Microsoft trademark troubles
p2pnet.net News:- Things just aren’t going Microsoft’s way, of late.
Non-stop security holes are now so commonplace that they’re hardly worth mentioning.
Then there’s Linux.
Two small browsers are very definitely chomping at Microsoft’s leg, rather than merely nipping at its heels.
And now Savvysoft says Microsoft is demanding that it drop the name Excel from its TurboExcel product, which makes Microsoft’s Excel portable to other systems – such as Linux.
The trouble is, says NewsFactor, “Microsoft does not yet own the trademark to the name ‘Excel’.”
It goes on: “The case sounds similar to Microsoft’s gaffe earlier this year over its ‘Windows’ trademark. What began with the usual cease-and-desist letter sent to an upstart firm, resulted with egg on Microsoft’s face over the management of its trademarks.”
That resululted in Microsoft paying more than $20 million to drop Lindows, “but trademark experts say the company’s hold on the ‘Windows’ name remains legally challengeable,” says the story.
Lindows is now Linspire and owner Mike Robertson used the name on the grounds Bill and the Boyz could hardly claim a generic word such as Windows for their very own.
Similarly, Microsoft doesn’t own Excel, says Savvysoft.
“According to the United States Trademark and Patent Web site, Microsoft has been using “Excel” since 1985,” But it only applied for the trademark on April 12th of this year,” continues NewsFactor.
It also quotes Savvysoft founder Rich Tanenbaum as saying, “what was weird is that other partners, who I expect aren’t being threatened with trademark lawsuits, also have the name Excel in their product names,” he told NewsFactor.
“The difference between those companies and Savvysoft, says Tanenbaum, is the Linux connection. He suspects Microsoft is targeting Savvysoft because it wants to suppress a product that might help a customer switch to Linux. The small software company says it would cost more than US$100,000 to change the TurboExcel name.”
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See:-
Excel - Microsoft’s Ownership of Trademark in Doubt, NewsFactor, November 18, 2004
