From the outset, Apple has been clear that Mac OS X is based on core Unix technology. A San Francisco, Calif.-based company called The Open Group claims that Apple is in violation of their trademark and has sued the company, according to CNET. What’s more, Apple has countersued, claiming that Unix is a generic term.
CNET’s Ian Fried reports that the case, which is a year and a half old, has not yet gone to trial — although a motion has been filed in court this week to enable the companies to exchange documents this summer, with a trial to follow early next year.
The Open Group owns the Unix trademark and has a licensing program for use of the name. The Open Group also sports a testing program to certify that Unix-based operating systems comply with its own standards. The company’s licensing program maxes out at US$110,000, according to the report, so money is not apparently the overriding issue.
Court papers filed by Apple claim that the Unix trademark is not being used in connection with Mac OS X, and that Unix is being used as a “generic term” to describe an aspect or feature of the operating system.