On Wed, 02 Jul 2003 13:24, you wrote: > This also has implecations for using "red hat" at our > install fests!!
Don't forget that under US law a trademark has to be vigourously defended otherwise you lose the right to use it as such, and the word or symbol reverts to the universal vocabulary, e.g. "Jeep" now means "A 4x4 drive ruggedised small car", whether or not it's been defended. "Thermos" is another one. The last thing any purveyor of goods wants is for this to happen to his product. Think of the consequences for Coca-Cola if Pepsi was allowed to sell Coke because it had become an ordinary word in the lexicon. If Coca-Cola fail to defend their Coke trademark and that failure to defend can be proven, then Pepsi can take it over quite legally. AFAIK, but IANAL, this is not the case in NZ. Once you have been given a Trade Mark registration here in NZ, it's yours to keep for ever. This is a case of a bunch of arrogant Americans ignorently and incorrectly applying their laws in a foreign juristiction. They need to be told politely to enroll for a personal taxidermy session. -- C. S.
