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  • From: "Shea Tisdale" <shea AT sheatisdale.com>
  • To: "Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/" <internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [internetworkers] [Not a joke] AOL is suing me!
  • Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 10:49:17 -0500

I would argue that instant messenger is so common a descriptive term for the
various generic "real-time communication services" that they would easily
lose the trademark if it went to court.

Are you going to change it?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Josep L. Guallar-Esteve" <jlguallar AT maduixa.net>
To: "Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/";
<internetworkers AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2003 10:33 AM
Subject: [internetworkers] [Not a joke] AOL is suing me!


> 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
>
===========================================================================
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
> --
> http://www.ibiblio.org/sinner/ Linux User # 89976
> Running on Mandrake Linux 9.0 - Kernel 2.4.19smp Linux Machine # 38068
>
>
> ---
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