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----- Original Message -----
From: <eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com>
> So even if there is little chance for confusion
> (anyone have trouble discerning the difference between a ball point
> and a PDA?) you may run afoul of trademarks.
>It ain't that simple...
<snip>
> And if that's the basis on which you are boycotting a company, well I hope
> that you never have to depend on government/law protection for your
> business or property rights. After all, if in your estimation companies
> shouldn't exercise those rights, you'd be hypocritical exercising them
> yourself.
I think the brother is justifed in throwing his weight behind whichever
horse he favors. Individuals participate in the "name recognition = value"
equation, without which names like "Pilot" would be worth roughly about the
value of the paper they're written on.
> For an example of the problems you can get into if you allow infringement
> of your tradename or trademarks, have a look at the ongoing tussles of
> Apple Corps vs. Apple Computer (http://www.macnn.com/news/26447). Apple
> So, when "Bob's Bakery" open's next to "Bob's Coffee Shop" should Bob's
For diligence's sake, note that they're sharing corporate names, unlike the
relatively rarified case of Palm and Pilot, where the corporation names are
utterly distinctive.
Ned Bedinger
Ed Wordsmith Technical Communications
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