Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Josep L. Guallar-Esteve" <jlguallar AT maduixa.net>]

Hi,

This is not a joke.

AOL are complaining about me using plain descriptive English words. First I 
was in outrage. Then, I read again:

This is insane, abusing and inmoral. Oh, wait. We are talking about AOL and
Lawyers in the same sentence, so it makes perfect sense.

Anyway, I do not want to drop perfect descriptive English words to please 
insane, inmoral and abusing delusions of ownership by a corporation.

Next time, what will it be? Someone copyrighting the word "the"?

"Dear Sir,

Ron & Mor, attys for The THE, inc, informs you that you are using their 
trademarked word "the"(c) (tm)  in your pages. Please remove it from your 
pages or changed it by "(definite article in English goes here)" or pay a 
licensing fee of

BK$ 32.12
(thiry-two and 12  Bork Dollars)

per a usage of 100 "the""(c) (tm) word.

Best regards,
Ron & Mor, Attys for The THE, inc"


----------  Forwarded Message  ----------

Subject: Need your help: AOL whines about trademark on your pages
Date: Thursday 20 March 2003 08:31 am
From: Paul Jones <pjones AT metalab.unc.edu>
To: jlguallar AT maduixa.net

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 11:50:09 -0500 (EST)
From: Paul Jones <pjones AT metalab.unc.edu>
To: Josep L. Guallar-Esteve <sinner AT metalab.unc.edu>
Cc: labratz AT metalab.unc.edu
Subject: AOL whines about trademark on your pages

We just got a letter from Arent Fox, attys for AOL, telling us that your
page at http://ibiblio.org/sinner/video/messenger_en.html misuses the
words "Instant Messenger" their trademark. They are asking that you
instead use the generic term "real-time communication service" which is to
my mind confusing and opaque. I see from your pages that you are actually
referring to Microsoft Messenger so you would be in compliance and
accurate if you simply dropped the "Instant" from the pages.
Could you do that? If not, could you drop me a note telling me that you
plan to protest the claim of AOL to "Instant Messenger" in your use of the
phrase?
Also if you send me a snail-mail address, I will send you a copy of the
Arent Fox letter.

==========================================================================
                             Paul Jones
                    "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!"
http://www.ibiblio.org/pjones/ at the Site Formerly Known As MetaLab.unc.edu
  pjones AT ibiblio.org   voice: (919) 962-7600     fax: (919) 962-8071
===========================================================================

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