Lindows Agreeing to Change Name 638
xandroid writes "It looks like Lindows.com has thrown in the towel for the fight to keep its name: the Seattle Times reports that they 'would not continue a worldwide legal battle with Microsoft.' They will announce the new name next Wednesday, although a favorite is Lindos -- 'because it's the W that is causing all the problems'." Update: 04/07 19:37 GMT by S : This is worth clarifying - Michael Robertson is claiming "...the company will go by a different name outside the U.S. until it can win the right to use the Lindows name internationally."
Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Funny)
So the name isn't going to be Winux - because problems with Ws.
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Funny)
Winux. The Opewating System fow Centuwions!
-Biggus Dickus
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Informative)
Biggus Dickus would say,
"Linux. The Operating Thythtem for Thenturionth!"
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:3, Funny)
Don't you mean "Palm Pilate"? I hear the new models will even wash your hands for you...
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Funny)
Wascally OS (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Funny)
Winux Is Not... Uh... Xenix?
W
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Funny)
(And I'm on a high chair at a sign-in desk, atm.)
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:4, Insightful)
I'm thinking "Lindoze" would be great. If Microsoft went after them for similarity to "Windoze", I'd laught till I fell off my chair.
While that's funny, the fact that Lindows is far too much like Windows is not. The run-as-root implementation grafts all the worst problems of Windows onto a Linux distro. I'm going to (ackk, gag) root (no pun intended) for Microsoft on this one. Lindows (by any name) needs to go away for the greater good of Linux.
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:New name suggestions here! (Score:5, Funny)
I think you have just come up with the best marketing idea ever. Gosh, who wouldn't buy atleast three copies of a product with a name like that?!?!
"Phffft, you're running Windows 2005. Lamer! I'm on BillGatesHasNoPenis 2.4, which is so much more superior."
Lindovvs (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Lindovvs (Score:4, Interesting)
That's actually a pretty good idea
Re:New name suggestions here! (Score:4, Funny)
Bill Gates are obviously how money gets out of the treasury's printing room. Duh.
Problem Solved!
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Insightful)
I do need to take issue with Robertson's stance that Microsoft will sue anyone in the desktop space. You'll notice for example, that they haven't sued Xandros and Mandrake. Gee, I wonder why. Could it be that their names don't rhyme with Microsoft's flag ship product?!
Generic term or not, if you name your competing operating system anything that even remotely sounds like Windows, you're begging for a Microsoft law suit. And I think Robertson knows it. I just wish he could be honest about it.
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:rhyming isn't the issue. (Score:4, Interesting)
That's not true. There may be a weakness there, but saying they don't have a leg to stand on is ridiculous. Don't believe me? Then think about a company you don't hate, like Palm. Why is their trademark okay but Windows isn't?
That's not the real crux of the matter, though. Simply put, Lindows' motivation was malicious. Here's a few little facts:
- Microsoft has had the Windows trademark for a few years now. Not to mention that their de-facto monopoly status strengthens the notion that they own that name.
- Lindows is meant to be very much like Windows, to the point that users can have a hard time telling the difference, especially if they went to Walmart and bought one of those PCs.
- The CEO of Lindows put up $250,000 to reward somebody for hacking the X-BOX. I don't know if that would make it into court over this matter or not, but he still intentionally set out to do Microsoft harm.
It would be awful if Lindows won this case without any reprecussions for the intentional bullying they were trying to do. I know it's fun to hate Microsoft and all, but this form of litiguous bs is exactly what you're mad at SCO for. Don't let Lindows ruin the reputation of the Linux/Open Source Communities.
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:5, Funny)
It's a double-U, not a W.
Re:Winux isnt the future (Score:3, Funny)
This seemed kind of inevitable. (Score:5, Funny)
Instead of Lindos, how about Lindros? They could use the handsome face of the Canadian-born New York Ranger as their logo, but what slogan would they use? Maybe something about hacking?
smart move (Score:3, Funny)
Re:smart move (Score:2)
Removing the "W "may not solve the problem. (Score:3, Informative)
Don't be so sure eliminating the "W" will solve the problem. In order to avoid trademark law problems, people who are selecting a name for a business, product or service are advised to search for and avoid names that "are phonetically similar (spelled differently but pronounced the same or similar; homonyms) [asu.edu]." [See also "Synonyms or homonyms [washington.edu]."]
Easy-Linux (Score:3, Insightful)
To me this shows that Robertson is making his money on the connection between Linux, Windows and Lindows; by bridging the gap between the ease of windows and the better systemic designs of Linux. Therefore without the perfect name, Lindows may vanish into obscurity; but is a name that important? I think so, I don't think so... it doesn't matter really, does it? What to call it? How about Easy-Linux? Lindos won't work either, because it's got DOS in it...
