[indiana-discuss] Re: [indiana=discuss] Name of Distro?

[Shawn Walker]

On 20/06/07, Sara Dornsife <Sara.Dornsife at sun.com> wrote:
> Rob Giltrap wrote:
> > Brian Gupta wrote:
> >>> The only solution for that, that I can see, is to either:
> >>> a) Change the name of the distro
> >>> b) Change the name of the community
> >>> c) Suffix the names (i.e.: everyone make a concerted effort to say
> >>> "OpenSolaris Distribution" vs. "OpenSolaris Community")
> >>>
> >>> The powers that be seem to not like (a).  The community will almost
> >>> certainly vote no on (b).  And (c) just seems to have potential for
> >>> further confusion.  If we couldn't get the messaging straight to begin
> >>> with, we'll undoubtedly fail at (c).
> >> I would like to propose a fourth option. OpenSolaris Express Edition.
> >>
> >> Express can be interchanged for a possibly more appropriate/desirable
> >> name. e.g. - Indiana, Standard, (Arbitrary Name), Foobar, Flare,
> >> Phenomenon, Halo, Neutrino, Fusion, Neutrino, Rapid, Mercury, Solar,
> >> Genesis, Stellar ... etc.
> > A name is a brand and a brand is a VERY valuable thing that takes a
> > great deal of time to establish. Ian/Sun are in the process of
> > starting to pump significant resources into a brand, as such this
> > discussion is very important.
> >
> > Personally I hate the fact that the project was originally called
> > OpenSolaris primarily because it puts up a barrier to the likes of IBM
> > & HP, personally I thought this was a great opportunity to allow for a
> > reunification of Unix (HP-UX, AIX, Solaris) on a common base but if I
> > was from IBM I would be hesitant to market a product called "AIX - an
> > OpenSolaris based distribution".
>
> The use of the trademark is by choice, not requirement, for a
> distribution. If AIX, for example, was in fact based on the OpenSolaris
> distribution, there is no requirement for IBM to call that out. There
> should be great benefit in it and that is what we are building, but no
> one HAS to use it.
>
> That is the same for the code base as it stands today. If a distribution
> is based on the OpenSolaris code base, it can, but does not have to, use
> that brand. Fair use of the trademark allows anyone to say that they are
> based on/built on OpenSolaris if they are in fact based or built on.
> Naming a distribution OpenSolaris doesn't change any of that.

Yes, it does. The FAQ on OpenSolaris.org says you can't name your
distribution OpenSolaris. You can use it in the ways you describe
though. As I said before, naming something does matter if this is
really a community project.

If the choice is to name the distribution OpenSolaris, then this is no
longer a community project and I fail to see the point of involving a
community since only Sun has the right to use that trademark in that
way.

Of course, I could be scathingly cynical and say that since most of
the community members with voting rights are Sun employees it makes
sense...

-- 
"Less is only more where more is no good." --Frank Lloyd Wright

Shawn Walker, Software and Systems Analyst
binarycrusader at gmail.com - http://binarycrusader.blogspot.com/