Lindows Is Inspired To
Change Its Name
Little Lindows has decided that the best
way to fight Microsoft’s strategy of suing them everywhere over
their name (which Microsoft claims can be confused with Windows) is
to make this a non-issue. So
while Lindows waits for the U.S. courts to decide whether Microsoft
has a case, the Linux software house has decided to change its
world-wide brand and web site label to Linspire, compromising
between familiarity and legality.
The company will retain the Lindows name as its corporate
identity.
This will make it legal for them to
continue to sell products in the European countries where Microsoft
has pursued them.
We think that the Lindows faithful will
fine Linspire (with lots of help from the press, who loves
underdogs) and new customers are unlikely to care one way or
another. Partners know
who they are, in any case. The
product offering (OS and partner software) remains the same.
Web site content is migrating to the new name (give them a
little time – there’s lots to move).
Lindows will be high profile later this
week, sponsoring the second Linux Desktop Summit in San Diego,
starting tomorrow (I’ll be there, speaking on Barriers to the
Desktop Market). They
already attracted considerable attention earlier this week, filing
for a $57 million IPO.
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