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 Off-Topic / Debate / 4749
4748  |  4750
Subject: 
Making fun of someone else's trademarks (was Lugnet for beginners
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Fri, 10 Mar 2000 19:36:33 GMT
Reply-To: 
lpieniazek@noveraAVOIDSPAM.com
Viewed: 
593 times
  
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!



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Lugnet for beginners
 
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 (...) (24 years ago, 10-Mar-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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