Pithagoros wrote:The Arduino story is worse.
The founders were originally licensers of the design as Arduino LLC held the IP, manufacturing done by licence to partner companies. One of the partner companies (Smart Projects) secretly trademarked the Arduino name in Italy. When it all came out and the arguments started, Smart Projects changed their name to Arduino SRL refused to pay royalties and effectively nicked the Arduino name - whilst mimicking the Arduino logo design and website. I think LLC had the trademark in the US first and so it is still Arduino there, but Genuino elsewhere.
It is easy to suggest SRL inappropriately took or stole LLC's trademark for their own use, but it's not that simple. It is likely to only be settled by the upcoming court case but how settled, how internationally binding any ruling is, remains to be seen.
Both appear to have some legitimate basis for their respective claims and the courts will have to sort that out. It could be that the court rules each are right with each retaining the trademarks where registered. That might sort out the legal position but it won't resolve the acrimony and other issues.