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On 02/01/2013 07:47 PM, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:f.dos.santos@free.fr">f.dos.santos@free.fr</a> wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:1814549443.379835468.1359744460743.JavaMail.root@zimbra79-e14.priv.proxad.net"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">It's here :
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://docs.google.com/a/osmfoundation.org/document/d/19wLhnezowHBio9zGaJkNaCbDX-gmWNHUSdx1kdQJYY0/edit">https://docs.google.com/a/osmfoundation.org/document/d/19wLhnezowHBio9zGaJkNaCbDX-gmWNHUSdx1kdQJYY0/edit</a></pre>
</blockquote>
<h3 dir="ltr" id="internal-source-marker_0.4919040142865625"><i><span
style="font-size:16px;font-family:Arial;color:#666666;background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">"Cease+Desist
letter “Geocode(TM)”</span></i></h3>
<span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0,
0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none;
vertical-align: baseline;"><i>OSMF received C+D letter from
someone who trademarked the word “Geocode(TM)” and asks us to
remove all references to this from our web site where it is
connected in some way with Google services. Simon is in contact
with a lawyer about this. We might actually remove the few
occurrences because they are not essential to us."</i><br>
<br>
Is a cease & desist letter all it takes for the OSMF to cave
in to silly demands from random parties ? Can't we at least make a
symbolic stand and let the aggressor escalate before we capitulate
? From a purely material point of view, that would be cheap
publicity for the project.<br>
<br>
I thought that a free software project such as Openstreetmap (yes
- geographic data is software too) would have, out of its
principles, shown a stronger backbone under such disgusting
pressure. I am disappointed.<br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; color:
rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal;
font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none;
vertical-align: baseline;">The OSMF board's action are the
precautionary measures that best protect the interests of the
Openstreetmap project in the strictest sense and in the short
term. But w</span><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family:
Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;
font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;
text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hile we may
acknowledge the wisdom of precaution before rash reaction, do we
really want to project the image of a project that can be so
easily pushed around ? Is that in our best interests ?<br>
<br>
And more important : </span><span
style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;background-color:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">are
those the actions that best foster the spirit embodied by a
project whose members have a strong interest in protecting the
commons.</span><br>
<br>
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