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NetBSD Trademark Application Completed

Daniel de Kok writes "The NetBSD Foundation is proud to announce that it has registered the ``NetBSD®'' trademark. The foundation would like to thank Jay Michaelson (Wasabi Systems) for filing the application and providing answers to the US Patent Office, and Carl Oppedahl (Oppedahl & Larson) for giving advice and keeping the Foundation informed about the process. An official policy on the use of the NetBSD® trademark is currently being drafted and will be made public soon."

177 comments

  1. trivial? by Joceyln+Parfitt · · Score: 2, Interesting

    the NetBSD 'core' must have a lot of money if they can spend thousands on little things like trademarks (especially ironical considering the BSD licence almost like public domain, you'd think these people wouldn't care about copyrights and trademarks, etc).

    Looking at the application:

    Filing Date: 2000-09-12

    That must have cost a fortune in lawyer fees. But then, if this is what it takes to further improve their already great product (I run it on my IPAQ!), more power to them.

    1. Re:trivial? by theM_xl · · Score: 0, Troll

      Carl Oppedahl (Oppedahl & Larson) Sounds like the name of a firm of lawyers in the parenthesis, doesn't it? They can't ALL be evil. the "Or so I hope" M

    2. Re:trivial? by heironymouscoward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Actually the cost of a trademark registration is quite reasonable. You can do the discovery and filing for around $1000, possibly less if you do some of the paperwork yourself.

      IANAL but I have a few trademarks.

      Patents... OTOH cost 10x more to start with, and considerably more after that if you try to defend them.

      So a registered trademark is a good investment for a small company that fears competition.

      I don't see the immediate benefit to NetBSD, however.

      --
      Ceci n'est pas une signature
    3. Re:trivial? by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's probably taken so long because they didn't want to spend a lot of money on lawyer fees. Cross the right palms with silver, and things happen amazingly quickly. Fail to do so, and they happen amazingly slowly.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:trivial? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trademarks and copyrights are two very different topics. Why do people always insist on mingling the two distinct ideas? I hope no one starts talking about patents now...

    5. Re:trivial? by DAldredge · · Score: 2, Informative

      Perhaps because both are issued, in the US, by the Patent and Trademark office? :->

    6. Re:trivial? by RazzleFrog · · Score: 3, Informative

      Copyrights are issued by the Library of Congress no the USPTO. I suppose it would be the USPTCO if they did.

    7. Re:trivial? by DAldredge · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Damn, your right.

      Must run to store and buy caffine.

      Note to self, never post with out caffine in blood.

    8. Re:trivial? by corris · · Score: 0

      actually, the BSD license cares very much about copyrights. one of the main tenets is that you MUST include the original copyright in any code you distribute, whether it's free for your customers or costs $40,000.

    9. Re:trivial? by dpille · · Score: 4, Insightful

      around $1000, possibly less if you do some of the paperwork yourself

      But the orignal post is quite right- in this case it must have cost a comparative fortune. Looking at the prosecution history, you can see two office actions and an appeal. I'm not sure "DIY" is even in the ballpark for non-lawyer IP professionals (let alone the average guy) in such circumstances.

      There's some additional prosecution history here if you're curious. Gotta say, the approach to get around the objections based on registrations for BSD and FREEBSD (see the 11/26/02 doc) is pretty interesting, and certainly emphasizes that getting a NETBSD registration required a fair amount of work/resources.

    10. Re:trivial? by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Saves on having to hunt down and kill the jerk that forks NetBSD and calls it NetBSD. This would have saved a lot of hell with MySQL.

      --

      "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
    11. Re:trivial? by beebware · · Score: 2, Insightful

      True, don't you just hate it when companies register trademarks - first Microsoft, now NetBSD - next you'll know Linux will become "evil". Oh, wait...

    12. Re:trivial? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I had a marathon D&D game with my son and his friend just yesterday. I had a pre-made campaign ready to go, complete with pre-rolled characters which they balked at. They wanted to roll their own characters and have a random dungeon that was made up on the fly - so they could level up their own characters from the beginning.

      We spent the better part of two hours rolling up new characters and less time playing the game but the boys said they had just as much fun creating the characters than playing the game...

    13. Re:trivial? by Eraser_ · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Is NetBSD a registered non- or not-for- profit organization? If so, who is to say they didn't get some of the work pro-bono as a tax write off? Offer many hours free in exchange for repayment of real out of pocket expenses and write the rest off as donation to a non-profit.

      Organizations like these have many friends in many places. Who is to say a spouse or friend of a NetBSD developer/PR person didn't write some of these documents in their spare time? Friend of mine traded some internet access and good social engineering for a few hours of lawyer time to draw up some TOS and 1year contracts for the wireless internet he was going to sell to his neighbors.

    14. Re:trivial? by Halfbaked+Plan · · Score: 1

      Filing a Trademark is cheap and easy. Defending a Trademark means that each and every time that somebody violates your trademark you have to take legal action to defend it.

      The first time you don't legally defend your trademark, you lose it.

      So it's cheap to file, very expensive to maintain.

      --
      resigned
    15. Re:trivial? by bccomm · · Score: 2, Informative

      Is NetBSD a registered non- or not-for- profit organization?

      Only recently was it announced, but, yes, it is 501(c)(3)-compliant.

  2. How long... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...till Lindows trys to release LetBSD?

    1. Re:How long... by SteelX · · Score: 1

      ...till Lindows trys to release LetBSD?

      Do you mean: ...till Lindows tlies to leelease LetBSD?

