In <Pine.SGI.3.96.970617095641.901s-100000@irony.anim.dreamworks.com> abs@anim.dreamworks.com (David Brownlee) writes:

>	This might have 'interesting' consequences for NetBSD/sparc...

>> ANNOUNCEMENT:
>> -------------
>> 
>> SPARC International's lawyers have the view that the terms SPARC/Linux
>> or Linux/SPARC (or most other variations) constitute an infringementof SI's 
>> trademark.  They would deem "Linux for SPARC Processors" as
>> acceptable.  

This would make sense if the SPARC/Linux and/or SPARC/NetBSD (!) people were
actively promoting their systems are competitors to SpunOS/Slowaris, but
we're not.

>> They also object to the use of the word "sparc" in any
>> part of a URL.  So for example the url:
>> 
>>	 "http://www.geog.ubc.ca/sparc/howto/netboot.html" 
>> 
>> is a trademark infringement. 

This particular case cannot be trademarked. 'sparc' is a generic term,
unlike the capitalised form, which intrinsicly indicates a trademark or
registered name of some sort.

If I happen to have a set of links on my Sun data archive here that are
sparc-specific, I'll use the word 'sparc' in the URL regardless of what Sun
think, because a URL is not intellectual property, nor a trademark, at least
not as far as a friend of mine who's an Australian trademark lawyer is
concerned.

Regards,

Craig.
-- 
            Craig Dewick. Send email to 'cdewick@lios.apana.org.au'
   Point a web browser at 'http://lios.apana.org.au/~cdewick/sun_ark.html' to
       access my collection of Sun information and links to other places.