Re:Easy-Linux (Score:4, Informative)
EasyLinux v1.2
Manufacturer: Easy Information Technology
E-Mail: info@eIT.de
URL: [easylinux.com] Price: $21 US (cd only)
Re:Easy-Linux (Score:4, Funny)
Eric Lindros is now seeking council. (Score:2)
If it's the last "w" that's causing the problem... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:If it's the last "w" that's causing the problem (Score:5, Funny)
Of course, the whole slashdot communty could have a field day saying "WindOS really blows!" but, hey, you can't have everything.
TW
Re:If it's the last "w" that's causing the problem (Score:5, Funny)
Other ideas:
Wind Owes
Wind O's
Win Does (like the deer)
Win Doh's!
Or, for the far east flavor,
Nguyen Doze
Uh Oh. (Score:2)
That W (Score:5, Funny)
Re:That W (Score:3, Insightful)
Without the
Clinton and the Bubble (Score:4, Insightful)
"All I know about W is that when Clinton was president, the Nasdaq was 5000", basically.
Bubbles are bad, whatever the cause. They cause people to invest time and energy and money in businesses that don't actually produce as much resources as they consume. (If the businesses turn out to be profitable and the stock prices don't collapse in the long run, then it's not a bubble!) The bubble is a flight from reality, and the collapse is a return to reality.
Score one for Microsoft (Score:5, Funny)
Smaller guy wins (Score:2, Informative)
Ford loses Futura to Pep Boys [courier-journal.com]
Ford also couldn't get GT-40 back from a pretty small company.
New Name Announced (Score:5, Funny)
Wierdows
Re:New Name Announced (Score:5, Informative)
After all, to challenge this, MS would have to acknowledge the widely-used "Windoze" mispeling of their trademark name.
Of course, there's always Mike Rowe to think of. And there's a nice parody of it all at www.ubersoft.net [ubersoft.net].
Great... (Score:2)
It's the W that's causing all the problem (Score:5, Funny)
Lindos (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Lindos (Score:5, Informative)
If you read the most recent Michael's Minute [lindows.com] You'll see the following:
I take this to mean that Mr. Robertson found Lindos amusing, but does not intend to use it as the Product's new name.
Here's a good name.. (Score:5, Funny)
because WinCANT
Re:Here's a good name.. (Score:2)
Genesis does! What Nintendon't.
Oh dear, Lindos... (Score:2, Funny)
Someone give the entire company a moderation of "+1, Troll", thanks :)
Lindows is a problem? (Score:2)
As long as they (Score:5, Funny)
How about a Homeric name (Score:2, Funny)
NotWindows (Score:5, Funny)
How can they complain? Its obviously not windows, right?
It's the W (Score:2, Funny)
Strike W from Windows and you get INDOS, which is an accurate description of the product.
other possibilities (Score:2)
What about "Not_Stolen_From_Xerox_Or_Apple"
From the "Michael's Minute" Email Group (Score:5, Informative)
Hopefully this sheds some light.
Re:From the "Michael's Minute" Email Group (Score:2)
Maybe because the mark "Red Hat" bears absolutely no similarity to the mark "Windows"?
Sosumi (Score:2)
Or, in the same vein, "BHA Linux". (I'm going to see how many minutes it takes from my post for it to be until someone gets this allusion and posts about it -- I'm guessing less than thirty).
Re:From the "Michael's Minute" Email Group (Score:3, Insightful)
In the end, I don't think it matters what the product name is. Calling it Lindows might get some people to purchase it that might otherwise purchase Windows, but I doubt it really causes much confusion. However, calling it "Lin---s" in one area, whilst calling it "Lindows" in another, and then changing to "Lindos" outside the US
Another example of how the legal system is FUBAR (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Another example of how the legal system is FUBA (Score:5, Informative)
Am I the only one (Score:5, Insightful)
"I believe it's the only way to respond to an onslaught from such a rich company, since we need to be able to continue to grow our business," he said.
Boo hoo. Who cares what you think of MSFT, they're in the right, IMO. If the OS was called Lacintosh OSX, Apple would do the same thing.
Selling a "windows replacement" as "lindows" is pushing the line. Myself, I see it as a sleazy attempt to confuse unsavvy K-Mart shoppers into thinking they're getting Windows compatible machine.
If MS released "Winux" do you think Linus would excercise his TM rights? I do, and he should.
Screw this guy. He poked a bear with a stick, and is now crying that the bear took a run at him. He should consider himself lucky to get away, company intact, without being mauled.
Re:Am I the only one (Score:5, Insightful)
I don't, any more than I think that Linus would go after "Unix", "A/UX", "AIX", or "Minix", or any more than the holders of those trademarks went after Linus. Somehow, everyone managed to get along with vaguely similar names *except* Microsoft and Robertson.
