An American software company has lost a bid to trademark the term koha in New Zealand.
A free software system called Koha was devised by the Horowhenua Library Trust 14 years ago. It is now widely used by libraries, churches, schools and corporations around the world.
But in 2011, a US company called Liblime attempted to trademark the term in New Zealand.
Catalyst IT, a software company based in Wellington which specialises in free and open source software, challenged the move.
Two years later, developer Chris Cormack said Catalyst was advised late last night that it has won the fight.