[freegeek-startup] Questions regarding TN startup

[Shawn Campbell]

Scott;

I appreciate your concerns and comments, and no freecycle does not know who we are or what we are about as of yet. However, unless someone has actually trademarked computer freecycle, I think that we may be ok. We will talk with an attorney about these matters.

It is kind of like the whole patent thing in that is you change a certain percentage of someone's design and market your own, it can be legal.

Here in the deep south there was concern of directly relating the word "geek" into everyday usage. Many middle age folks think that a geek might be someone who is perverted. We have not filed the official business paperwork as of yet, and have other names we can use if we need to. I would hope that freecycle see what we are doing is technology related and does not compete with what they are trying to do, instead it could coincide with what they do. As a mater of fact we have actually spoken with out local chapter and have done some work with them already. I am afraid that if we contact freecycle ahead of time that they may attempt to block us, but again we feel the name is not a close enough resemblance to what we are all trying to do, and that is save the environemnt and recycle and reuse.

Thanks again for the feedback....

Sincerely,

Shawn M. Campbell

Scott Merrill <skippy at skippy.net> wrote: Shawn Campbell wrote:
> Well, we have finally made some great progress in the TN start-up,
> however a question has arisen that I please need some clarification to.
> We have voted on a new name, it has free geek in it, and we will still
> be following FOSS guidelines, but can we still use free geek in the name
> such as this:
> 
> Computer FreeCycle – Educating The Community. A FreeGeek Organization

Are you folks aware of the "FreeCycle" movement?
   http://freecycle.org/
You might want to contact them, if you haven't, to make sure you're not
runnning afoul of any trademarks they have.  Your chosen name is a more
specific version of their name.  I know that folks do dispose of PCs via
FreeCycle, so there does exist a real possibility of confusion.

There already exists FreeCycle groups in TN:
   http://freecycle.org/display.php?region=US%20Southern#Tennessee

 > For example: We would be the first TN start-up and then assist in
> helping start and promote other free geek organizations in the state
> (Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Tri-Cities, etc.) This covers most of
> the major metropolitian areas in our state and key rural areas as well.

You've developed a pretty grand plan; but I'm curious what your Board's
justification is for basically recreating the structure already being
created by FG/PDX?

> There were a few reason the people elected to the board were concerened
> with putting the free geek up front, as well as using the state name
> "limiting" us to other possible opportunities.

Well, if it helps at all, I can tell you that so far in Columbus, OH,
the name "FreeGeek" has been pretty popular.  It's easy to remember, and
 the folks from the community with which we interact seem to enjoy it.
It's not seen as disparaging or self-deprecating at all.

Good luck!

-- 
skippy at skippy.net | http://skippy.net/

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