[OSGeo-Discuss] Is it possible for properitery GIS vendor to market thier properitery product as Open ?

[Jonathan Moules]

Hi Suchith,
The only real way to limit the use of the word Open would be to register it as a trademark. To the best of my knowledge, none of the big Open Source initiatives have done this which would suggest it's not a good idea for some reason. Apparently someone tried to trademark "Open Source Hardware" but was rejected: https://opensource.com/law/13/5/os-hardware-trademark-rejected

The other option, in the UK at least, is if an advertisement claimed to be Open but the thing wasn't, you could always raise a complaint with the Advertising Standard Agency, but I believe they're fairly toothless....

As to "business ethics" - that's a clearcut oxymoron if ever I've seen one.

Cheers,
Jonathan


---- On Sat, 25 Mar 2017 09:17:40 +0000 Suchith Anand<Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk> wrote ---- 

My query was if the term Open can be used for marketing any properitery softwares and platforms and to know if there are any guidelines on this? This definition Ravi Kumar send is helpful to help me understand one aspect of this . Thanks Ravi Kumar.

Best wishes,

Suchith
________________________________________
From: Jody Garnett <jody.garnett at gmail.com>
Sent: 25 March 2017 7:21 AM
To: Ravi Kumar; Anand Suchith
Cc: discuss at lists.osgeo.org; geoforall at lists.osgeo.org
Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Is it possible for properitery GIS vendor to market thier properitery product as Open ?

And here is the biz model definition, I would be interested if the original poster can clarify in which context the word was used :)
On Fri, Mar 24, 2017 at 9:55 PM Ravi Kumar <manarajahmundry2015 at gmail.com<mailto:manarajahmundry2015 at gmail.com>> wrote:
This is a good thread, and let us discuss to derive a 'Note', for those facing 'Questions', evangelising Free and Open GIS.

I suggest this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_platform for many who wish to know.
May be we can have a page on, 'OSGeo Wiki' on this topic.
Cheers
Ravi Kumar


On Thu, Mar 23, 2017 at 1:45 AM, Suchith Anand <Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk<mailto:Suchith.Anand at nottingham.ac.uk>> wrote:

Hi all,


I have a query. If a properitery GIS vendor starts marketing thier properitery products as Open platform and software then what rights do the organisations and customers have who are mislead buying the properitery software thinking it is open have ? The definision of Proprietary software [1] is very clearly defined, so how can it be possible for any properitery GIS vendor to market their software knowingly as open platform if it is properitery?


This also greatly affects the business and revenues of true open source software companies . Who is responsible for any misleading marketing that results in losses to both customers who are mislead to buy the properitery software thinking it is open and also to other companies who do true open source business who lose out on the business opportunities? Is it right business ethics to do this?


Best wishes,

Suchith


[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_software



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