Questions over the Windows Trademark

TTop writes "As part of the Lindows lawsuit, the judge has preliminarily ruled that there are 'serious questions regarding whether "Windows" is a non-generic name and thus eligible for the protections of federal trademark law.'" I've always been bothered by Microsoft's habit of naming things using common words (Then again, my history of naming things includes confusing and bizarre names like 'Slashdot' and 'AnimeFu' so what do I know? :)

Wait what?

[Anonymous Coward]

you mean slashdot is a confusing name? Hell its funny when people try to go to http:///..com

Wait a second..

[k98sven]

Didn't Microsoft aquire the rights to the english
language back in like, 1995?

A full house

[AlaskanUnderachiever]

First we have Windows. I've been waiting for Carpet, Ceiling, and Enclosed Screen Porch. Soon I will have my software house, with each item totaly incompatible with the other. . .

Re:Wayt uh scond..

[Mr Windows]

Thuts th reeson ey alwayz uus wurds uf miy oon spling. Soo farr eyve mnaged tu sayv ovr ahundrd dlrs ths yere, thow miy teechrs kp komplaining aboot miy wirk. Ey stil kep grammer rles, soe ey hev tu payy th sintax (ey cn stl mek jikes, evn thow ets moore wirk. Ey'v hird tht th lrge cmpny hsn't trdemirkd hoomor, becauz thy down't inderstand et).

Heureusement, je puis employer le français. Je trouve ceci beaucoup meilleur marché, parce que l'Acadamy m'ont donné non-pour-profiter-emploient le permis.

Re:little guy can win these things...

[A_Non_Moose]

Does this mean in the Lindows suit Microsoft is being a McBitch?

Re:M$ Names Its Stuff for OS Dilittantes

[steve_l]

I dont think those names are accurate at all:

Word - a macro virus execution engine
Outlook express - virus inbox
Internet Explorer - Another security hole
IIS - server side security hole
Front Page - cheesy web site designer

Re:Wayt uh scond.. (PARENT MOD UP, its FUNNY)

[Anonymous Coward]

Mod up, this is pricless!

Re:M$ Names Its Stuff for OS Dilittantes

[PsiPsiStar]

This is why Microsoft Access is a remote access system and Microsoft Outlook is designed to support webcams. Frontpage is a program for designging print media. This is also why I have to hit the start button to shut down.

It all makes perfect sense now.

Re:Wayt uh scond..

[vena]

miy teechrs kp komplaining aboot miy wirk

I'm sorry, sir, but "aboot" is a registered trademark of Canada.

Common Name Trademarks are dumb

[gh0ul]

Company A: Microsoft, producer of baby gold bond medicated powder. ooh.. and Windows(R)

Company B: Lindows, producer of a linux "?distro?"

Company A owns trademark "Windows(R)",

company B uses name 'Lindows',

Company A says "I don't like you, you are based off Linux, not windows!! you are in voiolation of our trademark, give it up!"

Company B "Trademark? are you retarded?"

Company A "you will get people confused, they will think Lindows is Windows"

Company B "How many people confuse 'Loser' with Woser'?"

Company A "Shutup or I shall taunt you a second time."

Company B "Bite me foot boy"

Re:Wrong

[PurpleBob]

Hmm. There's two possibilities here.

One is that you picked up on the fact that the parent poster inexplicably switched his style of sarcasm - the "Outlook" and "FrontPage" examples were ones which would follow from the idea of choosing names that make sense, but which weren't true, while on the other hand the "Start button" example is true but wouldn't follow from that idea, and decided to comment on this in an indirect way.

The other is that you just failed to grasp that there was any sarcasm at all before posting a smartass reply. Given that this is Slashdot, I find this more likely.

Thankyou Taco

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes thanks for making a link to slashdot [slashdot.org]. I would have never found slashdot with out it!

Re:Wayt uh scond..

[cyber-vandal]

I think Scotland has prior art on that one.

Re:X Windows System, others

[petis]

> Nobody expects to eat an Apple computer.

Nobody expects the spanish inquisition!