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Post by alderaine on Aug 19, 2008 11:02:57 GMT
In terms of registering a trademark, as long as it is not in general, specific, recognisable use, and has not been previously trademarked, I think you can trademark anything (such as Apple, to give one example - that word has been around a long time, just not in that context.) I am reminded of the guy who registered 21st Century Fox - established as perfectly legal, despite the similarity to a certain production company! I believe that is why they instead changed their name to Fox... poor chap
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Post by Doomy on Aug 19, 2008 11:23:46 GMT
He should have registered 30th Century Fox instead, since they used that for Futurama. Edit: This article explains why names cannot be copyrighted.
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Post by wisekai on Jul 5, 2009 4:10:18 GMT
Really? So what about Lone Wolf and Cub (warrior comics/novels/movies)? Lone Wolf McQuade (warrior movies)? Lone Wolf Knives (could be used by warrior professions military/law enforcement)? others too...
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Post by outspaced on Jul 5, 2009 8:36:35 GMT
The trademark is to do with "Lone Wolf" being "a Kai Lord" in the fantasy world of "Magnamund". Any other use of the words "lone" and "wolf" in any combination is not a breach of UK Trademark Law. Any product called "Lone Wolf xxx" is fine, but if you started advertising it by using a guy with a hooded green cloak in a fantasy setting, you might get some phone calls from lawyers.
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Post by Taryn on Jul 5, 2009 17:29:20 GMT
So I could, say, start a toothpaste company and call it Lone Wolf Toothpaste?
I think it's like, you can't have a company named Apple that sells apples, because then the name of the company would be the same as the name of the thing they're selling, and you can't sell consumer electronics because there's already Apple Computer selling computers, MP3 players, and phones. But you could probably sell something like paint, or squid, or bracelets.
What about other languages though? Like if I have an apple orchard in the US and call it "Pomme" (French for apple), is that OK? And what if I later expand it and start selling apples in French-speaking countries? Would I have to change the name?
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Post by jellyfish on Jul 5, 2009 21:53:52 GMT
Well, I decided to try getting in contact with Joe through Mongoose Publishing, and received this email from Matthew Sprange: "Hi there, Many thanks for getting in touch. However, I have to say the rights for iPhone apllications with Lone Wolf have already been taken. Regards, Matthew Sprange Mongoose Publishing http://www.mongoosepublishing.com" So, I'm sad to say, that unless you guys have any other ideas, I'm going to have to stop development on the iPhone application. I just hope that someone actually does something with the rights, and doesn't just sit on them. That's retarded. How is a statskeeper reading data off Project Aon going to hurt their intellectual property? I'm half-expecting Mongoose to shut down Project Aon itself soon, if they're going to such assholes about stuff.
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Post by Doomy on Jul 5, 2009 23:27:25 GMT
That would never happen. For one, Mongoose doesn't own the Lone Wolf copyright. That's Joe Dever, who specifically requested that Project Aon be founded in the first place. For another, Mongoose works with PA in producing its versions of the books. There's even an acknowledgement to Jon Blake and Project Aon in the frontmatter of each one.
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Post by jellyfish on Jul 6, 2009 2:12:10 GMT
In that case I fail to comprehend how a statskeeper for the iphone violates any exclusive rights. It's like saying running the iphone browser violates exclusivity rights because it can be used to load the java statskeeper on project aon.
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Post by Doomy on Jul 6, 2009 6:39:25 GMT
Presumably someone specifically paid for the rights to produce a commercial app?
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Post by alderaine on Jul 6, 2009 7:30:11 GMT
Exactly - there is nothing preventing creation of a free, or donation-based application. As long as this read the material from AON, it would be fine. NO commercial application can read data from AON. A statskeeper program would include a version of the character sheet presumably? That is certainly covered under the copyright - even if you changed the layout of the page, you would have to include too much content.
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Post by alderaine on Jul 6, 2009 7:37:39 GMT
Another thing worth noting - nobody said that it was Mongoose who had the rights, or that it has anything to do with their books. As I understand it, somebody out there is developing an application for the iPhone - as far as I know, we do not know who, or even if it is still an active project. We certainly do not know what sort of project it might be.
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Post by Doomy on Jul 6, 2009 7:38:10 GMT
My guess is that Ksatria got the rights to the iPhone thing bundled in with its other videogame rights. So they would have had the option to make some sort of spin-off, but this wouldn't include gamebook material.
Anyone could make a Statskeeper for use on jailbroken iPhones, just like Lone Wolf DS operates outside "official channels".
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Post by alderaine on Jul 6, 2009 8:11:20 GMT
Well, of course we wouldn't directly support any potentially illegal development... Lone Wolf DS uses a developer kit, and is in alpha testing - if it were ever released, my understanding is it would go through more official channels.
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Post by Doomy on Jul 6, 2009 8:29:47 GMT
The thing with LWDS is that its use requires an R4 cart or similar, and those peripherals are in something of a grey area, legally speaking.
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Post by alderaine on Jul 6, 2009 8:42:36 GMT
As I understand, it depends what you use them for. You need something along these lines to develop any software for the DS I believe.
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