edx is an online course provider and recently it provided a course about Linux. One thing that was confusing is that it mentioned that they got permission from Canonical Ltd to use the word UBUNTU.
It is strange to me. If somebody makes a website and teaches UBUNTU, should they ask from Canonical for mentioning the word UBUNTU? What is the legal status of all tutorial websites? Do they have to get permission to mention a registered trademark? How about video tutorials on youtube?
Best Answer
Canonical have a couple of trademarks on the word "Ubuntu":
Normally speaking, to use a protected trademark (in the same usage category as it's registered), you need the permission of the trademark holder.
Ubuntu is slightly different in they want people to use their trademark but they do have rules, as set out in the Intellectual property rights policy (section 3):
Somebody providing a tutorials probably doesn't need to worry. Somebody providing Ubuntu-cobranded tutoring probably does.
IP law isn't an easy (or neccessarily logical) subject. Most of the conventions exist through threat of being civilly sued, not neccessarily because the law prescribes something. If you're using somebody else's trademark and you aren't sure if you're allowed to, you should probably ask them or talk to a real lawyer (not just some guy on the Internet).