GNOME Foundation Retains Software Freedom Law Center

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

GNOME Foundation Retains Software Freedom Law Center
====================================================

  Nonprofit law firm will provide legal advice to important open source
  desktop project

Boston MA, USA -- March 20, 2007 -- The Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC),
provider of pro-bono legal services to protect and advance Free and Open
Source Software, today announced the addition of a new client, the GNOME
Foundation. The GNOME Foundation supports the development of the open source
GNOME Desktop Environment, a user interface used by millions of people
around the world and distributed with all major versions of Linux and Unix.

"We are excited to have retained the services of the Software Freedom Law
Center," said Anne Østergaard, Vice Chair of the GNOME Foundation Board. "As
SFLC's client, we now have access to legal advice from trusted professionals
who devote their full attention to Free and Open Source Software."

As a client of SFLC, the GNOME Foundation can receive advice regarding a
variety of legal issues, including patent and trademark issues.

"GNOME is one of the most important projects for everyday users of free
software systems," said James Vasile, SFLC Counsel. "I am pleased to welcome
the GNOME Foundation as SFLC's client."

With proper legal advice, open source projects can lessen potential legal
risks to users, developers, and distributors of the software.

In the past, the Software Freedom Law Center has offered the GNOME
Foundation strategic advice through its seat on the GNOME Foundation's
Advisory Board. SFLC will continue to serve in this capacity, in addition to
offering direct legal advice to GNOME.

  http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/20070320a.html

(Press release from SFLC.)

-- 
  "GIMP is the primary tool in my graphics work. It is my gcc and Emacs."
                             - Tuomas Kuosmanen