Perl is Alive!

[David Cantrell]

On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 08:29:57AM +0000, Nigel Hamilton wrote:

> Well Tom knows the value of the domain name - he's been getting good rent
> for it for 8 years. But if I was him I would want to rid my hands of it. I
> think TPF could buy it for a few peppercorns - and a clause that says they
> won't sue.

That would be a fantastic way for TPF to commit suicide.  While they
might win a stupid court thing, they'd lose a great deal of their
support in the community.

> Perl is supposed to be about "open" source and "openness" but shine some
> light on the cracks and you soon get the 'cabal treatment'. It's really sad
> to see. We're "open" as long as you don't look too hard.

We're open.  Just don't expect other people to do stuff for you unless
they want to do it anyway.  Feel free to try to persuade them, but don't
think that people are obliged to pay any attention to you.

> Come on! Let's do "proper" open source - where people show some fairness and
> respect for other's IP. It will be good for Perl(R) and good for the
> community.

OK, let's be fair.  Let's start by looking at the trademark.  TPF's
website says that it's the *logo* that is trademarked, not the word.
And even if the word was trademarked, then was it trademarked before or
after Tom registered perl.com?  If after (and I'm fairly sure it was),
don't you think it would be *unfair* and *disrespectful* to sue him?

-- 
David Cantrell | Minister for Arbitrary Justice