Can I use an unregistered Logo in the splash image?

[orb]

Copyrights, trademarks and patents are minefields. I usually go with a naming scheme so disgusting nobody in their right mind would want to use them.

Here’s an example of the utter dickishness of some people:

Linux Mark Institute

The proper owner of the trademark, Linus Torvalds, won in the end. But that’s not always a simple thing to determine. In most sane countries the first user is usually considered, but if a similar name is used for a company or product, but in a completely different field, it may co-exist just fine. In other countries there might be laws allowing only one product with the same name, even if one is bread and the other software. Free software isn’t exempt either.

Then there’s this:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/There-a-Linux-Detergent-Out-There-and-It-s-Trademarked-484782.shtml

And just to show that being the biggest gorilla doesn’t always help:

Google Settles Gmail Trademark Dispute in Germany

(That case started in 2007 - so it dragged on for 5 years, in addition to the German plaintiffs taking 3 years to initiate the hostilities!)

tl;dr: We’re all doomed. We live in the darkest timeline.

[surajsirohi1008]

@zombiegorilla

Example, you cannot “trademark” a “simplistic logo of a mantaray”. it would need to be a specific name and brand and unique, and be registered.. You would have copyright for the original specific drawing you made, but… but not all simplistic logos of a mantaray. If that make sense.

What about apple? It’s vague and the logo is very simple?

[surajsirohi1008]

@orb

Copyrights, trademarks and patents are minefields. I usually go with a naming scheme so disgusting nobody in their right mind would want to use them.

Here’s an example of the utter dickishness of some people:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Mark_Institute

The proper owner of the trademark, Linus Torvalds, won in the end. But that’s not always a simple thing to determine. In most sane countries the first user is usually considered, but if a similar name is used for a company or product, but in a completely different field, it may co-exist just fine. In other countries there might be laws allowing only one product with the same name, even if one is bread and the other software. Free software isn’t exempt either.

Then there’s this:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/There-a-Linux-Detergent-Out-There-and-It-s-Trademarked-484782.shtml

And just to show that being the biggest gorilla doesn’t always help:
https://www.pcworld.com/article/253844/google_settles_gmail_trademark_dispute_in_germany.html
(That case started in 2007 - so it dragged on for 5 years, in addition to the German plaintiffs taking 3 years to initiate the hostilities!)

tl;dr: We’re all doomed. We live in the darkest timeline.

Sounds like I’ll need to invent a new word.

[zombiegorilla]

Apple has spent billions building and defending their brand for many, many years (most famously with Apple records). That also isn’t the original logo, it has evolved. It is one of the most recognized brands in world. When they defend it, they can point to the fact that everyone in world knows what that logo is. Similar to the Nike Swoosh.

[surajsirohi1008]

@zombiegorilla

Apple has spent billions building and defending their brand for many, many years (most famously with Apple records). That also isn’t the original logo, it has evolved. It is one of the most recognized brands in world. When they defend it, they can point to the fact that everyone in world knows what that logo is. Similar to the Nike Swoosh.

Now I remember their first logo, it was a whole scenery. Dayumm billions spent for defence, that’s a huge amount.

[theANMATOR2b]

@surajsirohi1008

How did you find these? I looked up too but didn’t find it.

@Martin_H says I have good google-fu, but compared to @Ryiah I am only a puny youngling.

@zombiegorilla

They don’t. Just to be clear, Disney (and other companies, but mostly Disney), successfully lobbied for extensions to the copyright length (generally). Those changes apply to everyone, not just Disney or large companies.

I jest when talking about Disney, but zombiegorilla is 100% on point. We all benefit from the same laws, but to those who await Micky Mouse to enter public domain - Disney keeps buying extensions of the law - to keep Micky under copyright.
This articles outlines it eloquently. https://atp.orangenius.com/how-mickey-mouse-keeps-changing-copyright-law/

[Kiwasi]

@theANMATOR2b

For a good reference check out that european broadcast corporation (who does not create games) who sued No Mans Sky developer - because they used the word ‘sky’. Good thing they had Sony backing them - or a lot of people might be playing No Mans Starverse right now.

In fairness, nobody got sued. Hello Games put in a very broad trademark application for ‘No Man’s Sky’, which included TV and broadcasting rights. Sky put in an objection, claiming it infringed on their existing trademark. Hello Games revised the application, removing the TV and broadcasting stuff. Hello Games also specified the trademark was only to include the complete term ‘No Man’s Sky’, and they would not use ‘Sky’ on its own. Sky then withdrew their objection.

There was a bunch of legal wrangling involved. But it never got to the stage of suing.

[zombiegorilla]

@Kiwasi

In fairness, nobody got sued. Hello Games put in a very broad trademark application for ‘No Man’s Sky’, which included TV and broadcasting rights. Sky put in an objection, claiming it infringed on their existing trademark. Hello Games revised the application, removing the TV and broadcasting stuff. Hello Games also specified the trademark was only to include the complete term ‘No Man’s Sky’, and they would not use ‘Sky’ on its own. Sky then withdrew their objection.

There was a bunch of legal wrangling involved. But it never got to the stage of suing.

Yea… but the real story isn’t nearly as fun and rage worthy as when it comes to games ‘journalism’.

[Martin_H]

@theANMATOR2b

@Martin_H says I have good google-fu, but compared to @Ryiah I am only a puny youngling.

To specify, he found a game and articles about how it got cancled based on my vague description of a screenshot that I had seen once in 1995. And I had already made multiple failed attempts at finding it over the years! My mind was blown!