    2. Re:How long... by Geoffreyerffoeg · · Score: 1

      Actually, since Lindows/Lindash/Linspire/Let's Follow in Firefox's Footsteps is a Windows-like environment that uses Linux, the NetBSD (R) equivalent will probably be more like BSDows or something.

      Except that looks like "BSD Ow's", or multiple BSD-related injuries.

      (Yes, an apostrophe there is correct)

    3. Re:How long... by JudeanPeople'sFront · · Score: 1

      That's not a good one, they'd better leelease FleeBSD...

    4. Re:How long... by SteelX · · Score: 1

      Glade wok. Next they'd better leelease DlagonflyBSD.

    5. Re:How long... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except that looks like "BSD Ow's", or multiple BSD-related injuries.

      (Yes, an apostrophe there is correct)


      (No, it isn't, not in any reasonable style guide, although I know some dumbed-down-for-dumbasses style guides try to claim it is)

      (Oh, and you probably wanted a period at the end of those brackets.)

  3. Wot? Includin' t' ® (R) symbol as well? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Doesn't the ® (R) symbol signify that the text before is registered ... it sounds like they've registered "NetBSD®" as a trademark ... making it NetBSD®® hehehe

  4. Re:trivial? --yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't see the big deal. I am downloading the sparc iso for my sparcstation as I type this. This will be my first time using this OS, and I am sure it will be a good one. I am getting a good 400k/sec download from their mirror so it shant be long :)

  5. What is a typical cost? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What would be considered a typical cost to trademark a name? USPTO fee? Does one really need a lawyer? If something trademarked here, what is the cost to trademark it worldwide? Does one need to go to each countries trademark office or can one file with the WTO (world Trade Office) equivalent and do it all in one place?

    1. Re:What is a typical cost? by saddino · · Score: 2, Informative

      1) Typical cost is $350 from the USPTO if you apply for it yourself (it's really not that hard: copyright and trademark protection is straightforward, unlike the patent process), and extra if you go through an attorney. Note: you need to use the trademark to protect it (i.e. you can just apply for a trademark to "hold on to it"). In most cases that's a given, since you're applying for the trademark to protect a good or service you're selling.

      2) Trademarks in the US protect your rights in the US only. There is no "do it all in one place" route either. IANAL, but my wife is. Some of her clients apply for trademark protection in every country they do business in (60+ registrations). If you're interested in international protection, then you basically have to use a lawyer.

    2. Re:What is a typical cost? by Carl+Oppedahl · · Score: 1

      Saddino is right that there is no "do it all in one place" route for all countries. But on November 2, 2003, the US became part of a treaty called the Madrid Protocol which permits a single filing to extend to several dozen countries around the world. There is also something called a Community Trademark application which covers most of European Union in a single filing.

  6. wait by Hinkey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "An official policy on the use of the NetBSD® trademark is currently being drafted and will be made public soon" how can you condem them before you even hear there policy on the use of the trademark?

    --
    -=Hinkey=-
    1. Re:wait by Kenja · · Score: 4, Insightful
      " how can you condem them before you even hear there policy on the use of the trademark?"

      Its realy very easy, all it takes is a desire to hate somthing. Just like the Linux & Mac haters that have never used the platforms or the Windows haters that think its unchanged since the broken Windows 95 systems they last used.

      --

      "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    2. Re:wait by sporty · · Score: 1, Funny

      Windows haters that think its unchanged since the broken Windows 95 systems they last used.


      I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad nues but... ;)
      --

      -
      ping -f 255.255.255.255 # if only

    3. Re:wait by Lord+Kano · · Score: 2, Informative

      Its realy very easy, all it takes is a desire to hate somthing. Just like the Linux & Mac haters that have never used the platforms or the

      I am what most people would call a Mac hater, and I have extensive experience with the platform.

      I was a Mac user for 10 years. I know the platform inside and out. I just have become disenchanted.

      My dislike comes from not a position of ignorance, but one of knowledge based dislike.

      LK

      --
      "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
    4. Re:wait by AftanGustur · · Score: 1


      how can you condem them before you even hear there policy on the use of the trademark?

      Did I miss something ?? Who was condemning them ?? What were you replying to ?

      --
      echo '[q]sa[ln0=aln80~Psnlbx]16isb572CCB9AE9DB03273snlbxq' |dc
  7. *BSD Anthem: Last Disk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny
    [to the tune of Last Kiss by pearl jam]

    Oh where, oh where is my BSD?
    I just loaded it yesterday.
    It's gone to heaven, so I've got to be good,
    So I can see the OS when I leave this world.

    I'd started to load it in my roommate's Dell,
    the hard drive was taking it pretty well.
    During the load, it crashed the heads,
    the distro was stalled, *BSD was dead.
    I couldn't stop, so I yanked the cord.
    I'll never forget, the sound , oh Lord--
    the screamin' drives, the speaker's blast,
    the painful scream that I-- heard last.

    Oh where, oh where is my *BSD?
    That load took it away from me.
    It's gone to heaven, so I've got to be good,
    So I can see *BSD when I leave this world.

    When I woke up, the sparks were pourin down.
    There were admins standin all around.
    Some fragments of chips gotten in my eyes,
    but somehow I found my *BSD that night.
    I lifted the CD, the devil winked and said,
    "Load me darlin just a little while."
    I held it close, I kissed the label--our last kiss.
    I found the love that i knew i had missed
    well now it's gone, even I loaded it right
    I lost my *BSD and the Dell-- that night.

    Oh where, oh where is my *BSD?
    I tried to load it yesterday.
    It's gone to heaven so I've got to be good,
    So I can see *BSD when I leave this world.

