Live data from Hacker News

Python trademark at risk in Europe

pyfound.blogspot.ca

21–30 of 168 posts

Re: Python trademark at risk in Europe

#21
post #5

Contact Google. I'd venture that the chances of support are not low. Not only do they have the mentality, they also had Guido van Rossum, python's inventor and head developer, employed for years. And they are certainly well-known 8)

Great thought. We are doing this.

Re: Python trademark at risk in Europe

#22
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also Python is one of their primary languages in-house!

To say that Python is one of google's main languages might be a bit of an overstatement. I think that they are mainly a C++/Go/Java shop and use Python for glue code, or so I have been told by employees. This could be wrong, though.

"Glue code" might be a little unfair, but it does tend to be much more used for internal tools than customer-facing code. I don't know official numbers, but I would think it'd still be still the #3 language after C++ and Java.

Re: Python trademark at risk in Europe

#23
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also Python is one of their primary languages in-house!

To say that Python is one of google's main languages might be a bit of an overstatement. I think that they are mainly a C++/Go/Java shop and use Python for glue code, or so I have been told by employees. This could be wrong, though.

It's not an overstatement, please watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKQS8EDG1P4

Re: Python trademark at risk in Europe

#24
post #18

It should be stressed that usage of the mark must be shown to be of more than local significance to defeat the application from the UK company. Consequently it is vital that folks from as many EU countries as possible respond to the request in the post. I am surprised in some ways that you couldn't have attracted some pro bono assistance for this cause. This is a case that I would have loved to have drafted the oppos…

Thanks for your words - and we would love to get your assistance and advice. Unfortunately, our network of Python-using lawyers is much thinner in Europe than in the US. Feel free to contact me!

Re: Python trademark at risk in Europe

#25
It's unclear from this whether or not Python would have to change the name of the programming language if they didn't get the trademark, or whether this UK company would just have the right to call their products "Python" too.

Early in the article it says: "There is a company in the UK that is trying to trademark the use of the term "Python" for all software, services, servers... pretty much anything having to do with a computer.".

And later it says, where the Python foundation is soliciting comments: "your view that another company using term Python to refer to services, software, and servers would be confusing".

I for one hope the Python foundation doesn't get an exclusive trademark for all "software, services, servers" in the E.U. Outside of software "Python" is a well-known generic name for an animal, I don't think the EU should be protecting such generic names.

But on the other hand it would also suck if this U.K. company gained exclusive use over the trademark.

Re: Python trademark at risk in Europe

#28
post #25

It's unclear from this whether or not Python would have to change the name of the programming language if they didn't get the trademark, or whether this UK company would just have the right to call their products "Python" too. Early in the article it says: "There is a company in the UK that is trying to trademark the use of the term "Python" for all software, services, servers... pretty much anything having to do wit…

Good point! I guess it would be fine as long as the UK company does not gain exclusive rights to Python, I don't think that would be possible with EU law though, I'm pretty sure you can't get a trademark for the name of an animal.

Re: Python trademark at risk in Europe

#30
post #8
post #2

I (and probably several other) members of the board will be on this thread to answer any questions. Van Lindberg Chairman, Python Software Foundation Edit: I have been asked what sort of statements would be helpful. I can't tell you exactly what to say - it needs to be your statement, but we need to make it clear that when someone says "Python" in relation to software, or a "Python server," or with "Python experience…

Surely at least some part of their stack is built using Python, so couldn't you tell them that they may not use the software if they are going to proceed with this?

That's not how the open-source movement works. You can't start excluding people based on usage you don't like. If you do that, you're explicitly not following open-source ideals.
Post reply on HN