Firefox Faces Trademark Issues

daria42 writes "The Debian development community is currently hotly debating whether the Mozilla Foundation's strict trademarks policy violates Debian's social contract. However, in a twist, it appears Mozilla has not received approval for the Firefox trademarks yet, and the Firefox name may already be taken in the UK and Germany. The foundation has not applied for the Thunderbird trademark anywhere yet."

Comments

jeez..here we go again

[rogueuk]

So I wonder what new name they'll pick now...

Re:jeez..here we go again

[wheany]

I just invented this great name: Opera. Or maybe "Mozilla Opera."

NO, WAIT: Firebird.

Re:jeez..here we go again

[Waffle Iron]

So I wonder what new name they'll pick now...

My suggestions:
"{1e8ba19e-48eb-4a68-bec4-d81c010069e4} (tm) Web Browser" and
"{33899fb5-719b-4e75-a0ef-e7f91b196030} (tm) Mail Client"

The odds that these name have been previously trademarked are rather slim.

Re:jeez..here we go again

[croddy]

Iceweasal?

Re:jeez..here we go again

[GraemeDonaldson]

Fireduckbilledplatypus anyone?

Re:jeez..here we go again

[Elranzer]

Mozilla Explorer? The icon could be a big, firey E

Re:jeez..here we go again

[DarKnyht]

Reminds me of the following Monty Python Skit...

Dead Monkeys are to split up again, according to their manager, Lefty Goldblatt. They've been in the business now ten years, nine as other groups. Originally the Dead Salmon, they became for a while, Trout. Then Fried Trout, then Poached Trout In A White Wine Sauce, and finally, Herring. Splitting up for nearly a month, the re-formed as Red Herring, which became Dead Herring for a while, and then Dead Loss, which reflected the current state of the group. Splitting up again to get their heads together, they reformed a fortnight later as Heads Together, a tight little name which lasted them through a difficult period when their drummer was suspected of suffering from death. It turned out to be only a rumor and they became Dead Together, then Dead Gear, which lead to Dead Donkeys, Lead Donkeys, and the inevitable split up. After nearly ten days, they reformed again as Sole Manier, then Dead Sole, Rock Cod, Turbot, Haddock, White Baith, the Places, Fish, Bream, Mackerel, Salmon, Poached Salmon, Poached Salmon In A White Wine Sauce, Salmon-monia, and Helen Shapiro. This last name, their favorite, had to be dropped following an injunction and they split up again. When they reformed after a recordbreaking two days, they ditched the fishy references and became Dead Monkeys, a name which they stuck with for the rest of their careers. Now, a fortnight later, they've finally split up.

Firesomething

[kalleguld]

Good thing I installed that plugin, almost makes the browser change name less often.

ThunderFox and

[JohnnyGTO]

FireBird oops that won't work. Ok Foxbird and ThunderFire anyone?

Re:Mandriva

[Anonymous Coward]

Firefox > Internet Navigator

Are you IN?

This is going to happen again.

[merdaccia]

Why do I have the sinking feeling that we're all going to be sitting here in ten years time, reading about the Godzilla Foundation dispute over ScorchedBadger and LightningParakeet?

Re:This is going to happen again.

[ari_j]

Nah. Slashdot will probably just post this story again in ten years and call it good.

Re:Thunderbird

[flacco]

Well, at least they didn't name it Mad Dog 20/20.

i hope this doesn't have a ripple effect.

Several suggestions

[Anonymous Coward]

Firefox should be changed to "Internet Explorer." It's basic enough, tells everyone what it does. For thunderbird, I'm thinking we call it "Mail." After all, that's pretty much what Thunderbird is.

I hope those names aren't taken.

May I suggest...

[AnObfuscator]

... a Leonardo Da Quirm replacement name:
Super-fast-and-cross-platform-and-expandable-free- web-browser.

I think that just rolls off the tongue, don't you?

Re:Naming thread

[haystor]

Call it Flamebait.

Re:Firefox tm policy and Debian tm policy v. simil

[sik0fewl]

In other news...

The Debian development community is currently hotly debating whether the Debian Project's strict trademarks policy violates Debian's social contract.

Oh, boy! I can't wait to see how this one turns out!

MD5

[RickPartin]

I have the ultimate solution to all of our trademark issues. Simply use MD5 hashes instead of the original names. d6a5c9544eca9b5ce2266d1c34a93222 is catchier than Firefox anyways.

Inside information suggests

[Parelius]

Look out for the release of Fireferret 1.1 this summer!

would this be a solution?

[at_slashdot]

The probably should distribute Firefox with Firesomething extension enabled...

How about FireCrotch and ThunderCock?

[tyrione]

I doubt they've been taken.

C'mon its simple

[tanveer1979]

Lindows > Linspire Mandrake > Mandriva Firefox > ?

Firefox > Firdiva or if you wanna go the Lispire way, Firefox > Assfire.

Re:Firefox tm policy and Debian tm policy v. simil

[OoberMick]

The Debian development community is currently hotly debating whether the Debian Project's strict trademarks policy violates Debian's social contract.

You win again Gödal!

Is it just me. . .

[munpfazy]

. . . or is their absurdly broad domain name section begging for a mozillatrademarkpolicysucks.org website?

Re:Is it just me. . .

[dtietze]

No, I think it's just you. Dan.