I will grant that Robertson is a terribly antagonizing fellow if you're competing with him (his prize to "port Linux to the X-Box via a hardware and software approach" that essentially subsidized a cracking of Microsoft's DRM scheme and their subsequent loss of a lot more than his $100,000 prize, was a slick strategic move but terribly unfriendly).
Re:Am I the only one (Score:3, Insightful)
Or, you could look at it from the other perspective.
Microsoft has sunk a shitload of money, time and effort into the Windows brand. And, like it or not, it's Windows that worked in the marketplace; not VisiOn, not Desqview, not OS/2, not MacOS, not BeOS, and so on.
Then, some little bugger comes along, and tries to capitalize, specifically and willfully, on your name and effort to sell their product. That's a problem.
Was Lindows a logical name? Sure, it describes exactly what it is; a fusion of Wind
Re:Am I the only one (Score:2, Insightful)
That being said, IIRC Microsoft doesn't have a trademark on the word Windows...it's too generic. Their trademark is on 'Microsoft Windows', 'Windows XP', etc. Linux is a trade mark, Mac OSX is a trademark.
So I think it's wrong for Microsoft to be able to force Lindows to change it's name.
Re:Am I the only one (Score:4, Insightful)
Next thing, I'll come up with "MyCompany MouseGestures," it will become the most well known mose gesture software, and I'll sue anyone who uses anything that sounds like MouseGestures. Except that I didn't invest MouseGestures, but somehow I've come to own it.
Microsoft didn't invent windowing operating systems, and it shouldn't get to own the term "windows" just because its windowing operating systems is the most popular and it chose a generic term for its name.
How about... (Score:2)
Quality of a product is not in the name alone (Score:2)
This should be seen as a step in the right direction, but more focus should be put on evaluating the distro itself, and the viability of the business.
Ummm... "minor" oversight (Score:2)
Name: (Score:2)
\/\/1nD0\/\/Z ECKSPEE
No Judge in the world could convict you of thievery!
...I don't know what's worse, windows, or a linux distribution trying to be windows?
Can anybody verify how many servers they have? (Score:2)
I'm sorry, but both of those numbers sound bogus, or the logic doesn't apply... If they are using database-backed dynamic pages, changing to a new name and domain should be rather easy.
On a related topic, at http://support.lindows.com/ [lindows.com], the Knowledge Base they are using looks a like like ones I've seen in other sites, such as ximian's and Sierra's sites. I h
Software naming issues (Score:5, Insightful)
Why is it so difficult to find decent software names? Why does Adobe have "Photoshop" and the open source community have "The Gimp", which literally means a person with a limp? Why is there "Oracle" and "SQL Server", one which is cool, both historically and as a product brand, and one which is straightforward and easy to remember (if nothing else), but the OS community as "PostgreSQL"?
A lot of programmers in the Slashdot community take cheap shots at marketing and this is important, because extreme marketing types can be every bit as annoying as extreme nerds, but it would be nice if it was acknowledged that marketing is, actually, a legitimate discipline and that product naming is important.
Lindos? So this is the BEST they can do?: Ask the community or drop the 'W'? Come on, guys. You came up with the software, why not make a legitimate effort to take the name seriously?
Would you go around to all your friends to ask what to name your child? And if you couldn't come up with anything by taking a poll would you just, say, drop the 'H' in John, if that was your first name, and call it done? I mean let's face it, good software is a lot harder to make than a baby, for most of us anyway ...
Re:Software naming issues (Score:3, Insightful)
I don't know how serious the discussion were for the name change. However, I do know that around the southwest of the U.S.A., Lindos would be pronounced the same as Lindows [1]. Phonetically, at least, the name hasn't changed.
1. I suspect this is due to the frequent [vowel]+'s' -> [vowel]+'es' problem with native Englis
marketing (Score:5, Interesting)
That probably wouldn't have happened years ago -- "Inkscape" could just as easily have been named "VectorPIMP".
There's a similar increase in Human Interface factors in recent OSS work. Classic projects like the GIMP are simply beholden to old (bad) UI and marketing decisions.
So, just give it time. Things are improving.
Naming can be Important (Score:4, Funny)
Don't put so much stock in a name, its not all that important.
