[Koha] Plea for help from Horowhenua Library Trust re: Koha

[Gilbert Bede]

Correct me if I am wrong isn't Koha derived from the Māori custom of gift, present, offering, donation or contribution at a hui. Which has a long history within Māori society that predates European first contact.

My understanding of NZ IP legislation is limited, but doesn't one have to obtain permission to use a trade mark that is based on a derivative of a Māori sign (language) from Māori Trade Marks Advisory Committee.  Was this done? I can't imagine that the Māori Trade Marks Advisory Committee agree to allow PTFS/Liblime exclusive access to use this traditional Māori term in New Zealand.

Gilbert Bede
Okanagan College
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada








-----Original Message-----
From: Web technologies in libraries [mailto:WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Cary Gordon
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 10:55 AM
To: WEB4LIB at LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [WEB4LIB] [Koha] Plea for help from Horowhenua Library Trust re: Koha



I don't think that is silly at all.



You should definitely contact the EFF, if you haven't already, and

also the Free Software Foundation <http://www.fsf.org/>. You might

also want to talk to the Software Freedom Law Center

<http://www.softwarefreedom.org/>. While they might not be able to

help you directly, they might be able to give you some advice and/or a

referral.



Thanks,



Cary



On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 5:42 PM, Jason Sherman <jsherman at usao.edu> wrote:

> This may be a silly question, but have you considered contacting the

> Electronic Frontier Foundation to ask for assistance?

>

> https://www.eff.org/pages/legal-assistance

>

> 2011/11/21 Joann Ransom <jransom at library.org.nz>:

>> As I am sure most of you are aware, Horowhenua Library Trust is the birth

>> place of Koha and the longest serving member of the Koha community. Back in

>> 1999 when we were working on Koha, the idea that 12 years later we would be

>> having to write an email like this never crossed our minds. It is with

>> tremendous sadness that we must write this plea for help to you, the other

>> members of the Koha community.

>>

>> The situation we find ourselves in, is that after over a year of battling

>> against it, PTFS/Liblime have managed to have their application for a

>> Trademark on Koha in New Zealand accepted. We now have 3 months to object,

>> but to do so involves lawyers and money. We are a small semi rural Library

>> in New Zealand and have no cash spare in our operational budget to afford

>> this, but we do feel it is something we must fight.

>>

>> For the library that invented Koha to now have to have a legal battle to

>> prevent a US company trademarking the word in NZ seems bizarre, but it is at

>> this point that we find ourselves.

>>

>> So, we ask you, the users and developers of Koha, from the birth place of

>> Koha, please if you can help in anyway, let us know.

>>

>> Regards,

>>

>> Jo.

>>

>> --

>> Joann Ransom RLIANZA

>> Head of Libraries,

>> Horowhenua Library Trust.

>>

>>

>> _______________________________________________

>> Koha mailing list  http://koha-community.org

>> Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz

>> http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha

>>

>>

>

>

>

> --

> Jason Sherman

> Systems Librarian

> University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

> 405.574.1340

> _______________________________________________

> Koha mailing list  http://koha-community.org

> Koha at lists.katipo.co.nz

> http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha

>







--

Cary Gordon

The Cherry Hill Company

http://chillco.com



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