Membership is FREE – with unlimited access to all features, tools, and discussions. Premium accounts get benefits like banner ads and newsletter exposure. ✅ Signature links are now free for all. 🚫 No AI-generated (LLM) posts allowed. Share your own thoughts and experience — accounts may be terminated for violations.

Surface names

Status
Not open for further replies.

rodash

Level 3
Legacy Platinum Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
58
Reaction score
0
Haven't heard anything about those thousands of "surface" names registered after Microsoft announced Surface Computing. I read somewhere that there is some doubt as to whether MS can trademark "surface", that it may be restricted to "Microsoft Surface". Anyone heard anything on this? I'd be surprised if they couldn't, given that they got away with trademarking the word "windows".
 

minebay

Level 3
Legacy Platinum Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2005
Messages
74
Reaction score
0
I heard surface.net.cn sold at US$5000 to MS.
 

Keyboard Cowboy

Positioning / Publishing
Legacy Exclusive Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
1,011
Reaction score
13
I'm not a lawyer, but I believe you can trademark a generic word like windows, as long as you're not actually making windows. I would think they could TM surface as well, but obviously only in the "computing" field. Better get Berryhill to chime in
 

domaingenius

Level 8
Legacy Platinum Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Messages
1,281
Reaction score
10
To register a generic word as a trademark you need to make it distinctive such as by making the word like tHiS or in DIfferent colours.

DG
 

cyberlaw

DNF Newbie
Legacy Exclusive Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Messages
75
Reaction score
0
Microsoft (or anyone else) can't hold the entire trademark universe for the word "surface" unless they're providing goods and services for every industry that has some type of "surface." I'd stay away from stuff like surfacesoftware.com and MicrosoftSurface.com but other domains that use the word surface outside the software industry are very unlikely to be at risk.

Eric M.
CyberLaw® P.C.
http://www.cyberlawonline.com
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Who has viewed this thread (Total: 1) View details

The Rule #1

Do not insult any other member. Be polite and do business. Thank you!

Members Online

Premium Members

Upcoming events

Our Mods' Businesses

*the exceptional businesses of our esteemed moderators

Top Bottom