    1. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Isn't that song a cover of something from the fifties? I believe I heard the original being played by some mexican dude at the flea market in santa cruz but he didn't speak enough english for us to communicate and for me to find out who did the original tune.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 1, Informative
      Cool--bands can get authorship credits simply by doing covers now!

      Ever heard the song "Blue Suede Shoes" by American AC in Paris?

      --

      Obliteracy: Words with explosions

    3. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I believe I heard the original being played by some mexican dude at the flea market in santa cruz but he didn't speak enough english for us to communicate and for me to find out who did the original tune.

      Or perhaps you didn't speak enough Spanish? You go to a Californian flea market loaded with Mexicans, and you expect them to go out of their way to learn the gringo's language? Not to flame, but take a Spanish class! I know that in Europe the border regions practically make it a requirement to be bilingual. Why do Americans insist otherwise?

    4. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by xoran99 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Isn't that song a cover of something from the fifties? J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. It was their only hit.

      --

      Karma: Bad (mostly due to all those "In Soviet Russia" jokes)

    5. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Witness the power of slashdot. Amidst the complaints of netbsd'ers spending too much money on something supposedly irrelevant, and the typical BSD is dying trolls, someone actually managed to learn something :D

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    6. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by mkro · · Score: 1

      Also reminds me a bit of Satan gave me a taco by Beck, at least from the part of waking up. Never heard the Pearl Jam song, though.

      --
      I shall go and tell the indestructible man that someone plans to murder him.
    7. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Newsflash: Tijuana != the US. Film at 11.

    8. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by kin_korn_karn · · Score: 1

      that's the funniest geek song I've seen on /.

    9. Re:*BSD Anthem: Last Disk by nacturation · · Score: 1

      Wow, a +5 "BSD is dying" troll. Congratulations!

      --
      Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  8. Ack by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Worst Thing Ever©

  9. In other news... by Ckwop · · Score: 4, Funny

    Slashdot gets sued for trademark infringement..

    hehe

    Si.

    1. Re:In other news... by TheRaven64 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      The NetBSD core team also intends to sue the Christian faith for trademark defacement caused by portraying their mascot as evil in a series of fictional works.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    2. Re:In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Trademark defacement? Is that when someone goes and spraypaints your trademark with graffiti? Or did you mean trademark dilution? You'd still be wrong. For portraying as evil in a non-parody fashion, that would be libel.

  10. Logo? by KevinDumpsCore · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Yes, but do they have a logo to go with that trademark yet? (http://www.netbsd.org/Changes/#logo-contest-close d)

  11. This seems more like a BFD, so what story... by feloneous+cat · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I mean, frankly, what does this buy them? Anything?

    I'm more puzzled than angered.

    --
    IANAL, but I've seen actors play them on TV
    1. Re:This seems more like a BFD, so what story... by RazzleFrog · · Score: 3, Informative

      It protects them from somebody going out and writing an entirely new Operating System and selling it under the name NetBSD.

    2. Re:This seems more like a BFD, so what story... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that's all wonderful, but since when is anyone actually *buying* NetBSD(r)?

    3. Re:This seems more like a BFD, so what story... by sir_cello · · Score: 3, Informative

      > It protects them from somebody going out and writing an entirely new Operating System and selling it under the name NetBSD.

      There are a number of benefits to registration: the team could prevent the use of NetBSD on _any_ distributions unless they authorise (e.g. such as a "NetBSD+custom distribution" would not be able to use the NetBSD mark).

      It could be used with customs to prevent import of counterfeit "official" CD's, or even the use of NetBSD on unofficial release CD's.

      For example, when a NetBSD release is generated, currently nothing stops anyone from building and releasing their own NetBSD distribution CD from the CVS tag. Now, the owners of the mark will be able to prevent this if they choose to.

    4. Re:This seems more like a BFD, so what story... by Enigma_Man · · Score: 1

      Not to be a grammar weenie, but you might wanna run your sig through a grammar checker.

      -Jesse

      --
      Nothing says "unprofessional job" like wrinkles in your duct tape.
    5. Re:This seems more like a BFD, so what story... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, someone complaining about grammar and managing to spell grammar right.

    6. Re:This seems more like a BFD, so what story... by Vegeta99 · · Score: 1

      with trademarks, they don't have a choice. they HAVE to.

  12. Too Bad We All Use Linux by osewa77 · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    And the name is owned by one man. Linus Torvalds.

    1. Re:Too Bad We All Use Linux by platipusrc · · Score: 1

      I'm part of the group, and I don't run Linux...oh wait...does that mean that I'm ...damn



      "Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Konqueror/3.2; FreeBSD) (KHTML, like Gecko)"
      I figured I should mention that before I got modded down as a Windows user!

      --
      And the muscular cyborg German dudes dance with sexy French Canadians
  13. It's about time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Now they can sue away all the other BSDs and make them change their names to firefox or something.

    Hahahahah BSD BSD PEE EFF PEE

  14. Re:Final Straw? by OrangeTide · · Score: 4, Informative

    Linux is also trademarked

    (excerpt from that site)
    Examples of Use Requiring A License.
    On the other hand, if you plan to market a product or offer a service to the public using a mark that identifies the LINUX based product under a name that you consider your product name, like "Super Dooper Linux" or "Real Time Linux Consultants" you are required to apply for and obtain the low cost one time royalty license described elsewhere on this web site. This is true whether you actually apply for a trademark for your product or service name, because you are using the mark in a trademark sense, and it is important that the public know that LINUX is the base mark owned by Linus, and that the derivative mark you have adopted is your particular version of Linux.

