Embattled Lindows.com, which has been wrestling in the courts for two years with Microsoft over trademark issues, on Wednesday changed the name of its Linux desktop operating system from LindowsOS to Linspire.
"Maybe [the new name] is playing off of 'inspire,'" theorized Dan Kusnetzky, vice president of IDC's systems software team. "Or maybe they're playing off 'perspire' or even 'expire.' I doubt it's 'expire' though."
In fact, the new name comes by combining "Linux" with "spire," as in "pinnacle," said Lindows in a statement on its Web site. The company's notched "L," which is used in its logo and branded onto boxed versions of its products, will also be retained, the San Diego company said.
"The name change is interesting," added Kusnetzky. "I suspect it's a statement [by Lindows] that they don't have the time or money to compete with Microsoft across the world over their name."
That's exactly what Lindows said. The name change was made to end Microsoft's international legal attacks, Lindows acknowledged. Microsoft has sued Lindows in several countries, including the U.S., claiming that the company's products are trading off its Windows name.
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