Re: [DotGNU]Re: proposal: DotGNU Trademark License

[Norbert Bollow]

Stephen Compall <address@hidden> wrote:

> Norbert Bollow <address@hidden> writes:
> 
> >   - Build a PC according to given hardware specifications and ship
> >   it to a given customer address
> 
> When does the call return? ;)

If you want to use an RPC-based webservice protocol (such as
e.g. XMLRPC or SOAP) for this, the call will have to return 
before the PC is built and shipped, with a return value like
"Thank you for your order.  We will get that PC built and
shipped to the specified address as quickly as possible."

I have a protocol specification in the works for a new protocol
called JWSP which will be much better suited for this kind of
thing than RPC-based protocols are.

> > "GNU" is a registered trademark of the Free Software Foundation,
> > Inc.
> 
> When did this happen?

Hmm... the USPTO database shows a filing date of January 14, 2002
but no registration number; this would seem to indicate that the
trademark registration has not actually gone through yet.  Weird.
Maybe I misinterpreted what bkuhn told me about the GNU trademark.

> >    (a) You must ensure that whenever the service is usable, your
> >        customer is able to download all data which belongs to that
> >        customer
> 
> I believe this is too vague.  I immediately see a situation in which
> the ASP insists that none of the data belongs to the customer; it
> belongs to the ASP.  The customer is merely "licensing" the data from
> the ASP.

Ok, I agree, this point should be improved.  Are you able to suggest
better language?

> >    (b) You must provide your customers with a written offer, valid for
> >        at least three years, to give them upon request, at no extra
> >        charge, on a medium customarily used for software interchange,
> 
> Does this refer to a physical medium, or a network one?

The "on a medium customarily used for software interchange" language
is from the GPL.  According to the GPL FAQ it refers to a physical
medium.  However if the customers are able to download the source
code via the internet and they are happy with that, chances are that
you will never have to go through the trouble of burning that source
code on a CD and snail mailing it.

Greetings, Norbert.

-- 
Founder & Steering Committee member of http://gnu.org/projects/dotgnu/
Free Software Business Strategy Guide   --->  http://FreeStrategy.info
Norbert Bollow, Weidlistr.18, CH-8624 Gruet (near Zurich, Switzerland)
Tel +41 1 972 20 59        Fax +41 1 972 20 69       http://norbert.ch