    Beside our need to protect the Linux mark for all of us in the industry, this process allows us to prevent improper uses of the mark that might eventually result in someone obtaining a trademark with the word Linux in it that suggests that they are the sole source of Linux or the sole authority to certify some aspects of use or training concerning Linux. For this reason we have refused to license marks like "Linux University" or "The Linux Certification Board."
    (end-excerpt)

    It's pretty reasonable for NetBSD to want the same protection from dillution for it's valuable brandname. And it's hardly the first open source OS to get it's name trademarked.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  15. And what about the new logo? by Anthony+Boyd · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I hope I'm still in the running. Anyone else enter? I sure wish I could see my competition.

    1. Re:And what about the new logo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "one ring to rule them all" is actually quite good.

    2. Re:And what about the new logo? by meekjt · · Score: 1

      Bob the orca!

    3. Re:And what about the new logo? by hubertf · · Score: 2, Interesting

      We're still sorting the >400 submissions out. Sorry for the delay, we hope to get to the final state of the logo finding soon.

      - Hubert

    4. Re:And what about the new logo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "one ring to rule them all" is actually quite good.

      In a meaningly, late-90's eSolution kind of way (to be more blunt; it's fucking gay.)

    5. Re:And what about the new logo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Stop trolling Goober. You're pathetic.

  16. Huh? by jabbadabbadoo · · Score: 2, Funny
    They registered ``NetBSD®'' ???

    Oh no, they should have registed ``NetBSD'' instead.

  17. It is trivial! by eman1961 · · Score: 5, Informative
    I have filed my own paperwork on a couple of trademarks, and the total cost is less than $500. If I remember correctly, the cost of the final filing is about $350, which goes to pay an attorney employed at the patent and trademark office. If you are careful, and understand what can be trademarked, and what cannot, it is really rather easy.

    Acquiring such a trademark means that it is somewhat easier to enforce that others do not use the trademark in their own product names.

    1. Re:It is trivial! by jd · · Score: 2, Interesting
      $500 is hardly trivial, compared to the money they must be making. Nobody ever accused *BSD of being a money-spinner. It may be good, but it isn't there to make a profit.


      Then, there's the risk-factor. What, really, is the risk of a competing *BSD distribution taking the name of "NetBSD"? Again, no insult intended, but it's not got the mindshare to be seriously at risk. It's not Rolls Royce, for example.


      Finally, what could the money have been spent on, otherwise? $500 is a week's worth of documenting, or maybe even a student hand-out for re-writing the installer. Wouldn't those have been more valuable?


      Nonetheless, it's done. Time enough to regret the decision later. Now, it's a matter of figuring out what it actually means in practice. Is this a device to prevent code forks and/or another split-off? Were there core members threatening to form a breakaway distribution of their own?


      And if internal politics were the reason, why not settle the issues peacefully? Is hostility the only way things can get done anymore? I hope not.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    2. Re:It is trivial! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Then, there's the risk-factor. What, really, is the risk of a competing *BSD distribution taking the name of "NetBSD"?

      Someone tried to steal the term "Linux" in 1994 or so, long before anyone heard of it or cared. You can bet it cost Torvolds a lot more money in lawyer fees to trademark a contested term than if he had registered first.

      There's a lot of really important reasons to own a trademark. Without one, forgetting to renew a domain name could be a disaster. There's also hostile code forks, etc etc etc.

      Look at FreeBSD -- it's trademarked, but the trademark is owned by a hostile company and not by FreeBSD. In theory, they could be required to change their name! The reputation cost would be a lot more than a thousand bucks.

      Maybe you are a poor student and $1000 sound like a lot of money, but frankly if any of the NetBSD people have a real job, this isn't financially prohibitive.

    3. Re:It is trivial! by Beryllium+Sphere(tm) · · Score: 1

      Nolo Press has a good book about the process.

    4. Re:It is trivial! by jhunsake · · Score: 2, Interesting

      $500 is oh-so-trivial

      Most people can make $500 in a day (eg painting a house). Many people can make $500 in a few hours. And there are still a lot of people that can make $500 in less than an hour. Sure, it may pay a student to do something, but that is hardly an accurate depiction of time-is-money.

    5. Re:It is trivial! by ipjohnson · · Score: 1

      $500 a day doesn't include a little thing called taxes ... I mean seriously how many people do you know that take home 500 a day (and no I'm not including strippers)?

    6. Re:It is trivial! by jd · · Score: 1
      I'm no poor student, and I've blown a few hundred dollars on an 18th century cookery book, because I felt like it.


      There's a difference, though. The cookery book, I can use. Repeatedly. It also appreciates value with time, so given long enough I'll make the money back.


      I don't see how NetBSD could ever reclaim the money spent, by merit of the name alone. Unlike antiques, NetBSD has no guarantee of increasing in value. Indeed, without something significantly special (eg: OpenBSD's promise of security out of the box), NetBSD isn't going to capture the imagination - or the pockets - of the masses.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    7. Re:It is trivial! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You need to to a little research on a concept called "Branding".

      You never know what some innovative SOB is gonna come up with.

    8. Re:It is trivial! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unlike antiques, NetBSD...

      Something seems wrong with this statement.

    9. Re:It is trivial! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      none, thats like $60/hr I mike 6. so fuck the guy and i am a painter, so fuck that guy that says i can make 500 painting a house. I live in california too and i seriously pay 50 each time i fill up my tank. I sometimes think it is easier to swallow a bullet than talk sense into these rich kids.

    10. Re:It is trivial! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is slashdot. Who would know any strippers?? They're *FEMALE* for crying out loud.

    11. Re:It is trivial! by theTerribleRobbo · · Score: 1

      Who would know any strippers?? They're *FEMALE* for crying out loud.

