Did Microsoft copy the Ubuntu Logo?

Remember those little widgets you had to put in the center of 45's to get them to play on a record player? http://members.aol.com/clctrmania/cm-adapt.html

Yeah... and I remember the 3-pointed star (on some cars), 3 lenses of the Martian eyes (in the 50's "War of the Worlds") and 3-bladed windmills as well. But none of them come close to the stylized version of the Ubuntu logo that Microsoft is using. I have the feeling that this is just the tip of the iceberg of what Microsoft will be doing with "free" and "open" software - taking the code, making small visual changes, putting it out as their own, and daring anyone to try to sue them about it. (After all, they've signed up some of the biggest names in the industry with "Covenants not to Sue" - sort of a NATO of software.) "Free" doesn't mean the same as "steal". It's a cooperative-thing, not a purloin-thing. They still just don't "get it".

Quoting:and daring anyone to try to sue them about it

I believe your right. That is why they are not going to sue for their IP they claim FOSS/Linux infringes on. They want FOSS to start first. They now FOSS is not tightly nit to come up with a unified effort unless FSF comes up with a plan acceptable to many and in the process they wont look as the big bad monster in the eyes of many.

I also believe that one reason they made the deals is to start dipping their toes in before having their own distro with their applications running on it.

>putting it out as their own, and daring anyone to try to sue them about it.

I'm not so sure. Microsoft has a miserable track record (not to mention lots of money out) in lawsuits against smaller companies.

Hey I have a great idea!!!!

Lets make a press release that talks about how M$ is violating our trade marked logo! In that same press release we could say that we refuse to tell them which logo they are infringing on! We would then close the press release with a statement like... we would take M$ to task but stand a good chance of loosing our tm based on prior art... so we will not be going that route.

What do you think?!?!?!?!

Ya... I guess your right it is a pretty lame idea huh....

:p

Note that the logo is for the Microsoft Alumni Network i.e. for those who have GRADUATED from Microsoft and are now ready for more advanced work with, for example, Ubuntu's GNU/Linux.