a series of operating systems put out by a company called Microsoft. It's called "Microsoft Windows", and people have nicknamed it due to it's monopoly err prevailance to simply "windows".
People think Lindows is similar to the nickname "Windows" and is a product line of the same type and therefore infringes. That's fine and dandy but you cannot infringe on a NICKNAME that isn't trademarked and furthermore is actually in the public domain and untrademarkable regardless.
If Microsoft had a trademark on windows, and the name lindows could confuse customers, then they'd have a case. But since they nor any other company can trademark the term, and the term is merely a nickname to begin with, lindows and windows can be confused all day long and there is STILL no valid case for Microsoft.
First) What differences do you see beetween Lindow and Micro$oft??; they both try to close their products as much as they can!, they both want you to buy they software, they won't let you just download it, souirce and binary; In this case (only in this case), windoze works better than a GNU/Linux distro, why?, well, because the only reason to run Lindows is if you want to run windoze apps; and OBVIOUSLY, windoze is better for that, so, why is everyone defending Lindow$ here?
Second) I hate when someone refers to a GNU/Linux distro as "The ---- Operating System"; The operating System is Actually GNU, using the Linux Kernel, the difference beetween an LFS, Slackware, DeadRat or Lindows is not as important as to say they are different OSes, they are different paks of precompiled packages from the GNU OS.
WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
Lindows is supposed to help windows users migrate to Linux, right? So i'm supposed to tell my mom, or whoever i'm encouraging to switch, that they need to download "Lin---"? I don't care if it has the convenient "pronounciation" lindash. They won't be able to google it, or be sure that they've found the right product even if they do find the right page. I can just see a person thinking, after being recommended Lindows from a *nix fan, "Now, was that Lin--, Lin----, Lin___"??? Perhaps this name is a form of protest, but as far as a marketable name, its just horrible.
Goatse is no more, fuckwad. YOU FAIL IT.
It should just be called L. "What OS do you use? L." "I'll just startup L." "Can you open up an Lterm for me?" "L: It's like Linux only simpler."
Is there going to be a lindot...
I look forward to hearing Microsoft go: Lindot Lindot Lindot Lindash Lindash Lindash Lindot Lindot Lindot
n/t
Would MS claim copyright infringement if Lin---s forked into Linblows ?
Somewhere over LimBOS...
pseudo-mod: "+1 Funny"
Now what's wrong with Lindoors? or Winux? or just changing the nameing to Lindos or Lyndos?
Windows and Lindows can be seen as an attempt to make linux sound more like windows because of obvious similarities in spelling and sound. But Lindos or Lindoors is not similar to windows, they might as well sue mentos(the fresh maker;) )
balmer balmer balmer balmer... devleopers Developers DEVELOPERS... balmer balmer balmer balmer, gates oh gates... its gates... balmer balmer balmer balmer
LinWart is a more suitable name.
Among the obvious, it is an easy replace all within the code with the same amount of characters only replacing the last three.
30% off web hosting. Coupon code "SLASHDOT".
I really don't understand why I was Modded as flamebait! I was just expressing what I saw in the name. Seriously, I think that it kinda hurts the Linux name in the same way that TRS-80's nickname "Trash-80's" hurt Radio Shack.
They should call it Lin-doors. Microsoft can't complain that people would confuse a door with a window.
I live in Scotland (although I'm actually welsh). A while back I heard of a curious lawsuit. A certain fast-food joint (they're not a restaurant) tried to have a high-court injunction on a Mr John Mcdonald exercising his buisness in the highlands (I forget where)... He is a (fairly) succesfull mechanic, owner of McDonald's Garage. The aforementioned junk-food chain tried to say that Mr McDonald was infringing 'their' trademark of his name. The court eventually threw out the issue, ordering them to pay full costs to Mr Mcdonald, after it was revealed that whilst Mr Mcdonald can trace his 'right' to his name back though lineage to the mid 1300's (where the clan records stop), the fjunk food chain a) was a foreign company. b) wasn't authorised by the Clan Chief of the McDonald clan to use the name, and c) wasn't even founded, owned or ran by a McDonald........ It was also mentioned by the judge that should he see any other similar cases by them in the high court, he would advise the judge in such a case to suspend preceedings, and he would re-open this case, and order the company to pay all undue infractions costs to Mr McDonald and the Clan Chief of the McDonalds, and relinquish the name throughout the UK. He added he was reluctant to do this due to economic considerations, but would do so if the company did not cease in "frivolous and arrogant suits". Pity you don't have our judges out in the states.......I'd imagine with the kind of arrogance that Micro---t displays, Bill Gates would be paying Steve Jobs one hell of a lot of money for stealing their ideas... Not to mention the hundreds, if not thousands of companies he's forced out of buisness due to unfair buisness practice.
The truth shall always be free: Boris Floricic is Tron.
Hmm, according to Google, only one other person had the same idea. Maybe if we spread this meme around, MS will get the message that it is pointless to defend the generic "Windows" term.
Daniel LaLiberte https://www.facebook.com/daniel.laliberte
Example. Suppose your name is McGorgghrath, and you decide to open a restaurant called McGorgghrath's Fine Haggis. You think you'd be safe, right? McGorgghrath's is "obviously" not McDonald's and a haggis is obviously not a Big Mac, right? Guess again!
The official party line at McDonalds is that any restaurant with a "Mac" or "Mc" name dilutes their trademark. So your restaurant will get a C&D letter tell them that you have to change the name of your restaurant.
I know what you're saying, and you're right: this is stupid and bizarre. What crazy judge would ever accept such a ridiculous legal theory? And if one did, why wasn't it reversed on appeal? The answer is, it's never gone that far. You have a right to your day in court, but that day isn't cheap. Indeed, McDonalds' lawyers will throw as much paperwork at you as they can, to ensure that it will be very expensive indeed. And, alas, the McDonalds of this world have deep pockets -- the McGorgghraths do not.
"I don't understand it. Why on earth would anyone confuse toilet paper with Microsoft software."