Re: GNOME -> Gnome

[Nelson Marques <07721 ipam pt>]

On Tue, 2010-04-06 at 18:28 +0200, Dave Neary wrote:
> Hi Andre,
>
> Andre Klapper wrote:
> > Am Dienstag, den 06.04.2010, 08:08 -0500 schrieb Bharat Kapoor:
> > > At least now I know what GNOME is an acronym for :)
> > > The talk is about name or rename (if our mission is consistent with)
> > > GNU Network Object Model Environment
> >
> > Once again: GNOME WAS an acronym. GNOME is NOT anymore an acronym.
> > GNOME stands for GNOME nowadays. Only. That's all.
>
> Except, that's not a good answer.
>
> If that's the case, then GNOME can be Gnome or gnome or GnoMe or
> whatever. All caps implies acronym, and thus people will ask what it
> stands for. And if you answer "it doesn't stand for anything", the most
> likely answer is "that's stupid".

Once more I failed on reply-all.

Trademark establishes the image of the brand, so:

GNOME != gnome
GNOME != gNoMe
GNOME != Gnome
... plus variations you can imagine. As it also should contemplate it's
image. So if the trademark is GNOME without being related to acronym,
there should be no relation.

I don't know if someone who has legal knowledge of this can support or
enlighten people. I do know that when Marketing creates a Trademark all
this aspects are usually contemplated. If you trademark is GNOME, then
gnome isn't your brand, and it is displayed as such it's a trademark
violation!.

The acronym might be dropped and all the rest kept. I am not saying we
should change or not change anything. I'm just trying to say that I do
agree with Andre in having GNOME (dropping the acronym).

I don't have the required technical skills to say this, but wouldn't
"bonobo" actually fit better the acronym than GNOME itself (as a
product)? Doesn't GNOME go far behond the acronym nowadays? </no flames>

I'm staying off such process, just trying to point that Trademarks are
used alongside other mechanisms for stuff like this.

nm

> Dave.
>
> -- 
> Dave Neary
> GNOME Foundation member
> dneary gnome org

-- 
Nelson Marques
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