MODX Core development team abandoning MODX development as 1st priority? Please read!

Quote from: yannicklombart at Apr 02, 2013, 08:09 AM

Quote from: sottwell at Apr 02, 2013, 07:49 AM

http://modxvideotutorials.com/

I know this site well, yes. It helped me alot when I started modx.

[snip]
Create a blog from scratch with modx containing 10 separate videos with all the different steps) all in modx' name. It would make the modx brand alot stronger no?

Also Modx should have a style guide like http://bit.ly/9oksav. It would make the brand much more consistent I think.

That's interesting, bearing in mind the previous problems some folks here had with using the MODX brand: they were asked *not* to do so. So I followed your link and then found the Worpress Foundation trademark policy which makes it clear that you can use the trademark in various ways.

We will grant permission to use the WordPress name and logo for projects that meet the following criteria:
* The primary purpose of your project is to promote the spread and improvement of the WordPress software.
* Your project is non-commercial in nature (it can make money to cover its costs or contribute to non-profit entities, but it cannot be run as a for-profit project or business).
* Your project neither promotes nor is associated with entities that currently fail to comply with the GPL license under which WordPress is distributed.

…

The abbreviation “WP” is not covered by the WordPress trademarks and you are free to use it in any way you see fit.

It's more permissive than MODX's current trademark policy

MODX will grant certain individuals, groups or organizations a license to use MODX Trademarks when it is not for any commercial gain whatsoever, and intended to grow and spread the MODX Ecosystem. MODX may further grant a trademark license for a fee on a case by case basis

I'd strongly recommend a more permissive model like WordPress are doing - MODX should be enabling the community! [ed. note: jim.killock last edited this post 11 years, 1 month ago.]

MODX's Trademark policy is nearly identical to that of WordPress in it's aim and intent. That being said there is some language that could be more clear. If you are a MODX shop selling MODX services, by all means you can use the logo in your marketing materials.

In neither case is it okay to use the name in your top level domain and this has to do with trademark protection and licensing. That's not to say that people haven't registered domains with MODX in them. From the Wordpress Trademark policy:

Similarly, it’s OK to use the WordPress or WordCamp logo as part of a page that describes your products or services, but it is not OK to use it as part of your company or product logo or branding itself. Under no circumstances is it permitted to use WordPress or WordCamp as part of a top-level domain name.

We've seen some interesting and clever combinations with mdx, mod, x and mx and these are all okay. I've had to have a good share of calls to let people down on this. We don't have a chance to do this in all cases.

Our intent is to provide as much ability for you to promote the work you do related to MODX, promote MODX and help expose as many people to MODX as possible in a way that doesn't create any confusion about what's official and not. [ed. note: smashingred last edited this post 11 years, 1 month ago.]

I understand the trademark policy as MODX is fledgling and no doubt the Powers that Be felt they need to retain total control. However I can't help admitting that we didn't do as much in the tutorial writing arena as we would have had we been allowed to move forward with modxbeginners. It might have eventually become a full-time gig for us to write if we could have followed the content marketing model we wanted to pursue, with revenue from advertising. It is what it is, we won't pursue that path again even if it opens up. We've moved on.

I will say I know that not all the leaders agreed with the decision/policy.

All I will say about it is I've found trust to be more growth-inducing than not.

If you have a group of people who want to write about your product and promote it daily, you might let them.

Quote from: smashingred at Apr 02, 2013, 01:56 PM

In neither case is it okay to use the name in your top level domain.

If thats the case then, would you like to buy the domain modx.co.uk off me?

Protecting the modx trademark is the only option the guys have, this is standard practice with open source projects. It might seem heavy handed, but it stops a unofficial domain name (that could contain anything) confusing people and damaging the modx brand. [ed. note: eighthday last edited this post 11 years, 1 month ago.]

Couldn't Modx itself provide the platform on the modx site as a subdomain for example like rtfm.modx.com? modx101.modx.com (being creative with domain names here :-S )

That way they can control content/payements/authors/courses and what not...

Quote from: eighthday at Apr 03, 2013, 12:02 PM

Protecting the modx trademark is the only option the guys have, this is standard practice with open source projects. It might seem heavy handed, but it stops a unofficial domain name (that could contain anything) confusing people and damaging the modx brand.

But where is the Creative Freedom?

Quote from: malcomreno at Apr 03, 2013, 02:19 PM

Quote from: eighthday at Apr 03, 2013, 12:02 PM

Protecting the modx trademark is the only option the guys have, this is standard practice with open source projects. It might seem heavy handed, but it stops a unofficial domain name (that could contain anything) confusing people and damaging the modx brand.

But where is the Creative Freedom?

In the application itself. A slogan can't give you the freedom to ignore trademark use arbitrarily.

Did you get your sense of humour bypass on the NHS or privately?

Read the last sentence of "Using MODX Trademarks" (http://modx.com/policy/trademarks/):

Trademark Licensing
MODX will grant certain individuals, groups or organizations a license to use MODX Trademarks when it is not for any commercial gain whatsoever, and intended to grow and spread the MODX Ecosystem. MODX may further grant a trademark license for a fee on a case by case basis. If you would like to inquire about licensing MODX Trademarks, please contact us.

So, if you are a usergroup and want to shout out your love for MODX – contact the guys and they will work something out. If you are a company selling MODX "whatever product/service", think of a different URL – but contact the guys anyway to make sure.

JUST TALK TO THE GUYS!

And now let's go back to the interesting stuff. ;-)