Re: NetEpic licensing

From: Gavin Brown <netepic_at_...>
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:05:35 -0000

Hi Nick,

> Questions for Peter on this: Do you think GW might be more bothered
> about the use of trademarked terms if this were open-source?
>
> Gavin: Can an open-source project have any trademarks mentioned in
> it, even with a disclaimer?

Yes, it is quite acceptable to use trademarks in an open source work,
as long as you don't infringe those trademarks (primarily "passing
off", but there are other rules as well).

What you can't do is use *copyrighted* material without authorization
(copyright and trademarks are not the same thing).

Games Workshop will (rightly) be concerned about protecting its
"intellectual property": they have to enforce their trademark rights
in order to keep them; and their entire business model is based on
copyright (I've often thought that GW are more like a software house
or a record company than a manufacturer). But a well-maintained open
source project would be no more of a threat to their IP than any other
non-profit, community based fan work.
 
Gavin.
Received on Thu Mar 13 2008 - 18:05:35 UTC