Anders Johansson wrote:
The other issue is precedent. If they can do this, what is to stop a project being created to develop (for sake of argument) the Konqueror word-processor? Or the Galeon database engine or <pick your favourite project name>.
trademark law?!
Sure - open source software projects are rolling in money. We would love to enforce our usage of the name. If and when we need to do so we'll have to start a fighting fund. Your financial contribution would be willingly accepted. However, we are hoping that the world-wide opprobrium of the open source development community may avoid legal action and see Mozilla back down.
The Firebird project's initial response to this is to encourage anyone who feels this is wrong to contact the Mozilla project leaders.
That's your *initial* response? No private contact to settle the dispute? Full frontal public attack as the initial response?
For brevity I left out some detail. Yes, we have written to the relevant Mozilla spokesman. He is as unapologetic in private as he is in public. Paul -- Paul Reeves member of the Firebird Project email written (ironically) from Mozilla