The company behind Lindows, the Linux-based operating system,
today announced that it is changing its product name to Linspire to
avoid the risk of being taken to court by Microsoft in every
country in which it tries to do business.
The dispute dates back to December 2001 when Microsoft filed a trade mark suit in the US seeking to prevent Lindows Inc. from using the terms LindowsOS and Lindows.com, arguing that they infringe on its rights in Windows. The Lindows product is an operating system that promises the stability and cost savings of Linux with the usability of a Windows environment.
Michael Robertson, CEO of San Diego-based Lindows, said today: "Last week, Lindows won in French courts when Microsoft was denied a preliminary injunction. Despite our victories in the United States and overseas, a name change is still necessary to counter Microsoft's strategy to sue us in courts around the world."
Robertson added, "We're hoping that this puts a halt on the international lawsuits. A Microsoft spokesperson has publicly stated that 'We're only asking that Lindows change their name' which is what we have done."
The dispute over the trade mark "windows" will continue in the US. Microsoft has appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the case is pending a decision as to whether the Appeals Court will hear Microsoft's appeal. The company says the name Lindows will still be used in the United States in certain instances and as the corporate name.
