“Australian companies trading on the name ‘Linux’ may be exposed
to trademark claims for the first time as early as next year, if
the nation’s major open-source body gets its way.“As reported by ZDNet UK sister site ZDNet Australia on Tuesday,
Linux Australia has secured Linus Torvald’s support to register the
word ‘Linux’ as a trademark with Australia’s intellectual property
regulator. The move is designed to prevent local companies
attempting to claim the word as their own, but it will also throw
open the possibility that local Linux vendors will start paying
royalties to trade on the term for the first time…”
Related Story:
ZDNet
Australia: Australian Linux Trademark Dispute Reaches
Torvalds(Aug 10, 2004)