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The only fine point that I see you're missing is that you
*should* not use a trademark in the possessive. But you
certainly *can* and many people do, either because they are
not aware of the finer points of trademark law or they find
it awkward to write "the Microsoft company's software" v.
"Microsoft's software". I've even slipped a time or two
myself, because the possessive is so much easier to write
*and* read.
Trademarks that have been "damaged" by misuse include
asprin, xerox, kleenex, ...
>
> Hi, guys...I've always gone on the premise that you cannot make a
> trademarked term a possessive. This was corroborated to me by the SUN
> Style Guide. I quote:
>
> "Never use trademarks in the possessive or the plural." (page 62)
>
> Even in the MMOS, page 239, it says "Because legally a trademark is an
> adjective, Microsoft trademarks should not be used as verbs or nouns or
> in the possessive or plural form."
>
> So, I always thought it was correct to write "Microsoft's", but not
> "Microsoft Word's"
>
> With me so far??
>
> I thought so, until I came across numerous instances on the Microsoft
> web site where it states that "Microsoft is a trademark", yet on the
> same page, uses "Microsoft's".
>
> Am I right on this and their web site writers don't follow it correctly,
> or is there some fine point I'm missing?
