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Windows Vista Faces Lawsuits

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the expensive-view dept.

WindozeSux writes "When tech company Vista discovered the title for the new Windows Operating System version, company founder John Wall was not amused. John Wall may take this to court because he knows of how protective Microsoft is over their trademarks. From the article: 'A Microsoft spokesman said the company chose Vista from a list developed by the Windows team, based on attributes of the new software. Among its primary selling points are new tools for searching and viewing the contents of a PC; communications features; and a lighter desktop appearance with transparent objects.'"

9 of 509 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I think.. by courtarro · · Score: 2, Informative
    You underestimate the common public. Like the article states, end users like my grandfather are not interested in techie-sounding letter combinations like XP and CS2. "What does NT stand for?", I've been asked. "Vista" has a positive connotation (sounds like a dryer sheet scent) and I'll bet it sticks in the minds of potential customers simply out of uniqueness. Remember when Windows "95" was one of the first pieces of software named for its year? I remember magazine articles that made fun of it.

    Expect to see more of the "Vista" naming convention in the future.

  2. Re:That name sucks by hunterx11 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Naming is important, but unfortunately that anecdote is untrue.

    --
    English is easier said than done.
  3. Re:That name sucks by TelJanin · · Score: 2, Informative

    Stop spreading bullshit

  4. Re:Preemptive strike... by networkBoy · · Score: 5, Informative

    some numbers not quite out my ass:
    ( http://www.finfacts.com/brands.htm )
    CocaCola: $67bn
    Microsoft: $61bn
    IBM: $54bn
    GE: $44bn
    Intel: $34bn
    Disney: $27bn

    so, yeah brands are worth some money. If I was vista I would have waited and made them re-brand their software after the boxes and disks were printed but before they hit the stores ;)
    -nB

    --
    whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
  5. Re:Preemptive strike... by Ian.Waring · · Score: 2, Informative
    Digital had an extension to their VAX VTX Videotex product in the 1980's called Vista. I remember it well because we got sued for using the name in the UK; it was a trademark here of a software company selling software for the printing/graphic arts industry based in London.

    I'm still amazed that they announced the name without doing a simple search first.

    Ian W.

  6. Re:Preemptive strike... by eric76 · · Score: 2, Informative

    In some cases, failing to make a timely objection may result in the loss of a winnable case.

    I have no idea if it would apply in this particular instance.

  7. john wall's in it just for the money by krunk4ever · · Score: 2, Informative

    i found an interesting article on john wall and vista and his product:
    http://www.threenorth.com/sco/john_wall.html

    23 April 2005

    It seems that John Wall is selling Vista.com. Well, sort of selling it

    after reading that, i don't feel sorry for this john wall guy at all.

    many of you may be microsoft bashers, and maybe rightfully so. but to be illogical and say john wall deserves this payment just because you dislike microsoft is just wrong.

    if microsoft was wrong, i'd say they are. but this case is pretty clear that vista does not deserve a single penny.

    --
    HD Trailers
  8. Re:Preemptive strike... by Mikkeles · · Score: 2, Informative
    'Since you assert that there are "many laws" that "clearly do not exist" to reduce conflict, I invite you to name some. What laws exists to promote conflict or at the very least, let it remain status quo?'

    Most 'blue' and prohibitionist laws.

    --
    Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
  9. Another Vista software product circa 1995 - Today by CaperNZ · · Score: 3, Informative

    I happen to work for a software company with Vista in the name... 'Vista Entertainment Solutions' and our product is marketed as 'Vista'. It has been since 1995.

    http://www.vista.co.nz/

    I'm not sure as to the extent this will affect us.