      I take it you've never been to Oxford St in Sydney, eh?

    12. Re:It is trivial! by jhunsake · · Score: 1

      You must live in one of those socialist countries. I just paid a guy $400 a couple weeks ago to do less than one day's painting on my house. I can pretty much assure you he's not going to report, considering I paid him in cash.

      Also, I know quite a few lawyers. Enough said.

    13. Re:It is trivial! by jhunsake · · Score: 1

      Then you're only cheating yourself. Shit you can make $10 hour flipping burgers at McDonald's (here in the Midwest they're desperate at many places). Gas is cheaper too. :)

    14. Re:It is trivial! by ipjohnson · · Score: 1

      thats cool but on the whole for most people 500 take home a day is a large amount of money. If you figure in taxes (~40% for this tax bracket) that means you have to make over 800 dollars a day which for a yearly salary would be ~192,000 (4 weeks vacation). Now your talking about a very very small percentage of the population.

  18. Excellent... but by jrj102 · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    That's great... but if they do anything to enforce it they'll get a nasty "Your Rights online" post about the evils of intellectual property law.

    What's good for the goose is good for the gander, I guess. :)

    --- JRJ

  19. Everyone knows the patent office is... by exp(pi*sqrt(163)) · · Score: 4, Funny

    ..understaffed and underqualified. There's probably loads of prior art. I bet there are everything from cereals to tampons already called NetBSD. You mark my words!

    --
    Doesn't it make you feel good to know that our freedoms are protected by politicans, lawyers and journalists.
  20. New Logo Too? by nurb432 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How is that process coming along? Now would be a good time for them to release it.

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    1. Re:New Logo Too? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > What part of "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed" do you not understand

      The part that says: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state."

  21. Obligatory Question by Laebshade · · Score: 0, Troll

    This has to do with NetBSD, which is technical, but this post isn't technical or even user-sided. It's about about NetBSD being granted a trademark. It appears more to be a pride issue, as if they were holding a huge banner that says "we got a trademark for NetBSD" with subliminal childish tauntings.

    Mod me as flamebait, but is this really "news for nerds" and more importantly "stuff that matters"?

  22. Debian NetBSD projects? by molo · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I wonder if this is going to effect the Debian GNU/NetBSD and Debian GNU/KNetBSD porting projects. I'm curious to see their use policy.

    -molo

    --
    Using your sig line to advertise for friends is lame.
    1. Re:Debian NetBSD projects? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      See http://lists.debian.org/debian-bsd/2003/debian-bsd -200312/msg00098.html and the following discussion...

    2. Re:Debian NetBSD projects? by RAMMS+EIN · · Score: 1

      Dude...legalities are so complicated.

      I think Debian GNU/NetBSD says it all - Debian is the distributor, and we have a GNU userland atop NetBSD (analogous to GNU/Linux). I do realize that significant parts of NetBSD would have been wiped out, but, hey, it's open source, right?

      As for trademark infringement, I suppose the NetBSD foundation would have to defend its mark in order to keep the rights, but they could grant Debian permission to use the mark, right?

      Alternatively, the Debian folks could invent a completely new name - I think that is preferable over polluting the name with extra characters, which, AFAIK, still infringes the NetBSD trademark anyway.

      --
      Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
    3. Re:Debian NetBSD projects? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Alternatively, the Debian folks could invent a completely new name

      Deadian?
      Cadaverian?

  23. This Gives Me An Idea! by Goo.cc · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think that I am going to rush out and trademark "BSD Is Dying", that way I prevent usage of that term on troll /. posts! Patent office, here I come!

  24. Yo convengo... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pienso que debemos prohibir bailar del negro.

  25. Nice Job... by mykepredko · · Score: 1

    Regardless who wrote it.

    myke

  26. Doesn't work with Linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "The linux zealots eat it up too. Change BSD to Linux and they would have this person burned at the stake."

    Not really. You can only go so far with the rhymes. BSD is so much easier to work with. All that rhymes with Linux is sucks and trucks and ducks (and a duck certainly is not a penguin).

  27. Yep, see here by RAMMS+EIN · · Score: 2, Funny

    new logo.

    (note the date of that post)

    --
    Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
  28. no risk from a competing bsd, but.... by zogger · · Score: 2, Informative

    ...perhaps a big risk from other quarters with deep pockets who might think it cute to do so, and might do it through a daisy chian of proxies first to obfuscate who's behind it. Perhaps, pure speculation of course. I can think of a few places to whom 500 clams doesn't even qualify as pocket lint,but the idea of monkey wrenching in advance any ever potential future competitor might seem like making "good business sense", so maybe NetBSD being proactive before the fact of needing a trademark is a good thing and good idea.

    1. Re:no risk from a competing bsd, but.... by jd · · Score: 1

      Now, that's a good argument, and one I'll buy as the reason for NetBSD trademarking their name.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  29. The people are the militia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "The part that says: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state."

    The people are the militia. If you don't like guns, don't own one. End of story. It is none of your business if I choose to own one.

    1. Re:The people are the militia by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      If you don't like guns, don't own one. End of story. It is none of your business if I choose to own one.


      I have no idea of what your political inclinations are, but for the most part, staunch proponents of the 2nd Amendment tend to be overwhelming conservative. With that being said, and assuming that you're conservative, why don't you go tell your cronies the following:

      If you don't like gays, don't be one. End of story. It is none of your business if I choose to be one.

      If you don't like marijuana, don't smoke it. End of story. It is none of your business if I choose to smoke it.

      .
      .
      .

