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Small Artist Group Gets Nastygram from Intel

Posted by timothy on from the bully-for-them-no-a-real-bully dept.

SuperBanana writes "According to a story in the Boston Globe, Intel feels a MA artist co-op gallery's name is "too similar to Intel's advertising slogan." The gallery name: "The Art Inside Gallery". Intel has said it will pay for the costs of the name change, and the artists are debating the hassle and expense of getting a lawyer, but 16 artists don't stand much of a chance against one of the world's largest legal departments. This is not the first time Intel has threatened legal action over trademarks. Maybe the EFF's Chilling Effects Clearinghouse can help. Is anyone else getting tired of the bully called 'corporate America'?"

4 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. "our hands are tied" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    How come these BIG MEGACORPS never just offer a non-exclusive license to the LITTLE GUYS to use names like "NothingToDoWithSemiconductors Inside". They could charge a token amount like $50. Didn't netscape do this for free with its logo onc, to a guy who wrote a program?

    ???

    That way they could 1) protect their mark in the future and 2) pull their heads out from deep within their asses.

    Or maybe they actually *DO* want to own every use of the "*** INSIDE" phrase. In that case, they suck monkey bizzalls, and I will immediately boycott all their products (except for those times when I need to buy one).

    1. Re:"our hands are tied" by SuperBanana · · Score: 4, Insightful
      How come these BIG MEGACORPS never just offer a non-exclusive license to the LITTLE GUYS to use names like "NothingToDoWithSemiconductors Inside". They could charge a token amount like $50. Didn't netscape do this for free with its logo onc, to a guy who wrote a program?

      This seems like a good idea- it may at least partially address the "gotta pound every nail" argument toted by so many lawyers to justify themselves(I do honestly believe that many execs don't LIKE following the legal advice given to them, but do so only because they're not given any other options save "ignore it") Better yet, the lawyers still get to justify themselves by drawing up the contract etc.

      Shouldn't be $50 though- if the company that owns the trademark wants to make a fuss to the Little Guy, the burden should be on the trademark holder as much as possible- make it $1(a typical symbolic amount), and for everyone's trouble, buy the Little Guys lunch, give them a little money for a trust, donate a work of art, etc...you get the idea.

      Why not celebrate clever usage of your company's name(hey, it's publicity after all, right?) that has no clear danger to you, while still covering your ass? Gotta be a way to do both.

      --
      Please help metamoderate.
  2. I'm Inside by finity · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Pretty soon anything that says something is inside will not be allowed. You won't be able to say, on a box for example, that something is inside the box. "Toy Inside," and especially "Chip Inside" will both be outlawed. I'm tired - so sorry if this made no sense.

  3. if you don't like Intel... by alizard · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Don't buy them. Intel has just given you a reason to buy from anybody else.

    You'll probably get better price-performance from AMD anyway. I've been using AMDs since the 286 generation... running a Duron now. I've had zero problems attributable to a non-Intel processor, though I did have to install a patch for the K6-350.

    If you don't need good floating-point performance, check into VIA... last I heard, they run so cool they don't need cooling fans, either.

    Sometimes there's no option other than to buy from thugs, but in the x86 market, you've got two other choices. How many do you need?

    If you think it necessary to buy from "industry dominant vendors" who set the "standards", what are you doing here?

    --
    Tech Public Policy stuff