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I like the service, but is it OK to use the github name like this?


I launched rawgithub.com before GitHub announced their official policy discouraging projects from using "github" in their name. I really, really liked the simplicity of just deleting the dot in "raw.github.com" to get a rawgithub.com URL.

I've tried to make it very clear that rawgithub.com is in no way endorsed by or associated with GitHub in the hopes that there won't be any confusion, but naturally I'd change the name if GitHub asked me to. I definitely don't want to tromp on their trademark.


Looks like no, it's trademarked: http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4802:zp...

Since Mr. Grove (and by extension, his website) is based on USA, it is eligible to be sued (in fact they have to protect their copyright or risk rendering it de-facto invalid).


They have to defend their trademark, not their copyright.


That's what I meant


Yes, but protecting their trademark in this case is allowed to be, "Hello, we need you to license our trademark if you are going to use it. We won't charge you. Please e-sign this short and not overly lawyered document."


That is a "naked license" and would likely result in github losing their trademark, as they would be abandoning it by not controlling the nature and quality of services provided by the licensee. (SFW: http://www.ivanhoffman.com/naked.html)




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