      If you don't like X, don't do X. End of story. It is none of your business if I choose to do X, so long as I'm not hurting anyone else.
  30. Patents BAD trademarks GOOD copyrights BAD by turnstyle · · Score: 1

    Is that about right?

    --
    Here's what I do: Bitty Browser & Andromeda
    1. Re:Patents BAD trademarks GOOD copyrights BAD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep. You Pretty much hit the nail on the head.

      Ciao,
      --Dave

    2. Re:Patents BAD trademarks GOOD copyrights BAD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, copyright GOOD.

      Idiotic laws like the DMCA BAD.

      Without copyright, the GPL wouldn't work. (Think about clause 5 - it relies on copyright to make the GPL apply to anyone who copies or modifies the software licensed under the GPL)

    3. Re:Patents BAD trademarks GOOD copyrights BAD by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Do you mean Software Patents BAD?
      The whole Patents thing is to do with inventions.
      Suppose someone invents a device that 'allows you to watch TV on your phone utilising an intergrated RF receiver/tuner...', they'll surely patent it and get royalties whenever someone implements it?
      OTOH software patents are done by companies seeking money, so they make (or steal) something and go 'oh yea, I made this first, I seek royalties from you or I sue!!'

  31. Re:Final Straw? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That site doesn't look the slightest bit legitimate. A whois lookup points here:

    Boustani, Eric eric@boustani.com
    215 W Franklin St
    Fourth Floor Box 3080
    Monterey, CA 93940
    US
    831-649-1122

    What relation does Eric have to Linus? Why are they running this site out of Monterey? Why wouldn't this information be on kernel.org?

  32. Oh, freaking great... by evilviper · · Score: 1

    Isn't this nice... I can't wait for the NetBSD trademark certification process. Now anything based on NetBSD has to be called:

    The NetBSD-like, Unix-Like, OS

    --
    Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
  33. Do they really expect us to remember the Ascii #s? by bfg9000 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Damn®. Being Politically Correct®" and using all those Godawful Stupid Symbols® is F**king Irritating®.

    --

    I'm not normally an irrational zealous dickhead, but I figure "When in Rome..."

  34. What to do with the trademark? by markhb · · Score: 2, Funny
    Add it to the license!
    3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software must display the following acknowledgement: This product includes software developed and originally released under the NetBSD® trademark.
    ;-)
    --
    Save Maine's economy: write stuff down. All comments are exclusively my own, not my employer.
  35. Warning! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "An official policy on the use of the NetBSD® trademark is currently being drafted and will be made public soon."

    In the meantime, remember that if your machine displays "NetBSD" without the trademark symbol while booting, you are not allowed to boot without turning off your displays.

    You also can not use an editor to correct such messages if it may display "NetBSD" without the trademark symbol. Use of `sed` is suggested with regular expressions such as "/NetBS[^A-CE-Z]/"

  36. Re:Final Straw? by OrangeTide · · Score: 1

    This article claims it was announced by Linux International a long time ago.

    Also you can find posts by Jon Hall on usenet archives about it too.

    If you read the LWI site you'd see "Website maintained courtesy of the law firm of Terra Law L.L.P. and AtreNet. Copyright 2000 Linux Mark Institute" .. Obviously that Monterey address is for the maintainer of the website.

    It is well known that Linus does not want to be involved in the trademark issues of Linux.

    Kernel.org is for source code, not for legal information.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  37. So what happens when.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So what happens when someone goes and appropriates LetBSD? What are the minions of Slashdot going to do? Well, it was evil when Microsoft fought over Lindows. But, it will be OK to fight over NetBSD because, well uhm, it's not Microsoft? Can't... think... head... going... to... explode...

  38. I guess... by Audacious · · Score: 1

    Hellboy should be careful how he trademarks himself. ;-)

    --
    Someone put a black hole in my pocket and now I'm broke. :-)
  39. If I own a gun it is none of your business by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "but for the most part, staunch proponents of the 2nd Amendment tend to be overwhelming conservative"

    Yes, I am.

    "If you don't like gays, don't be one. End of story. It is none of your business if I choose to be one"

    At least you admit that homosexuality is a choice.

    "If you don't like marijuana, don't smoke it. End of story. It is none of your business if I choose to smoke it."

    Fine. If you are going to intentionally cause brain damage, turn in your driver's license now and give up custody of your children.

    1. Re:If I own a gun it is none of your business by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As long as those dope fiends are safely behind bars, that is quite fine.

    2. Re:If I own a gun it is none of your business by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean, "running the country."

  40. Re:Irrelevant: Dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A llama like you should probably run Windows.

  41. Re:Irrelevant: Dead by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm going to start using Lunix right now!
    Don't forget to pay your $699 Licensing fee you teabagging former cadaver-smoker!!!

  42. Not for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Last dope fiend in office didn't even inhale.

    1. Re:Not for a while by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But our current cokehead certainly did.

  43. You've been reading the Enquirer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "But our current cokehead certainly did."

    A major newspaper ran this, and then pulled it when they found out it was a hoax. It's as true as the claims that Osama is hiding in the Lewinsky Compartment in the oval office desk and the idea that Bush was born on mars.

    1. Re:You've been reading the Enquirer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You could at least get your "facts" straight: Bush was accused of cocaine use in James Hatfield's book, not from a "newspaper". Karl Rove had to attempt to bail Dubya's sorry, can't-speak-for-shit ass during the election. He never fully denied cocaine use and was definitely a big time boozer in the past. But of course to be critical of Bush is to support terrorism and all that claptrap.

  44. Excuse me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "Bush was accused of cocaine use in James Hatfield's book, not from a "newspaper"."

    Sorry! I got the print medium of the hoaxer book mixed up.

