From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.0 (2014-02-07) on aws-us-west-2-korg-lkml-1.web.codeaurora.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-3.0 required=3.0 tests=HEADER_FROM_DIFFERENT_DOMAINS, MAILING_LIST_MULTI,SPF_PASS,USER_AGENT_NEOMUTT autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.0 Received: from mail.kernel.org (mail.kernel.org [198.145.29.99]) by smtp.lore.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9E99BC0044C for ; Thu, 8 Nov 2018 01:06:13 +0000 (UTC) Received: from vger.kernel.org (vger.kernel.org [209.132.180.67]) by mail.kernel.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 637BD20862 for ; Thu, 8 Nov 2018 01:06:13 +0000 (UTC) DMARC-Filter: OpenDMARC Filter v1.3.2 mail.kernel.org 637BD20862 Authentication-Results: mail.kernel.org; dmarc=none (p=none dis=none) header.from=pengaru.com Authentication-Results: mail.kernel.org; spf=none smtp.mailfrom=linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1728301AbeKHKjE (ORCPT ); Thu, 8 Nov 2018 05:39:04 -0500 Received: from shells.gnugeneration.com ([66.240.222.126]:42746 "EHLO shells.gnugeneration.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1727724AbeKHKjE (ORCPT ); Thu, 8 Nov 2018 05:39:04 -0500 Received: by shells.gnugeneration.com (Postfix, from userid 1000) id CE1DB1A40335; Wed, 7 Nov 2018 17:06:08 -0800 (PST) Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2018 17:06:08 -0800 From: Vito Caputo To: linux-kernel Subject: [QUESTION] Microsoft, WSL, and the Linux trademark Message-ID: <20181108010608.mlcjfwwsdwt2nee5@shells.gnugeneration.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: NeoMutt/20170113 (1.7.2) Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org Precedence: bulk List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org In reading the news today, I stumbled across an article talking about a $20 "linux-based distro" app for Windows 10. This is just a bundled userspace for WSL, there is no actual Linux in this thing, yet the trademarked Linux name is used throughout. Did Microsoft license the trademark or something? Did I miss a memo? Does their joining the Linux Foundation as a Platinum member two years ago include such use of the trademark? I'm confused by what seems to be total silence about what _appears_ to be an obvious large-scale trademark abuse in everything WSL-related. Could somebody informed please shed some light on this? The situation strikes me as harmful to the kernel as the majority of folks being introduced to "Linux" this way will be tricked into thinking they're using/supporting Linux. Has the Linux Foundation deliberately turned a blind eye to this trademark abuse because MS is throwing money at them or is it a formal licensing situation? Do we, the community, even have any right to know what's going on? Cheers, Vito Caputo