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Asterix and Mobilix Redux
eguaj writes "I thought the "Obelix vs. Mobilix" case was over, and that the Mobilix web site had definitely won in the first instance, but this morning I saw this mail , on the linux-laptop mailing list, stating that 'Les Éditions Albert René' went into appeal and they managed to overturn the first decision, and now the Mobilix.org site will have to withdraw his domain name, pay the compensation fee, etc. Mobilix.org is a web site dedicated to Linux/Unix on mobile devices (laptop, pda, cell. phones), and they ruled that "Mobilix" was too much similar to "Obelix" and that people could take one for the other." For Americans: Asterix and Obelix are well-known French cartoon characters (think: Mickey and Goofy).
How about Crispix cereal? Sounds too much like what would be the name of the guy in Asterix' village who always overcooks the roast boar.
Epix image hosting on eBay? The lady in the village who needs to use an Epliady (not hard to find in any French village for that matter.
Appendix? Can't use that one either. That is the guy who keeps trying to add extra verses to Cacaphonix's tales.
Phoenix, Arizona? Better change your name, you copyright-violating town.
I then guess telling Asterix is a cartoon character is just enough said. Why comparing it to a character that has nothing to do with it?
-- The Internet is a too slow way of doing things, you'd never do without it.
Mickey and Goofy - duh. Even if it is incredible sometimes and sounds like science fiction, there is intelligent life outside the US borders. The Web and Linux were developed outside the US, for one. And who are Mickey and Goofy?
So, the owner of a hypothetical site www.ogeefy.com could be sued by Disney, and they'd win?! I can't believe that.
This is actually quite ironic since allmost all names in the Asterix comic series are derived from real words (in French). Asterix comes from 'asterisque' (the * character), Obelix from 'obelisque' (a vertical monument, like a pillar), idefix (the dog) from 'idée fixe' (difficult to translate, something like an unchangeable opinion), assurancetourix (the chief IIRC) from 'assurance touts risques' (an insurance for all damages), etc ...
And now they sue somebody cause a word they use looks like one of the names of their characters. It would be funny if it wasn't so stupid.
"Son, in a sporting event, it's not whether you win or lose, it's how drunk you get" - Homer J. Simpson