 |
 |
Joann, A name change may not be necessary. For what it's worth, a long time ago in 2000 when I was getting my Avanti project off the ground, a group in Germany that I was unaware of developing an information retrieval database system called "Avanti" objected to the name I had chosen for my project because of the conflict. We eventually agreed to let me keep the Avanti name for my project with me placing a link to their work on my wesite explaining that these were different projects, which I did for some years. I no longer do so now, but there have been no objections, probably as I am pretty much on the fringes of anything right now. I am still shocked though, that LibLime would do something like this and actually persue it as a legal matter. As one who has been involved in and observed open source software in libraries from Day One, I am shaking my head here. Peter Schlumpf www.avantilibrarysystems.com -----Original Message----- >From: Mike Taylor <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Nov 22, 2011 3:41 AM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Plea for help from Horowhenua Library Trust to Koha Community > >Joann, > >This is horrible news, and you have my sympathy. It's very strange to >think how recently we all thought of LibLime as being among the Good >Guys. > >My position on this is that the name is probably not worth as much as >it feels that it's worth. I can understand why as the originators you >would have a strong emotional tie to it, but in the end a name-change >may not hurt much at all (and might even help, judging by the >frequency with which large organisations spend millions to change >their names). Oracle owns the name OpenOffice, but no-one much cares >and LibreOffice has replaced it in the world's affections. > >So your best bet may be to shrug and let them have the old name for >their proprietary fork. Just come up with a new name for the open >codebase, let the world know, and move on with doing more useful >things -- spending what money you have on coders and cataloguers >rather than lawyers. > >JMHO. > >-- Mike. > > > >On 22 November 2011 00:51, Joann Ransom <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> Horowhenua Library Trust is the birth place of Koha and the longest serving >> member of the Koha community. Back in 1999 when we were working on Koha, >> the idea that 12 years later we would be having to write an email like this >> never crossed our minds. It is with tremendous sadness that we must write >> this plea for help to you, the other members of the Koha community. >> >> The situation we find ourselves in, is that after over a year of battling >> against it, PTFS/Liblime have managed to have their application for a >> Trademark on Koha in New Zealand accepted. We now have 3 months to object, >> but to do so involves lawyers and money. We are a small semi rural Library >> in New Zealand and have no cash spare >> in our operational budget to afford this, but we do feel it is something we >> must fight. >> >> For the library that invented Koha to now have to have a legal battle to >> prevent a US company trademarking the word in NZ seems bizarre, butit is at >> this point that we find ourselves. >> >> So, we ask you, the users and developers of Koha, from the birth place of >> Koha, please if you can help in anyway, let us know. >> >> Background reading: >> >> - Code4Lib article <http://journal.code4lib.org/articles/1638>: How hard >> can it be : developing in Open Source [history of the development of Koha] >> by Joann Ransom and Chris Cormack. >> - Timeline <http://koha-community.org/about/history/> of Koha >> :development >> - Koha history visualization <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl1a2VN_pec> >> >> >> Help us >> If you would like to help us fund legal costs please use the paypal donate >> button below. >> >> >> >> >> Otherwise, any discussion, public support and ideas on how to proceed would >> be gratefully received. >> >> Regards >> >> >> Jo. >> >> -- >> Joann Ransom RLIANZA >> Head of Libraries, >> Horowhenua Library Trust. >> >>