Linux and Free Software :: Another Damn Small??

"ibean" or "ipebble", things like that... But "ipod" will continue to be owned by Apple, I think.

Geez. I think it's possible that the DSBSD team think that "DSBSD" is a creative variation on "DSL", much like...
edubuntu
fluxbuntu
notbuntu
icebuntu

Quote (stupid_idiot @ Jan. 22 2008,06:59)

Well, for the time being, yes, but as ipod gets used more and more as a general term for mp3 player, then Apple could lose it. How often do you hear people say bandages over band-aids now a day?

And the ds* vs *buntu, this is a bit different since, I assume, most of those are directly based off of ubuntu, but with different main packages (well, maybe not not-buntu

)

Like kbuntu = ubuntu with kde instead of gnome, for the most part, no?

I wouldn't know much. I'm a dsl addict

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At one point the terms were granted full trademark protections, but as the terms became generizied, they start losing their protection.

This, like the the myth about being legally obligated to actively protect one's trademark, is an apparent misunderstanding. At most the owner of such a trademark might find it more difficult to press a frivolous suit than would the owner of a trademark with a much less commonly used name. Besides, it's free advertising, so they don't lose anything but the chance of obscurity.

On the subject of DSBSD, I'm in agreement with the Stupid Idiot.
I doubt there's anything sinister here, just a lack of sense.

s_i:

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I think it's possible that the DSBSD team think that "DSBSD" is a creative variation on "DSL", much like...
edubuntu
fluxbuntu
notbuntu
icebuntu

Canonical restricts how the *buntu name is used and who uses it. One variation recently changed names to avoid issues with Canonical.
http://opengeu.intilinux.com/News....EU.html

It isn't creative to take someone else's name and goals and use both for your own purposes. If anything, it's the *opposite* of creativity.

chaostic:

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or make a line of toy cars and call it Grateful Dead (As long as there is no mention of the band).

No, you would run into a very big fight over the marketing arm of Grateful Dead Productions, Inc., and their agents (now Rhino Records). GDP, Inc., licenses the use of the name for marketing anything related to "Grateful Dead."
http://inventors.about.com/od/tstartinventions/ss/dead_trademarks.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/10/business/media/10rhino.html

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And the other type of trademark is a generic trademark... or linux for unix-like os's

"Damn Small Linux" isn't generic, and is trademarked. "Linux" isn't generic, either, and is trademarked. Torvalds set up a separate entity to protect his trademark. I don't know where you came up with the idea that "Linux" is generic and can be applied to other Unix-like operating systems, but that's patently (pardon the pun) false:
http://www.linuxmark.org/

mikshaw:

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Besides, it's free advertising...

No, it isn't. Not when something is purported to be something it isn't -- e.g., a generic MP3 player isn't an iPod. You're not advertising for Apple if in an advertisement you were to call Rio players iPods, you're in effect diluting (and infringing) on Apple's IP because you're using their name (edit: trademark) to sell others' products.

First, using a word like "Damn" isn't generic to creating a small distro, so it's an obvious marketing ploy to capitalize off of DSL.

Second, their claims are absurd. Despite being in the preliminary stages of development, they claim to support "older machines as well as modern machines," cater to "developers, system administrators, and average users," and provide "everything you need" ....all with 50 megs.

Edit: Also, it's a "powerful work-horse capable of coping with massive work-loads while remaining fast, ultra-stabile & rock solid." (...except that it's in its preliminary testing stage...with "no official release yet"..) First pilot, 0.191 :"This version doesn’t include any X system yet or any of the goals listed on the website"

Typical idiot response:

"Great to see this! Very best wishes to the Damn Small BSD team!"

Duh.....

I think it's fair to say that the developer has a problem(s)

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