Significance of trademarks to open source projects made clear as Python calls for evidence

Last week the Python Software Foundation (PSF) – a non-profit organisation which manages licensing of the open source Python programming language – revealed its intention to oppose an application for the Community trademark PYTHON made by British company Our Holdings, based on its own claim on the term. While open source communities are oftentimes perceived to stand in opposition to more traditional forms of IP protection, PSF’s move shows the importance that brand can play in open source models.