OpenWrt

Trademark

Trademarks

OpenWrt is committed to protecting and ensuring consistent usage of its trademark, logos, and styles, while also making it easier for any bona fide user to use them. The OpenWrt trademark is a registered United States trademark of the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC), managed by the OpenWrt project.

The OpenWrt trademark was first registered on 30 December 2014, and has been in use since October 2003.

Trademark policy

Version 1.0 — Published 10 October 2016

Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) owns a number of trademarks in both word and logo form, including brands, slogans, and styles. This policy encompasses all marks, in word and logo form, collectively referred to as the OpenWrt trademarks.

The objectives of this trademark policy are:

  1. to encourage widespread use and adoption of the OpenWrt trademarks;
  2. to clarify proper usage of OpenWrt trademarks by third parties;
  3. to prevent misuse of OpenWrt trademarks that can confuse or mislead users with respect to OpenWrt or its affiliates.

It is not the goal of this policy to limit commercial activity around OpenWrt. We encourage businesses to work on OpenWrt while being compliant with this policy.

The following sections set out guidelines for the proper use of OpenWrt trademarks by publishers and other third parties. Any use of, or reference to, OpenWrt trademarks that is inconsistent with these guidelines, or any other unauthorized use, or use of marks that are confusingly similar to OpenWrt trademarks, is prohibited and may violate OpenWrt trademark rights.

Any use of OpenWrt trademarks in a misleading or false manner, or in a manner that disparages OpenWrt — such as untruthful advertising — is always prohibited.

When you can use the OpenWrt trademarks without asking permission

  1. To make true factual statements about OpenWrt, or to truthfully communicate compatibility with your product.
  2. When your intended use qualifies as nominative fair use — i.e., merely identifying that you are talking about OpenWrt, without suggesting sponsorship or endorsement.
  3. To describe or advertise your services or products relating to OpenWrt in a way that is not misleading.
  4. To describe OpenWrt in articles, titles, or blog posts.
  5. To make t-shirts, desktop wallpapers, caps, or other merchandise with OpenWrt trademarks for non-commercial use.
  6. To make merchandise with OpenWrt trademarks for commercial use. We recommend that you truthfully advertise to customers what part of the selling price, if any, will be donated to the OpenWrt project. See the donations page for how to donate.

When you can NEVER use the OpenWrt trademarks without asking permission

  1. In any way that suggests an affiliation with or endorsement by the OpenWrt project or community, if that is not true.
  2. In a company or organization name, or as the name of a product or service.
  3. In a name that is confusingly similar to OpenWrt trademarks.
  4. In a domain name, with or without commercial intent.

How to use the OpenWrt trademarks

  1. Use the OpenWrt trademarks in a manner that makes it clear your project is related to the OpenWrt project, but is not part of it, produced by it, or endorsed by it.
  2. Acknowledge the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC)’s ownership of the OpenWrt trademark prominently. Example: [TRADEMARK] is a (registered, if applicable) trademark owned by Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC).
  3. Include a disclaimer of sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement by OpenWrt on your website and on all related printed materials. Example: X PROJECT is not affiliated with OpenWrt. OpenWrt is a registered trademark owned by Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC).
  4. Distinguish the OpenWrt trademarks from the surrounding words by italicizing, bolding, or underlining them.
  5. Use the OpenWrt trademarks in their exact form — neither abbreviated nor hyphenated, and not combined with any other word or words.
  6. Do not create acronyms using the OpenWrt trademarks.
  7. Always include a reference to https://openwrt.org, either in written form or as a hyperlink.

Permission to use

When in doubt about the use of OpenWrt trademarks, or to request permission for uses not allowed by this policy, please email contact@openwrt.org with subject Trademark Use Request. Be sure to include the following in the body of your message:

  • Name of the user
  • Name of the organization or project
  • Purpose of use (commercial / non-commercial)
  • Nature of use

Newer versions of this policy

This policy may be revised from time to time; updated versions will be available at Trademark.

Guidelines for using logos

  • See OpenWrt logos and graphical guidelines: openwrt.org/docs/guide-graphic-designer/openwrt-logo.
  • Do not use the OpenWrt logos as part of your company or product logo or branding. They may be used as part of a page describing your products or services.
  • You do not need to ask permission to use the logo on your own website solely as a hyperlink to the OpenWrt project website.

For any queries with respect to these guidelines, email contact@openwrt.org. The contact mailbox is not always well monitored — if you do not receive an answer or your inquiry is important, please use the public mailing list openwrt-adm@lists.openwrt.org.