Ubuntu Software Store: What it does, and how you can help

[Matthew East]

On Fri, Aug 28, 2009 at 2:56 PM, Greg Grossmeier<greg at grossmeier.net> wrote:
> I think Ubuntu has an opportunity here to create a new brand name for a
> software repository that from the beginning implies Free to the user[0],
> instead of the usual commercial-sounding options from other companies
> (AppStore, Android Market, Palm Software Store, etc).

Very well put, Greg.

>> Unfortunately the naming was one thing that had to be done within
>> Canonical, for boring legal reasons.
>
> As someone who also works with lawyers on a daily/weekly basis, I know
> how hard it is to change (some of) their minds after the fact. I
> understand if Canonical is unable to make this change at this time.

I think we need to get this in proper perspective. Everyone here can
agree that Ubuntu as a project and Canonical as a company should not
take actions which are contrary to law. The Ubuntu project benefits
from the fact that Canonical takes care of legal aspects for us, just
as it takes care of a lot of other things in the community. However, I
don't think that legal considerations can or should stop the project
from discussing and adopting a valid and lawful name which fits the
program best. The program hasn't yet been released, so I can't think
of any legal impediment to changing its name while it is still in
beta.

I think the way this should have worked (and can still work) was that
the project could have discussed the name openly and settled on a name
or number of names which are acceptable. Then the lawyers can advise
whether the name(s) chosen are legal, or not. Ideally they would
participate in the discussion directly. Obviously if, having already
been through the process internally, Canonical can tell us which names
are off-limits legally, then that will help to exclude certain
options.

-- 
Matthew East
http://www.mdke.org
gnupg pub 1024D/0E6B06FF