How Microsoft Takes a Name

An anonymous reader writes "According to a report in the "Seattle Post-Intelligencer," the Windows Defender name was already being used by an Australian developer, Adam Lyttle. His Windows Defender product protected Windows users from malicious Web sites. Adam Lyttle told the Post-Intelligencer's Todd Bishop that Microsoft contacted him a month ago, charging him with infringing on the Windows trademark but neglecting to mention that the software giant wanted to use the "Windows Defender" name. Lyttle subsequently signed over rights to the name to Microsoft and was "shocked" when he later learned the company intended to use the name for one of its own products. "

Comments

Just like they did with Windows Commander

[Synli]

Windows Commander is now called TotalCommander. Guess why.

Re:Hmm

[Rakshasa Taisab]

Sure, but Microsoft does not have a trademark on the word Windows, not in this nor any other domain. They got Microsoft Windows trademarked. Windows is, and has been for a long time, a generic word in the computer field.

Re:sign of the times

[Jason Earl]

Heck, if he had been paying attention he would have realized that "Windows" isn't a registered Trademark, but that "Microsoft Windows" is instead. The trademark-ability of "Windows" featured prominently in Microsoft's case against Lindows. Microsoft *paid* Linspire over $20 million to stop using the "Lindows" trademark.

Re:Um...

[pornking]

Of course. Bash Microsoft and you get modded up to 5.

1. Microsoft decided they want to name a product Windows Defender.
2. They discover that someone else is using the name.
3. They inform this guy that he is infringing on their trademark.
4. He decides not to challenge them.
5. He signs over all rights to the name.
6. Microsoft announces Windows Defender.

You claim that Microsoft has no trademark on Windows. That's irrelevant. The guy decided not to fight.

According to the article, he probably was infringing on their trademark. Microsoft is under no obligation to reveal their product plans to anyone least of someone in a position to potentially profit at their expense.

Now, the guy's bitching that they didn't tell him while insisting that he would not have wanted a cut. Sounds like sour grapes to me. Now he's acting like he got the shaft while insisting that he would have given them the name freely if they had just trusted him with their confidential marketing plans.

He lost nothing that he wouldn't have given up freely, (he claims) while gaining publicity and some misguided sympathy.

Some people just have no class.

Re:Um...

[Arker]

Windows alone, even in the realm of computer is in NO WAY specific to Microsoft. Every system with a GUI has Windows, and there were many such systems long before Microsoft even had a GUI themselves. There's a reason they wound up paying Lindows to rename...