Comment on The OBS project has accused Streamlabs of copying their name and trademarkparentComments−tinus_hn4yIt’s not that easy, it only takes a few overzealous lawyers to end up with the drama we had with Firefox and Iceweazel.The point of open source is that you can modify it. But can you modify it and still call it the same name? If so, how much can you modify it?−account424yPlenty of open source license recognize this, e.g. from the zlib license:2. Altered source versions must be plainly marked as such, and must not be misrepresented as being the original software.−tinus_hn4yTrue! But what does ‘altered’ mean? And what does ‘not be misrepresented’ mean?If I patch the Linux kernel and compile it, can I call it the Linux kernel?If Streamlabs patches OBS, can they call it Streamlabs OBS?There really isn’t a straightforward answer.
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It’s not that easy, it only takes a few overzealous lawyers to end up with the drama we had with Firefox and Iceweazel.
The point of open source is that you can modify it. But can you modify it and still call it the same name? If so, how much can you modify it?
Plenty of open source license recognize this, e.g. from the zlib license:
True! But what does ‘altered’ mean? And what does ‘not be misrepresented’ mean?
If I patch the Linux kernel and compile it, can I call it the Linux kernel?
If Streamlabs patches OBS, can they call it Streamlabs OBS?
There really isn’t a straightforward answer.