It is still under construction and content may change. Do not rely on the information on this page. This page has not been approved by any legal authority. The official guidelines for using the Fedora trademarks are located here.
Use by Red Hat
Fedora® and the Infinity design logo are trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. Except as provided in these guidelines, you may not use "Fedora" or any confusingly similar mark as a trademark for your product, or use "Fedora" in any other manner that might cause confusion in the marketplace, including in advertising, on auction sites, or on software or hardware. Red Hat protects the Fedora trademarks on behalf of the entire Fedora community. As the trademark owner, Red Hat strives to use the trademarks under the same guidelines as the rest of the community.
Use by the Fedora Board
The Fedora Board oversees the trademark guidelines to ensure compliance by the community. The Board grants permission for uses requiring it, as explained below, where practical, and serves as the first line of mediation when questions of use arise.
Secondary Mark
This is a mark or set of marks that are separate and distinct from the official Fedora logo. They may be related by use of the word "Fedora," but are not to be mistaken for the official Fedora logo. The purpose of the secondary mark is to provide downstream distributors a means to indicate their work is derived from Fedora content, and thereby drive more interest in the Fedora Project itself.
Using the secondary mark may be premised on other requirements, such as a statement either in print or in another prominent location stating that end users are not receiving purely Fedora software, and letting them know where they can get official Fedora software.
Usage That Does Not Require Permission
Personal web sites
Alice wants to indicate her love for Fedora by putting the logo on her personal blog.
It is permissible to use the Fedora trademark and the Infinity design logo on personal websites to show your support for the Fedora Project, provided that:
- the use is not disparaging to Red Hat or to the Fedora Project
- the design logo hyperlinks to the Fedora Project website, http://fedoraproject.org/
- the use is in connection with promoting the Fedora Project
- the site indicates clearly that it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Red Hat or the Fedora Project
- To pass this test, a site must include the text "This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Red Hat, Inc., or the Fedora Project" prominently on any page that includes the Fedora trademarks.
- If the Fedora trademarks appear in a page header or any area that is designed to be presented on more than one page, than the notice must also be designed to be presented on all of those pages as well. (I.e., if the Fedora marks appear in a site-wide header, the informational text must appear in that header or an identically site-wide footer.)
- the site does not use visual styling that could be confusing to viewers or visitors as to whether the site is hosted by or on behalf of Red Hat or the Fedora Project
- the site does not use the Fedora trademarks to imply endorsement of or affiliation with any goods or services, other than the Fedora Project itself
Proper trademark symbols must be used in connection with the Fedora trademarks and the trademark attribution statement must appear as explained in Proper trademark use.
Business web sites
Bart wants to offer Fedora media for sale at his computer retail business' web site. Buck wants to have a prominent branded link to the Fedora Project on his business site, since he uses Fedora regularly to power his business. Bertha has a Linux consulting business and provides clients with services for Fedora systems.
It is permissible to use the Fedora trademark and the Infinity design logo on business web sites, provided that:
- the use is not disparaging to Red Hat or to the Fedora Project,
- the design logo hyperlinks to the Fedora Project website, http://fedoraproject.org/ ,
- the use is in connection with promoting the Fedora Project,
- the use does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by Red Hat or the Fedora Project, and
- the use of the Fedora trademarks does not imply endorsement of or affiliation with any non-Fedora goods or services.
Provided these guidelines are observed, it is permissible to use the Fedora trademarks to sell unmodified Fedora media, and to advertise services for Fedora-based systems (installation, configuration, troubleshooting, etc.)
Proper trademark symbols must be used in connection with the Fedora trademarks and the trademark attribution statement must appear as explained in Proper trademark use.
Business cards
Cathy wants to have a Fedora business card for trade shows to indicate she's an Ambassador.
It is permissible to use the Fedora trademarks without prior permission on business cards to identify one's affiliation with the Fedora Project, provided the business card follows the Fedora Ambassador Business card template located at INSERT URL HERE. Proper trademark symbols must be used in connection with the Fedora trademarks as explained in Proper trademark use.
Copies of official Fedora media
Dirk wants to make homemade labels for official Fedora media he's giving to other people.
It is permissible to use the Fedora trademarks without prior permission to label media containing unmodified copies of software officially released by the Fedora Project, provided proper trademark symbols are used in connection with the Fedora trademarks and the trademark attribution statement appears as explained in Proper trademark use.
Promotional events
Ethel wants to pass out fliers at an open source event and show that Fedora is represented there.
It is permissible to use the Fedora trademarks and Infinity design logo without prior permission to promote open source events where individuals in the Project appear as ambassadors, distribute Fedora media, or otherwise represent the project, provided:
- proper trademark symbols are used in connection with the Fedora trademarks as explained in Proper trademark use, and
- the official logo usage guidelines are strictly observed.
Distributing Fedora software
Hereinafter, "Spin" refers to a combination of software packages and other software on a medium used to boot or install a computer operating system similar to the media distributed in various forms by the Fedora Project. Examples of Spins but are not limited to:
- installation CDs and DVDs,
- live bootable CDs, DVDs, and USB devices, and
- any copies of those media in a format suitable for data interchange.
