IllFonic's Nexuiz

[Kedhrin]

Alien Trap owns a trademark for "Nexuiz".

Not really. As already stated they've aquired partial right through use, this only applies to the US.

I've checked with both the United States Patent and Trademark Office and with The Trademarks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union. The name Nexuiz is not registered in any way. Meaning anyone can just go and take it.

There are some problems in the US law to prohibit this (although no matter what the law says, it's ALWAYS the side with the most money winning...) but this does not apply for the EU.

So we could use this name too right? at least in EU.

We never said you guys have to change the name. We refer to it as GPL Nexuiz 100% for context in conversation. We are changing this on the main web-site now but it takes a while to do changes to our web-site because it is done through a web-firm. The icon for the web-site redirect is being moved to the top right corner of the page and will resize with the web-site, being changed to "Original Nexuiz for PC". I don't know when this will be updated but i imagine sometime next week.

[Kedhrin]

I'm pretty much doubt Urcscumug is form Illfonic, don't be paranoid.

I wasnt suggesting he was from IllFonic. Im thinking this guy has been instructed to tell us this information at the request of IllFonic.

I'm not that big of a pussy to have someone fight my fights for me. I may request people to help me talk to people - but I will do it with them and not send in a spy.

[Ilaith]

I'm not that big of a pussy to have someone fight my fights for me. I may request people to help me talk to people - but I will do it with them and not send in a spy.

Ok seems like you really need help with public relations. Let me rephrase that for you:

Code: Select all

"As Urcscumug has already told you he is not connected to Illfonic in any way. We're sorry if we have given you the impression that we are trying to infiltrate the community, I can assure you that we would never even think of anything like that. Currently I am the only Illfonic operative posting on the forums and I'll  be sure to announce when others will join us. Regards /Kendhrin"

One of the problems we're facing is communication. It's a flaw that exists on BOTH sides of the discussion. Let's try fixing that.

[C.Brutail]

BS, why should he reply that way? Why should he appologise for that paranoid cryout?
The way he reacted is totally sane, I'd do the same.

I know feelings are very bad towards Illfonic and Kedhrin, but I ask everybody just to calm down before hitting any fucking letter on the keyboard, and posting it to the forum.
Do I have to remind everybody, that this is still the Nexuiz forum, and while the board is very heated, PROPER MODERATION IS STILL AT PLACE?
Do me a favor pls and don't post aggressive bullshit around, so I can read the forums the way I used to, so I can read a post because I'm interested in it, and not because I have to fear somebody has posted something utterely aggressive!

Thank you.

[Ilaith]

BS, why should he reply that way? Why should he appologise for that paranoid cryout?
The way he reacted is totally sane, I'd do the same.

While the reaction might appear sane to you, in my opinion it is rather rude. For a company that is going to have/has customers public relations are important. Good Public relations usually don't equal being rude. It's also interesting you would consider doing the same in regard to the rest of what you posted.

I know feelings are very bad towards Illfonic and Kedhrin, but I ask everybody just to calm down before hitting any fucking letter on the keyboard, and posting it to the forum.
Do I have to remind everybody, that this is still the Nexuiz forum, and while the board is very heated, PROPER MODERATION IS STILL AT PLACE?
Do me a favor pls and don't post aggressive bullshit around, so I can read the forums the way I used to, so I can read a post because I'm interested in it, and not because I have to fear somebody has posted something utterely aggressive!

Does this apply to moderators aswell? Because quite honestly that was very aggressively written (I highlighted some words that were really unnecessary). If I'd have the time I would rephrase that aswell.

In my opinion this just proves my point:

One of the problems we're facing is communication. It's a flaw that exists on BOTH sides of the discussion. Let's try fixing that.

[a_grue]

Much has been said about the issue, so I'll try to keep it short. There are three possible plans to consider:


Plan A:
1. Move the project out of AlienTrap.
2. Change the name.
3. Establish a new project infrastructure.
4. Do the Slashdot dance.
5. PROFIT!

Advantages of plan A:
1. If we want to remain a FOSS project, we shouldn't allow any pro-money, anti-freedom entity to control or influence our future. AlienTrap has shown itself to be such an entity (as opposed to a non-profit maintenance organization that most of us thought it was). Refusing to stay under its hood is The Right Thing to do.
2. Publicity generated at step 4 can alleviate the damage that we will suffer due to the name change.
3. We can use this opportunity to improve the development process. E.g. make the project more open for new developers.
4. The proud feeling of doing The Right Thing will surely improve morale.