I don't know about that. Take Phoenix Air [phoenixair.com] for example. I don't know about you, but any airline named after a bird that burts into flames and plummets down from the sky won't be getting my business anytime soon.
the W (Score:2, Funny)
We're talking about politics, right?
fo shizzle (Score:4, Interesting)
Kind of a shame (Score:3, Insightful)
At one point, Lindows had been taking the position that Lindows could not be infringing upon the Windows trademark, because Windows was itself an invalid trademark (already being a common term within the computer industry before MS started using it). I had really wanted to see how this played out. I think Lindows was correct on this assessment; MS was improperly granted a trademark on an already-existing term from that field. On the other hand, there is now so much business, brand recognition, and so forth built upon that trademark by now that the situation would be very difficult to correct, even if MS's hordes of attorneys failed to convince the judge to leave the situation be. The legal questions raised in that particular side of the case was what I was most interested in hearing the answers to, but now it's not something we're likely to see addressed.
linDOS? (Score:2)
Seriously though, why don't they just give it some unique name and stop playing silly naming battles. I wish they'd focus on their product, and not silly legal battles that they KNEW they were inviting with their choice of name. Sure, it brought attention to their company, but get over it. Make it fast. Make it good. Name it "purple" if it makes you happy
How about X-Lindows? (Score:2)
What about Fenestra???? (Score:2, Interesting)
or some other foreign language word for Windows. The average american will have no idea what it means but that is ok, they still have blinking clocks on their VCR's as well.
Win/Lin and Da Vinci Code (Score:2)
By that logic, can't Lindows do the same? Like put a nice gif on their front page saying "A free alternative to Microsoft Windows (insert lots of trademark symbols here)"?
There's been a Lindos for 25 years already (Score:2, Interesting)
Lindos Electronics [lindos.co.uk] make high-end pro-audio test equipment. They have done for over 25 years.
This a good thing. (Score:3, Interesting)
Giving a more respectable name will give it a better reputation, and will make it more recognisable as a brand. Red Hat, Mandrake, SuSE and Java Desktop all are famous Linux brands, Lindows will have to follow in their footsteps!
LinDOS? (Score:3, Funny)
How about Linzizzle? (Score:3, Funny)
Law has determined that rhymes are illegal. (Score:3, Funny)
"It's time to get them!" screamed 3M as they sue'ed their neighbors Aunt Em and IBM.
Cargill's fighting just the same, It appears Hank Hill is in the chill.
Burn those CDs Nero's dad said. Ahead get to burnin' but ahh then again. Now Bevis and Butthead are raging again, heard something something about thier big old heads.
Who's next, The Not-So-Soft Concrete company? I might see, but Too close to Microsoft, tee-hee.
Miramax and Cinamax, and Climax oh my, who will win that one, which one will die.
Honda sues Fonda and Ford sues the Lord, Paul Ruben is suing sandwich shops in accord with clock but a tick but that can't be cuz of BiC who sue the tick-tock if the Stanley's did sue cuz of their locks!
So how till Sony starts claim their ponies are phonies and sue dead Sonny for money cuz it's just not so funny while Cher start gearing for Sharepoint's ever pending sue fest and hearings on whether the only word that in english can be used is the single word...
ORANGE
My insaine ramblings, not neccesarily ment to be poetry, littery going for the COMPLETLY INSAINE LUNATIC RAMBLING. Read with frequent outburst of anger and madness.
How about... (Score:3, Interesting)
Other rejected names: (Score:3, Funny)
Swackware
WedHat
Winux
Whoa, I just realized how bad guys with speech impediments must hate this whole open source thing. Does any one high up in MS have one? Is the reason they gave IE away free that Ballmer got tired of the laughing when he said "Netscwape" in meetings?
My suggestion (Score:3, Funny)
SoSu Me
The new name should be.... (Score:3, Funny)
Why not really appease the geeks.. (Score:3, Funny)
"Lindos" actually means... (Score:3, Informative)
RMN
~~~
Re:lindos eh (Score:5, Insightful)
Random thought: Why does everyone say IANAL? Wouldn't it be easier to assume no one is a lawyer unless they say otherwise?
Re:lindos eh (Score:2)
Re:lindos eh (Score:5, Funny)
Not in America.
Re:You should call it ... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Who Cares? (Score:3, Insightful)
I personnaly think that Lindows is good.
Lindows isn't Gentoo, RedHat, SuSE or Mandrake (..well screw that last two
Lindows is Lindows, Linux equivalent to Windows and most promising replacement OS for the average joe who does not want to take control on the computer.
The average joe wants a safe computer on which he can send email, browse the net and play solitaire...Lindows can do that and in the mean time proves that Linux can be usable by the non-techni
Re:Lindows, GIMP, Ogg Vorbis, Debian... (Score:4, Insightful)
That's because whenever we pick a simple, obvious name, Microsoft takes it and sues us for using it.
There is a long list of MS trade names that were used by someone else before MS started using the name. The most egregious is probably "Personal Computer", which was used by all the small-computer makers before MS took it over. And DOS was used as an OS name by many other vendors before MS claimed it; it was the industry-standard TLA for Disk Operating System in the days when many computers didn't automatically come with a disk.
The lesson is that you don't want to use a trademark that Microsoft will want. If you do, you either give it to them when they ask, or they'll bankrupt you with legal fees. Granted, they're likely to do that anyway, but you don't have to give them an easy excuse.
Re:This has me wondering... (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe someone should start making key caps with little Tux logo