The trademark of Python will remain free after a copyright issue was resolved due to a withdrawn request by hosting solution company Veber.
HumanIPO reported last month on the ongoing Python saga, with South African Python expert Simon Cross deeming the issue as overblown.
The case was greeted with overwhelming international protest from python programmers, who use the word freely in their occupations, as United Kingdom-based PO Box Hosting Limited filed for a European trademark for cloud services supplied through python.co.uk
The matter has been resolved as the company, trading under Veber, withdrew their requests.
Speaking to HumanIPO, Simon de la Rouviere, co-founder for hacking event hackSTB, said: “Python is far more known as a programming language than for Veber’s services.
“As a company you have to protect your trademarks though, otherwise you risk losing them, so I don’t blame Veber for what they did. It seems a bit short-sighted though to call one of your tech-related services after one of the world’s top programming languages.”
Van Lindberg, chairman of the Python Software Foundation (PSF), said: “We are happy to come to an agreement with Veber.”
The agreement between PSF and Veber will lead to Veber’s rebranding of the Python cloud server and backup services, with rebranding following later under a name yet to be announced.
Current Python services will remain available under www.veber.co.uk and will also be accessible to European users.
Tim Poultney, managing director of PO Box Hosting and Veber, said: “This agreement will remove potential confusion between the Python software language and our cloud services business.”
Poultney added: “Veber are pleased to have reached a speedy and amicable agreement with the Python Software Foundation.”
Expressing the foundation’s gratitude for the conclusion reached, Van Lindberg said: “What the PSF wants most is to support the global community of Python developers.
“To Veber’s credit, they were willing to recognise the Python brand without protracted negotiations.”
The PSF has also expressed its appreciation of the letter campaign and support to appeal to the European Union (EU) during the ongoing negotiations.