    "He never fully denied cocaine use and was definitely a big time boozer in the past."

    Richard Stallman, Howard Dean, and Mother Teresa have never denied cocaine use, either. This must mean they are cokeheads, right?

    "But of course to be critical of Bush is to support terrorism and all that claptrap."

    Only if the criticism goes hand-in-hand with support for the terrorists. It often does: Howard Dean has repeatedly made anti-Bush speeches in which he supports the terrorists by denying that bin Laden and Hussein are terrorists at all. The Florida Democratic Party a few weeks ago ran an add in which it called the terrorists heroic patriots. Yes, this ad was critical of Bush too. Hating Bush because people hate the country and love the terrorists is too common.

    At least John Kerry sometimes has voted to fund the fight against terror (when he wasn't voting against it). Unlike Dean and Kucinich, Kerry at least does not propose "surrender" as the response to terrorism. Senator Joseph Lieberman is quite critical of Bush, but not soft on the terrorists.

    A hint: you make yourself look like a moron when you use lame insults like "Dubya". These people have names. If you want to look like Rush Limbaugh and his "Slick Willie" by using dumb insults, go right ahead.

    1. Re:Excuse me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Richard Stallman, Howard Dean, and Mother Teresa have never denied cocaine use, either. This must mean they are cokeheads, right?"

      Those people weren't asked directly. Bush was. Bush never denied using cocaine at all.

      "Hating Bush because people hate the country and love the terrorists is too common."

      What is too common is the misinterpretation of being anti-Bush having anything to do with supporting "terrorism". I despise Bush, his administration, his policies, and at the same time I love this nation. What right-wingers don't get is that they are part of the problem, but they've successfully spun the idea that hating Bush supports terrorism. That's all bullshit. Only when both sides of the Washington aisle admit that decades of retarded foreign policy has put us in this situation is when I'll consider showing some respect to the politicians. But this will never happen. The Reps and the Dems will continue building up the gargantuan government, oppress one peoples while trying to "liberate" another, and generally screw everything up. And we'll all be paying for it, whether via tax dollars, rights invasions, or perhaps even in blood.

    2. Re:Excuse me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      "That's all bullshit. Only when both sides of the Washington aisle admit that decades of retarded foreign policy has put us in this situation is when I'll consider showing some respect to the politicians. But this will never happen."

      Decades? You do have a point. The US stood by for a long time as groups like the PLO rose. The terrorism problem could have been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

    3. Re:Excuse me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "The US stood by for a long time as groups like the PLO rose. The terrorism problem could have been nipped in the bud a long time ago."

      The PLO? Since when were they ever a threat to the United States? Our founding fathers warned that this nation shouldn't get involved in foreign entanglements, so what has the US been doing? The federal government has been pouring billions into Israel's military annually and looking the other way to that nation's humanitarian crimes. We shouldn't be involved on EITHER SIDE of that REGIONAL conflict. The second the PLO becomes a security threat to THIS country then we'll talk. America first.

  45. Heil Hitler! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "The federal government has been pouring billions into Israel's military annually and looking the other way to that nation's humanitarian crimes"

    Yet another anti-semite parroting the old lies about Israel, such as the one about "humanitarian crimes".

    "We shouldn't be involved on EITHER SIDE of that REGIONAL conflict."

    It is quite easy and justifiable to choose the side of good in this good vs evil conflict. They've attacked us, as well: Klinghoffer first comes to mind, a non-Israeli Jewish, American citizen executed by the Palestinian government for the crime of being Jewish. But hey, he's Jewish, so that is OK with you.

    "America first."

    Justice first. For all. Not just Americans. You are sounding ever more Nazi-like, with rabid nationalism and hatred of Jews.

  46. What a cop-out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I criticize the policies of the Israeli government and you automatically brand me as a racist. There is no "good versus evil" conflict here (face it, there is no "god"), it's just a regional religious/racial conflict that the US decided to jump in on a while ago. Both sides are guilty of lots of crimes, neither should be supported by the US, and yet I'M the racist? What part of what I said is a lie?

    "Justice first. For all. Not just Americans. You are sounding ever more Nazi-like, with rabid nationalism and hatred of Jews."

    Now you are just trolling. You want justice? Get your own. America isn't the world's policeman. And what about your aparent hatred of the Arabs? Is that justified?

    1. Re:What a cop-out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      "I criticize the policies of the Israeli government and you automatically brand me as a racist"

      Because criticisms such as yours are based in antisemitic lies. You even gave voice to a few.

      "(face it, there is no "god")"

      That is your religion. Not everyone shares it.

      "There is no "good versus evil"

      It is quite clear. One side, the Israelis, wants to live in peace. The other side has a goal of aggression and extermination of the Israelis.

      "what about your aparent hatred of the Arabs? Is that justified?"

      I have no hatred of Arabs. I only hate those who are engaged in genocide. I have admiration for the Egyptians, for example, who "grew up" and stopped trying to invade Israel and exterminate its people.

      "America isn't the world's policeman"

      Like it or not, it is. Someone needs to do the job.

    2. Re:What a cop-out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Because criticisms such as yours are based in antisemitic lies. You even gave voice to a few."

      Such as? You have yet to disprove anything I've said. I'm not anti-semitic. I also find it silly that the Israeli's complain about anti-semitism when they aren't the only group of "Semites".

      "It is quite clear. One side, the Israelis, wants to live in peace. The other side has a goal of aggression and extermination of the Israelis."

      So Sharon's government is taking the "We're going to kill you until you like us" approach. Brilliant. More Palestinians have died than Israelis in the past few years, so who wants to live in peace again?

      "Like it or not, it is. Someone needs to do the job."

