Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxr.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!ihuxr!stanwyck From: stanwyck@ihuxr.UUCP (Don Stanwyck) Newsgroups: net.legal Subject: Re: Trademark protection for "UNIX" Message-ID: <1116@ihuxr.UUCP> Date: Thu, 14-Jun-84 09:49:55 EDT Article-I.D.: ihuxr.1116 Posted: Thu Jun 14 09:49:55 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 15-Jun-84 00:42:30 EDT References: <930@eosp1.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 29 > I think that the word "UNIX" will soon be in the public domain with > no special rights left for ATT. They have not taken the vigorous > action necessary to protect it. (That is, I can't believe they > have without my noticing.) > > The problem is that only adjectives receive trademark protection, > as in "UNIX operating system", or "Aspirin compound". Nouns are > not trademarks. When the general public turns a brand name into a > noun, the courts stop protecting it. > > I have never seen an advertisement or other memo from ATT warning > people to use the word UNIX only in phrases that treat it as an > adjective. > - Toby Robison (not Robinson!) Kleenex and Band-Aid are still brand-names, as is Scotch-tape. These companies have tried as hard as AT&T to protect their brand names. It is simply impossible to police every environment. I still hear and read comments about Puff's-Kleenex and Wyler's Kool-aid. Some people are not aware of the difference, while other's don't care. This of itself does not invalidate the brand name. -- ________ ( ) Don Stanwyck @( o o )@ 312-979-3062 ( || ) Cornet-367-3062 ( \__/ ) ihnp4!ihuxr!stanwyck (______) Bell Labs @ Naperville, IL