Gaim becomes Pidgin [LWN.net]

Gaim becomes Pidgin

Posted Apr 8, 2007 19:10 UTC (Sun) by khim (subscriber, #9252)
In reply to: Gaim becomes Pidgin by tetromino
Parent article: Gaim becomes Pidgin

Back then, AOL's product was called "AOL Instant Messenger", no acronym.

Suure... Let me refresh your memory:
---
Installing the AOL Instant Messenger (SM) Software
After you have downloaded AIM, install the service onto your computer:
1. Locate the AIM95 setup file that you downloaded to your system, and double-click it to start the installation process.
By default, the installer stores the AOL Instant Messenger (SM) in your Program Files directory in the AIM95 folder.
2. Follow the installation instructions on your screen.
---
Can you guess when this instruction was written ? Right:1995 year. May be AIM acronym was not trademarked then but sure as hell it was used extensively in supporting documentation, help and elsewhere. Full name was used from time to time, but AIM acronym was used as well.

Of course it does not mean it can be trademarked and used to force GAIM developers to rename the project.

AOL wasn't protecting its intellectual property. It stole GAIM's.

Oh, here I agree 100%. Either there are confusion between AIM and GAIM - and then AIM can not be trademarked at all because GAIM was in use for years before AIM was trademarked. Or there are no confusion between AIM and GAIM - and then it means GAIM is free to continue.

(Log in to post comments)

Gaim becomes Pidgin

Posted Apr 9, 2007 13:02 UTC (Mon) by superstoned (subscriber, #33164) [Link]

Well, GAIM seams to mean Gnu AIM, and I can see why AOL doesn't like that.
I'm not sure what I think about it, but I can't say I'm totally opposed to
them enforcing a namechange for GAIM.