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Phoenix To Change Name
e8johan writes "Phoenix, the Mozilla-based web browser, is forced to change name. The new name has not yet been decided, but it is being
discussed
. The reason is that the BIOS manufacturer
Phoenix Technologies
dislikes the trademark infrigment. Next week version 0.5 will be released, with a new name."
I'm sure the browser has many more users than BIOS, since I've NEVER seen a computer with Phoenix bios.
"The reason is that the BIOS manufacturer Phoenix Technologies dislikes the trademark infrigment[sic]."
That should say that Phoenix Technologies dislikes the perceived trademark infringement. Whether or not there is actual trademark infringement in this case is very disputable.
www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
Minotaur
Leprechaun
Kirin
Unicorn
Gelatinous Cube
Rust Monster
Jabberwocky
C'thulu (doesn't count but who wouldn't love a browser named C'thulu?)
Type IV Demon
If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
It outdates the browser by quite a bit, and has worked hard to built a reputable brand for itself. Everyone I know has at least heard of Phoenix bios, and it would be a huge disaster for them if the Phoenix name in association with computers would intuitively refer to a browser instead of their BIOS.
Bottomline is that they should have thought about this before they named their browser phoenix.
'nuff said.
..the trouble is that "trademark" law is "expanding". In the past, no one would consider bringing such an obviously wrong accusation.
This would only be a problem if a prospective customer would be confused between item A && item B based on an infringing trademark. For instance, Phoenix Bios and Foenix Bios - the latter would obviously be infringing. But in this case, Phoenix the Web Browser can never cause confusion because there is no possibility of a web browser-item being confused with a bios-item.
So, even a layperson can see there is no infringement - BUT- in the new universe of corporate-lawyer as bullies , Phoenix Bios only has to accuse Phoenix Web-Browser in order that the Browser people would have to change the name, *because* they havnt the $ resources to buy their justice.
THAT is the real tragedy here.
Well, it is now. But until a couple years ago, Award was a separate company.
Most build-it-yourselfers won't have encountered a Phoenix BIOS under its own name, since they're primarily found in OEM machines, and typically bearing the OEM's name (that "Dell" or "HP" or "Tandon" or whatever OEM-named BIOS is usually a Phoenix BIOS under the hood).
Yet another reason to avoid OEM machines. Phoenix BIOSs have always been two generations behind, feature-poor, and buggy as hell.
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
Another lizard monster of mythology is the Basilisk. This bad fucker will turn its prey to stone with a gaze, like the Medusa. There's also a quite cool similarly named real-life lizard, which is capable of running across a water surface without sinking. Other fun mythological monsters that could perhaps make good browser names include the Roc (a gigantic bird, like a Phoenix), Fenris (the wolf monster of Norse mythology), or Jormangund. The latter might in fact be appropriate (although unfortunately long and difficult to pronounce), since Jormangund (also called "Midgaardsormen", the Midgaard Serpent) is a gigantic dragonlike serpent which encircles the realm of humans (Midgaard / Earth). I somehow like the association of a web browser with a creature that encircles the world.
Six sick