On Wed, Feb 01, 2006 at 09:18:10PM -0500, Nathanael Nerode wrote: > Henning Makholm <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Does the use of a trademark word to refer unambiguously to a specific > > technical protocol in package descriptions and documentation (that is, > > not in marketing materials) even require a trademark license? I know > > that it certainly does not in Denmark, but of course that does not say > > anything about the rest of the world. > > It does not in the US either, last time I checked. > > The legitimate purpose of a trademark is to prevent confusion about the > origin > of the good (or service), and this sort of usage doesn't cause confusion.
Many trademarked logos are used a bit differently: sometimes with a license fee, or to indicate having passed a test suite, or some other kind of approval, like ESRB ratings. It's also to "prevent confusion", but not regarding the product's origin. Of course, the same principle applies; I don't think trademark prevents me from saying "this is the ESRB logo indicating 'Teen': <img>". -- Glenn Maynard -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
