[OSM-talk] Recent edits in the wiki / Trademark issue

[Jean-Marc Liotier]

On 02/01/2013 07:47 PM, f.dos.santos at free.fr wrote:
> It's here :
>
> https://docs.google.com/a/osmfoundation.org/document/d/19wLhnezowHBio9zGaJkNaCbDX-gmWNHUSdx1kdQJYY0/edit


      /"Cease+Desist letter "Geocode(TM)"/

/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."/

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.

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.

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 while 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 ?

And more important : are those the actions that best foster the spirit
embodied by a project whose members have a strong interest in protecting
the commons.

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