      No, someone doesn't "need" to do the job. All governments are corrupt, and the biggest, richest, and most heavily armed one can't be trusted to treat everyone as equals. Bush swore on the Constitution to uphold it, and yet goes the other way from every intent of that founding document by trying to "change the world" as he put it. People's insistance on treating all this as a "good versus evil" are just as mentally primitive as the fanatics that blow themselves up. Unfortuantely humanity isn't going to evolve to outgrow this in my lifetime, so I'm stuck on a planet with people who are terrified of the Boogeyman (and are willing to kill over their fear).

      But if it's convienent for you to just blindly brand me an anti-semite nazi, go right ahead. I'll just be over here trying to live my life enjoying what liberty I have left.

  47. Only weak-minded resort to antisemitism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    "I'm not anti-semitic"

    If you aren't, why are you posting old cliched antisemitic statements?

    "More Palestinians have died than Israelis in the past few years, so who wants to live in peace again?"

    The vast majority of these have been killed by the Palestinian government, which so hates Jews that in their strategy it is OK to kill 8 Palestinians in order to cause the death of one Jew.

    "So Sharon's government is taking the "We're going to kill you until you like us" approach"

    No, it is not. He is targetting only those groups like Hamas which from day one were devoted to exterminating the Jews. He is doing nothing more than retaliating with those who do not accept the rights of Israelis to even live. In contrast, Sharon is content to leave them alone as long as they are not invading Israel.

    "I also find it silly that the Israeli's complain about anti-semitism when they aren't the only group of "Semites"."

    From the dictionary: "One who discriminates against or who is hostile toward or prejudiced against Jews". Typical Nazi tactic; to lie about the definition of antisemitism.

    "People's insistance on treating all this as a "good versus evil" are just as mentally primitive as the fanatics that blow themselves up"

    No, they are just well informed about the issues.

    "But if it's convienent for you to just blindly brand me an anti-semite nazi"

    That is not my job. You did it yourself when you launched into your antisemitic ranting.

    "I'll just be over here trying to live my life enjoying what liberty I have left."

    How can you? The ZOG rules us, or so you think. What a racist jerk you are.

    1. Re:Only weak-minded resort to antisemitism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "If you aren't, why are you posting old cliched antisemitic statements?"

      Because they are not anti-semitic statements. You clearly don't know what a "Semite" is (do some cultural research, buddy).

      "No, they are just well informed about the issues."

      Praying to an invisible man in the sky does not make one informed.

      "How can you? The ZOG rules us, or so you think. What a racist jerk you are."

      What is the ZOG? As for the rest of your reply, I might as well just give up now since my opinions have aparently offended your precious sensibilities and are past the point of rational discussion. The thing is, I hope you are just trolling my bored-at-work ass, but then again there are plenty of touchy types out there when it comes to stuff like this so I find it hard to figure you out.

    2. Re:Only weak-minded resort to antisemitism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      "Because they are not anti-semitic statements"

      Yes they are. I even provided the definition of antisemitic.

      "You clearly don't know what a "Semite" is (do some cultural research, buddy)"

      Why? You are doing nothing more than trying to change the subject. The definition of antisemite/antisemitism has parted ways with the definition of "semite". You would know this if you looked up both words.

      "I might as well just give up now since my opinions have aparently offended your precious sensibilities and"

      I admit it. I am offended by racists.

      "and are past the point of rational discussion"

      If I did, you went off this cliff before with the antisemitic rants.

      "Praying to an invisible man in the sky does not make one informed"

      There are informed people no matter what the religion is. Even your own. However, I detect a strong whiff of religious bigotry coming from your side now. Just realize that just because someone does not share your faith does not mean they are an idiot.

    3. Re:Only weak-minded resort to antisemitism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Why? You are doing nothing more than trying to change the subject. The definition of antisemite/antisemitism has parted ways with the definition of "semite". You would know this if you looked up both words."

      My point is if someone is against "the jews", why not say "anti-jewish"? Why muddle the definition of the word "semite"? Seems, oh I don't know, a little biggoted to me? Why hijack the word and remove the other non-Jewish peoples that the term applies to? Of course me even asking this will simply further convince you I'm some sort of "nazi".

      "I admit it. I am offended by racists."

      As am I.

      "If I did, you went off this cliff before with the antisemitic rants."

      I have yet to rant today, at least in this thread.

      "There are informed people no matter what the religion is. Even your own."

      My assertion was that those who believe in the forces of good and evil have yet to grasp certain realities. You turned around and said they were "informed". I don't understand your thinking on this. Informed of what? Is Religion A right and Religion B wrong?

      "However, I detect a strong whiff of religious bigotry coming from your side now. Just realize that just because someone does not share your faith does not mean they are an idiot."

      I have no bigotry, I simply think the humanity would be better off dropping ancient superstitions and myths. It's quite hard to be bigotted when you don't view others as being wrong based merely on your differing faiths.

  48. Good day, AC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You make some good points. Some I will argue with, but it gets more and more difficult to maintain a conversation in a Slashdot news item that is receding ever more into the past, and is blatantly out of topic anyway. Unless we bring it back to "is there a heaven?" and "if there is, will we find *BSD there?". I'll pass.

    1. Re:Good day, AC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Unless we bring it back to "is there a heaven?" and "if there is, will we find *BSD there?"."

      Well it is dead after all. Happy trails.

  49. Re:REASON WHY BSD IS DEAD by Game+Genie · · Score: 1

    Great idea. Everybody should use the same operating system. It is only natural that the entire OS market be dominated by one product. Why didn't I think of that?

    Sincerly, Bill Gates

    -