Unmodified Fedora software
Arnold wants to make a Spin that includes only software that's in the official Fedora repository.
Community members may use Fedora trademarks without prior permission, on and in conjunction with media that includes only software included in the official Fedora repositories, provided that proper trademark symbols are used in connection with the Fedora trademarks and the trademark attribution statement appears as explained in Proper trademark use.
Unmodified Fedora software, with other content separately on same physical medium
Cathy wants to make a Live USB key with a Live image that includes only Fedora software, but she also wants to place additional content (documents, non-Fedora software) on the same USB key but separate from the Fedora software.
Community members may use Fedora trademarks without prior permission, on and in conjunction with media that contains software included in the official Fedora repositories, along with other content that is not included in the official Fedora repositories (hereinafter "Other Content"), provided that:
- the Other Content does not substantially modify the content, configuration, or operation of the Fedora software without additional user intervention,
- the Other Content is labeled and distributed in a way that clearly indicates it is not part of the Fedora software provided on the media, and is not affiliated with, provided by, or supported by the Fedora Project,
- proper trademark symbols are used in connection with the Fedora trademarks as explained in Proper trademark use, and
- the official logo usage guidelines are strictly observed.
Usage That Requires Permission
Community members must obtain prior permission to use the secondary mark in the following situations.
Distributing combinations of Fedora software with non-Fedora or modified Fedora software
Betty wants to make a Spin that includes some software not included in the official Fedora repository.
Sarah has a spin that is 100% within the Fedora repository, but she is carrying several of her own patches, and including those in her re-spin.
Community members may request Board permission to use the secondary mark on and in conjunction with media that commingles unmodified Fedora software and Other Content, or that provides modified Fedora software, provided that:
- the Other Content is not disparaging of Red Hat or Fedora, and
- a notice is prominently displayed either on the physical media or, if the media is provided through electronic means, at the point of dissemination, indicating that:
- the software provided is not provided or supported by the Fedora Project, and
- official Fedora software is available through the Fedora Project website, and linking to the Fedora Project website at http://fedoraproject.org/ .
- proper trademark symbols are used in connection with the secondary mark as explained in Proper trademark use, and
- the official logo usage guidelines are strictly observed.
Domain names
Alexa wants to set up a domain called "fedora-rulez.org."
Community members may request from the Board a trademark license to use the Fedora trademarks in a domain name.
Non-software goods
Brent wants to sell Fedora-branded CD cases.
Community members may request from the Fedora Board a trademark license to use the Fedora trademarks on non-software related goods, services, or other entities.
Unapproved Use
The following uses are not approved under any foreseeable circumstances.
- Violations of the Logo Usage Guidelines or Trademark Usage Guidelines
- Any use not covered in these guidelines
- Use of the logo in ways that the Fedora Board or Red Hat deem unacceptable
The trademark owner retains and reserves all rights to the trademarks and their use.
Proper Trademark Use
One of the purposes of the Fedora® Project is to make a cutting-edge version of Linux® widely available in consistent format that the public can come to trust. To achieve this purpose it is important that the technology can quickly be identified and that the recipient knows the technology they are receiving is the official and unmodified version. Red Hat has chosen the Fedora® mark to identify this effort and is granting broad usage rights in that trademark in order to assure widespread availability.
Usage Guidelines
- Always distinguish trademarks from surronding text with at least initial capital letters or in all capital letters.
- Always use proper trademark form and spelling.
- Never use a trademark as a noun. Always use a trademark as an adjective modifying the noun. [Should give some helpful examples of good and bad use.]
- Acceptable: Download a Fedora distribution here.
- Unacceptable: Download Fedora here.
- Never use a trademark as a verb. Trademarks are products or services, never actions.
- Never modify a trademark to a plural form. Instead, change the generic word from the singular to the plural.
- Never translate a trademark into another language.
- Never use trademarks to coin new words or names.
- Never alter a trademark in any way including through unapproved fonts or visual identifiers.
- Never use or register any trademarks that are confusingly similar to, or a play on, the word Fedora.
- Never combine your company name with the Fedora name or use the Fedora name in a way that it could be perceived that Red Hat and your company have an organizational link such as a joint venture.
- Never use the Fedora trademarks in a disparaging manner or in a manner that infringes Red Hat trademark rights or violates any federal, state, or international law.
- Never use terminology that states or implies that the Fedora Project assumes any responsibility for the performance of your products and services.
- Never abbreviate or use any Fedora trademarks as an acronym.
- The Fedora Infinity design logo must be hyperlinked to (http://fedoraproject.org/), in contexts where such a hyperlink is technically feasible.
- When using the Fedora trademark or the Fedora Infinity design logo you must provide the proper trademark symbols and a trademark attribution statement.
Logo Trademarks
For more information about the requirements for logo size, appearance, placement, and other considerations, refer to the logo usage guidelines page.