How does it affect user groups Re: [SGVLUG] Linux Trade mark ...

[Terry Hancock]

On Wednesday 05 October 2005 06:09 pm, David Lawyer wrote:
> Look on the Internet.  There are others that agree with me.  Linux as
> trademarked primarily means just the kernel.  But "Linux" is used to
> designate a complete operating system and applications.  So one may
> claim that it has escaped it's narrow trademark meaning.

Using the term "Linux" to refer to the entire operating system or
distribution is just synecdoche, it doesn't change the meaning
of "Linux".  Plenty of people would include MS Office, Internet
Explorer, or even Norton Utilities in the term "Windows" --
including Microsoft, of course, who then decided it ought
to be built in.  ;-)

That's kind of like saying that Coke isn't a trademark anymore
because people include the can along with the sugar-water when
they say it (okay, it's less extreme, but still).

--
Terry Hancock ( hancock at anansispaceworks.com )
Anansi Spaceworks  http://www.anansispaceworks.com