Disadvantages of plan A:
1. Three members of the Nexuiz project, which are affiliated with IllFonic, will suffer publicity damage. It is also possible that IllFonic, seeing all the bad publicity, will halt the project, which would harm these members' earnings and perhaps carrier.
2. Most likely, IllFonic will feel upset about this course of events and decline to release any of its work on FeeNex for use in FreeNex.
3. It is likely that LordHavoc and morfar will be lost to the community as contributors.

Side note: There is a slight chance that everyone, including IllFonic, will agree for this to happen, if we promise to avoid generating negative publicity (in other words, cancel step #4). That would eliminate all disadvantages, at the cost of advantage #2. It is, however, unclear, how much do "we" really control the amount of negative publicity.



Plan B:
1. Force IllFonic/Vermeulen to do the 50/50 division of the website.
2. Bargain as much as we can out of IllFonic and accept the few bones they throw at us as a compensation of the damage.
3. Change the name.
4. ???

Advantages of Plan B:
1. Backports of FeeNex's features into FreeNex.
2. LH and morfar remain grateful contributors.
3. Commercial employment opportunities for additional developers. (However FeeNex is probably going to fail, so I wouldn't hold my breath.)

Disadvantages of Plan B:
1. Open Source/Free Software project becomes Open Source/Shareware (BTW, have you seen our cool PS3 version?).
2. Despite the name change, FreeNex will still appear to be a lame version of FeeNex. What a casual gamer will think: "If a company releases two versions of the same project, with one of them being free and another commercial, which game is better? Ugh, I see: FreeNex is deprecated."
3. Persistent rage among many community members and negative publicity for caving in. (Yup, paperclips is right, it will still reach Slashdot.)
4. Chance of fork by those irresponsible GPL commie freaks.
5. Unclear long-term effects. Loss of name recognition and competition from the neighboring FeeNex can destroy the project.



Plan C:
1. Don't change the name.
2. ???
3. OMG PONIES!

[C.Brutail]

While the reaction might appear sane to you, in my opinion it is rather rude. For a company that is going to have/has customers public relations are important. Good Public relations usually don't equal being rude. It's also interesting you would consider doing the same in regard to the rest of what you posted.

...

Does this apply to moderators aswell? Because quite honestly that was very aggressively written (I highlighted some words that were really unnecessary). If I'd have the time I would rephrase that aswell.

In my opinion this just proves my point:

One of the problems we're facing is communication. It's a flaw that exists on BOTH sides of the discussion. Let's try fixing that.

Well, in my point of view I'd rather talk to somebody who talks to me in a natural way, expressing all his feelings, than in an elitist, formal way.
And yes, this applies to moderators like me aswell, but like I've said above, I'd rather talk in my natural way, thank you.
You can read back all my posts, just to find out how much time I'm enraged by stupidity (good luck for that, I'm a pretty much relaxed poster... oh yeah, I know somebody will come up with the IRC log from yesterday, or when that guy has shown up to email a professor )
But thank you for correcting me.

[parasti]

Much has been said about the issue, so I'll try to keep it short. There are three possible plans to consider:

...

Plan C:
1. Don't change the name.
2. ???
3. OMG PONIES!

Isn't that like... doing nothing? In which case, plans A and B can still be put in motion, so there's really A and B, not A, B and C. I'm overthinking it, right? :P

[Ilaith]

Isn't that like... doing nothing? In which case, plans A and B can still be put in motion, so there's really A and B, not A, B and C. I'm overthinking it, right?

I think doing nothing and just let things happen should qualify as an alternative aswell, even though I'm not particularly fond of it.

[a_grue]

Much has been said about the issue, so I'll try to keep it short. There are three possible plans to consider:

...

Plan C:
1. Don't change the name.
2. ???
3. OMG PONIES!

Isn't that like... doing nothing? In which case, plans A and B can still be put in motion, so there's really A and B, not A, B and C. I'm overthinking it, right?

Delay is tantamount to death. (C) Peter I, a tzar of Russia