Today, we have adopted a new trademark policy for the Zcash trademarks that reflects the growing decentralization of the Zcash ecosystem.
The new trademark policy is shorter, simpler, narrower in scope, more permissive, and eliminates the trademarks’ role in Zcash governance.
You can read the full policy here.
[Speaking for myself.]
Thanks for publishing this! Looks good to me.
By the way, Trademark policy - Zcash Foundation links to zips/rendered/protocol/protocol.pdf at f3d5eb0858ef310611d1ea2f91fca586134818e9 · zcash/zips · GitHub which isn’t rendered properly by GitHub.
To link to the PDF file at a particular commit hash directly (which renders correctly in most browsers), use an URL of the form https://raw.githubusercontent.com/zcash/zips/f3d5eb0858ef310611d1ea2f91fca586134818e9/rendered/protocol/protocol.pdf .
The activation block hash of the most recent “settled” network upgrade (currently NU5) is always here: https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf#networks
You must not claim that your software is compatible with Zcash unless your software complies with the Zcash Protocol Specification, published at
https://github.com/zcash/zips/blob/main/rendered/protocol/protocol.pdf
This URL should be https://zips.z.cash/protocol/protocol.pdf . It’s shorter and would remain stable even if we stopped using GitHub, or if the directory structure of zcash/zips changed (as it has in the past).
when clicking “request trademark use” here:
https://zfnd.org/trademark-policy/
I am directed to sign into a Google account. Please add a privacy preserving option to review what information you are requesting from those wishing to use the trademark.
While I appreciate the stated efforts to become less restrictive I feel the new policy is still quite onerous. For example why would a logo for decentralized cryptocurrency require a link to a centralized domain name?
The Logos hyperlink to https://z.cash/;
It is also clear that you knowingly sometimes choose to overlook these restrictions (a number of exchanges ignore your hyperlink requirement).
Will selective enforcement remain the status quo going forward? There appears to be some ambiguities in the policy and a lot of subjectivity in the enforcement thereof.
I agree, a privacy preserving option would be ideal. I’ll add this to the list of process changes we’re making (both internal and external) to improve efficiency and privacy.
We focus our enforcement efforts on scams and new trademark registrations that directly impact Zcash users. When we talk with external partners we encourage them to follow the policy but we’ll only take official enforcement action when there is a clear threat to user funds or a clear potential for confusion regarding the offending logo or word mark and the Zcash trademarks.
Thank you very much! Im glad you see the benefit of increasing proliferation of privacy friendly practices across the Zcash ecosystem (since privacy is what interests almost all of us in Zcash in the first place).
Until this is done can you please post in the forum what is hidden behind the Google Account paywall?
How can we pretend that Zcash is decentralized privacy focused community when people that want to request the use of the trademark cannot even see what is required without creating a Google Account?
Thank you for posting this. Unfortunately it confirms my anti privacy and centralization fears.
Why do you require a name? Do you not think it important for the Zcash community to include anonymous or pseudonymous members that actively use and promote Zcash?
You don’t need to know the name of everyone that uses them to make efforts to protect Zcash trademarks:
Limiting use of the trademark only to those willing to sacrifice their privacy severely hampers Zcash adoption, usage and community growth.
Please rethink this. Many people share my opinion, but unfortunately a large number have already given up on Zcash and left due to concerns about anti privacy practices and centralized control.
It is not too late to course correct and turn things around. Bitcoin and other more decentralized communities do not have this problem. Please stop the self sabotage of Zcash through centralized control.
We are working on a new form solution and we will notify the community once it’s up and running.
Aside from removing the Google Account requirement are you planning to discuss with the community the requirements for community members to use the trademark? What about removing the requirement for community members to dox themselves (by requiring name disclosure) to use the trademark?
I am not seeing community engagement here, just centralized control.
So you want enter into a legally binding agreement with the ZF to use the trademark but not disclose your legal identity? You can’t have complete anonymity and a TM agreement at the same time because it would be unenforceable and thereby null.
That was just one element of what you posted (hidden behind the Google Account paywall). To answer tour question YES I think null and avoid agreements with anonymous parties would be a huge improvement over the status quo.
You have ignored my concerns about not engaging the community on these trademark issues. Why not post drafts of proposed agreement changes before deciding on amendments?
The Google paywall issue never would have happened in the first place if trademark decision making wasn’t so centralized.
Do you really believe it is a good thing that it is much harder for community members to contribute to Zcash than Bitcoin (which does not have the same centralized trademark control)? Building a Zcash focused website or service is much harder (for those that value privacy) than doing the same for Bitcoin in part because of the centralized trademark control.
The often cited value a trademark has relates to naming rights of a potential fork. Based on how well Ethereum and Bitcoin have done (in community growth and usage) relative to Ethereum classic and Bitcoin cash I don’t see that risk as big concern for Zcash either.
Please help the Zcash community grow instead of hindering it. There have been multiple promising Zcash projects ideas that never came to be (or were built with other blockchains) in large part because of these issues.
