EK9 Trademark policy

Introduction

EK9 is a registered trademark in the UK (UK00003593425). The aim of registering a trademark is to ensure that members of the public are protected (i.e. developers). The aim is not to protect the trademark holder.

Developers need to be assured that when they see the EK9 trademark any associated source code is in fact valid EK9 source code. This means that any use of the EK9 trademark that confuses the public (developers) is not permitted under trademark law.

The use of the EK9 trademark has to be policed and used appropriately to retain its value for members of the public (developers). The logo must not be altered in any way other than resizing (minimum 32x32 pixels).

Use

The intention is to enable the use of the EK9 name and logo as much as possible. Therefore 'written in EK9', 'built with EK9' and 'powered by EK9' are acceptable and encouraged, for any software, commercial or not. Naming EK9 when you offer services that run it - hosted builds and CI, online playgrounds, teaching, environments in which AI agents write EK9 - is also acceptable, and you may charge for those services. The use of the EK9 logo on web sites and documentation is also permitted. No written approval, and no payment, is required for any of this use.

Inappropriate Use

Neither the EK9 name nor logo (trademark) must be used:

• to refer to any other programming language (the official EK9 grammar defines the EK9 language)
• for a modified version of the EK9 compiler, tools or runtime: a fork must not be called EK9
• in a way that may imply association to unrelated artefacts (i.e. documents, tooling, etc.)
• in ways that may confuse members of the public (developers or other parties)
• to infer or allude to any endorsement of third party sites or persons by EK9 or its contributors

It is acknowledged that the name EK9 can be and is used in contexts other than software (Honda EK9 for example).

Requiring Approval

Approval is needed for merchandise (physical or electronic) carrying the EK9 name or logo, and for naming a product, service or tool "EK9 something" or otherwise making the EK9 name or logo part of its own name or branding. Ask at ek9lang@gmail.com; approval is free.

The EK9 licence

Where this policy and the EK9 licence differ, the licence applies.

Summary

The conditions for EK9 trademark are designed to promote EK9 as a programming language and restrict/inhibit damage to the trademark so as to protect developers that elect to use it.

Commercial activities surrounding EK9 are encouraged, but cannot be exploitative or damage the EK9 trademark.