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RE: Xerox & Kleenex (was legality of web links to articles?)
Subject:RE: Xerox & Kleenex (was legality of web links to articles?) From:jgarison -at- ide -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 14 Feb 2002 13:07:10 -0500
Well and good, but the problem then is that everyone who makes a similar
product can then also use the name. For example, Bayer labs invented and
marketed a new analgesic about 100 years ago. They called it Aspirin. They
did not defend their trade mark, so now anyone who make a salicylic
acid-based analgesic can call it aspirin. Bayer now has to rely on Bayer
Aspirin to sell their product.
So to use your analogy, if I went to the store I'd have several different
types of Puffs to choose from - one from Georgia Pacific, one from
International Paper, one from Kimberly Clark ...
That's not a good thing!
My 2¢,
John
-----Original Message-----
From: kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com [mailto:kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 10:56 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: Xerox & Kleenex (was legality of web links to articles?)
Mark notes:
> But in fact, the names
> Xerox and Kleenex are not in the public domain because
> their respective companies do aggressively protect
> their trademarks.
Mark raises some good points, but I have to wonder: just how bad IS it to
have your company's name indelibly associated with a universally-used
product or process?
I can think of few companies that probably wouldn't mind if it became
common to ask for a Puffs to dry your tears as you apply a Curad to the
nasty papercut you sustained while making a Pitney Bowes in the printer
room.....
- Keith Cronin
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