Trademark Policies in Open Source Projects

Comparison

+/- = links to details!

	OpenOffice.org	ubuntu	fedora	Firefox
(tm) in logo	-	-	+	+
tm notice on homepage	-	+	-	-
link to tm policy on homepage	-	-	+	+
search result for tm	-	+	+	+
tm policy / logo guide easy to read	+	+	-	+
tm policy / logo guide clear and complete	-	-	+	+

OpenOffice.org

- no trademark sign (tm) in OOo logo

- no trademark notice on homepage

- no trademark link on homepage

- search results for "trademark" are useless

- trademark / logo usage guidelines cover almost nothing

ubuntu (ubuntu.com)

- no trademark sign (tm) in ubuntu logo

+ trademark notice on homepage

- no trademark link on homepage

+ search results for "trademark": first hit success

+ trademark/logo guidelines are short and easy to read

- trademark/logo guidelines somewhat ambiguous (may be mistaken as liberal)

fedora (fedoraproject.org)

+ trademark sign (tm) in fedora logo

- no trademark notice on homepage

+ trademark link on homepage

+ search results for "trademark": second hit success

- trademark/logo guidelines are lengthy and sound a little too legal

+ trademark/logo guidelines are very precise

Firefox (mozilla.com)

+ trademark sign (tm) in Firefox logo

- no trademark notice on homepage

+ trademark link on homepage

+ search results for "trademark": second hit success

+ trademark/logo guidelines are short and easy to read

+ trademark/logo guidelines are very precise

Trademark, Logo, Visual Identity, Policy, Guideline

Using the Mozilla example, here is how information about trademarks can be organized