Subject:
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Making fun of someone else's trademarks (was Lugnet for beginners
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 10 Mar 2000 19:36:33 GMT
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Reply-To:
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lpieniazek@novera.(stopspammers)com
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Viewed:
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686 times
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Definitely NOT saying it's illegal. I agree with K that it's covered by
fair use, no doubt. So you can spin that thread back down. :-)
But what I was saying was that Todd, as a trademark holder himself,
(remember, it's Lugnet(TM)), might not like it if someone made fun of
his trademark, but would have set a precedent by doing so himself.
That's all.
Lorbaat wrote:
>
> Moved to off-topic.debate
>
> In lugnet.admin.general, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > Todd Lehman wrote:
> >
> > > Excellent! I didn't know Internet Exploiter had that. Here's one thing
> > > I've
> > > been experimenting with in Netscrape Navigator...
> >
> > You know, I know you don't like these tools. But they *are* trademarked
> > names, and I feel you're diluting the trademark when you make fun of
> > them. You seem to do it just about every time too. Just something to
> > ponder.
> >
> > I work for a product company. It would be hypocritical of me to use
> > pirated software, but expect my customers not to pirate my software. At
> > least that's my opinion. Is there a parallel? You decide.
>
> Huh? Maybe there's some facet of trademark law I'm unfamiliar with, but how is
> *discussing* a product, even in negative terms, a trademark dilution?
>
> Are you seriously suggesting that saying something negative (even as in a
> parody) is somehow illegal? How is a review, even if contained to a two-word
> succint phrase, a trademark dilution?
>
> I would think a Libertarian would be a lot less quick to try to deny someone
> the right to their fair say. ;D
>
> And no, I don't think there's a parallel. Now, if Todd were making fun of your
> product, and basically letting people know he doesn't like it, *then* there's
> be a parallel... and I don't think that would be illegal (let's keep in mind
> that I can't keep Larry's employers straight, so I have no idea who he works
> for now vs who he's going to be working for in two weeks, so I have no idea
> what it is his company makes).
>
> eric
>
> PS In another direction, I'd like to know what graphical browser Todd *does*
> like, if not Netscape or MSIE.
--
Larry Pieniazek - lpieniazek@mercator.com - http://my.voyager.net/lar
http://www.mercator.com. Mercator, the e-business transformation company
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to lugnet.
Note: this is a family forum!
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Lugnet for beginners
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| Moved to off-topic.debate (...) Huh? Maybe there's some facet of trademark law I'm unfamiliar with, but how is *discussing* a product, even in negative terms, a trademark dilution? Are you seriously suggesting that saying something negative (even as (...) (25 years ago, 10-Mar-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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