Open-Source Firm Decries Software Abuse

“An open-source software company claims a website violates its
trademark and uses it to distribute a media-player program riddled
with “potentially malicious” spyware. Geeknet and VideoLAN, creator
of the VLC Media Player, claim Tightrope Interactive violated the
VLC trademark, which VideoLAN has used since 1998.

“VideoLAN, a French nonprofit, wants Tightrope enjoined from
distributing programs through its website, vlc.us.com.

“VideoLAN and Geeknet, which distributes the free VLC Media
Player on its SourceForge site, accuse Tightrope of trademark
infringement, cyberpiracy and violating California’s consumer
protection law against spyware. They claim Tightrope’s program
loads potentially dangerous and system-debilitating programs,
Trojan horse-style, unbeknownst to the user.”

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