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OHIM, which manages the europe-wide trademark system confirms that "windows" is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation and has been since 1996.

You see, before "windows" the term meant "panes of glass in the wall of a house" to most people.

Just like I couldn't have the term "fishing boat" as a trademark in the boat making industry but could in say the pencil making industry. "fishing boat" is not a term in the pencil making art (AFAIK) and so can be used to indicate origin (in the sense of the originating company for a product) - the purpose of trademarks.

I'd give a direct link but OHIM's db pages suck .... http://oami.eu.int/CTMOnline/RequestManager/en_Res ult_unidentified , see CTM numbered 000079681.

pbhj

>>> "why doesn't MS hire people who do these elementary steps"

Of course they do. Just they hire others to calculate cost benefits versus court costs. They probably factor in the cost of buying some alterations to trademark law while they are about it. ;0)> ... for the curious OHIM is at http://oami.eu.int/en/default.htm

The "Firefox" trademark has been filed at OHIM.

The application was published on 14/03/2005. According to the regulation, there is a period of 3 months during which anyone can file an opposition before the registration.

The delay expired 3 days ago.

The mark can be considered as "Registered" (provided the registration fee is paid).

The "Firefox" trademark has been filed at OHIM.

The application was published on 14/03/2005. According to the regulation, there is a period of 3 months during which anyone can file an opposition before the registration.

The delay expired 3 days ago.

The mark can be considered as "Registered" (provided the registration fee is paid).

You can find here the list of european trademarks. Put "Trademark type" to "Olfactory".

According to the FAQ:

[...]signs which may be registered as a trade mark include the following:

• word marks including letters, numbers or combination of letters, numbers and words;
• figurative marks, whether or not including words;
• figurative marks in colour;
• colours or combinations of colours;
• three-dimensional marks;
• sound marks;

So you can register a logo using a specific typeface as a figurative mark. Of course, if you register a word mark instead, you get the rights to all graphical representations of the word(s).

Microsoft has registered Windows as a trademark in Sweden, and there's also several registered EU trademarks for Windows: 000079681, 000327890, 001691963 (you can do a trademark search here).