bin@primate.wisc.edu (Brain in Neutral) (08/23/89)
So how does Sears get away with calling this vacuum cleaner of theirs a VAX? Isn't that name trademarked or something by Digital? Paul DuBois dubois@primate.wisc.edu
panoff@hubcap.clemson.edu (Robert M. Panoff) (08/23/89)
In article <675@uakari.primate.wisc.edu>, bin@primate.wisc.edu (Brain in Neutral) writes: > So how does Sears get away with calling this vacuum cleaner of theirs a VAX? > Isn't that name trademarked or something by Digital? > The name was earlier tradmarked by a British Maker of Vacuums. Since Sears started carrying other brand names besides their own Kenmore or Craftsman lines, they are going for outside supplier more and more. One such supplier is this British company and their vacuum cleaner is VAX. Appears DEC will have to prove priority, which it may not be able to do. -- rmp, for the Bob's of the World
berkley@wucs1.wustl.edu (Berkley Shands) (08/23/89)
In article <675@uakari.primate.wisc.edu>, bin@primate.wisc.edu (Brain in Neutral) writes: > So how does Sears get away with calling this vacuum cleaner of theirs a VAX? > Isn't that name trademarked or something by Digital? > > Paul DuBois > dubois@primate.wisc.edu "VAX" is a real trademark from ENGLAND. In fact, they had the name long before DIGITAL used it here. "VAX Sucks up spills from anywhere" "VAX - Altogether Britain's best vacuum cleaner" "As seen on T.V." "VAX Appliances Limited, Quillgold House, Kingswood Road, Hampton Lovett, Droitwich, Worch. WR9 0QH." The Advertisment is a real screamer. "This VAX really Cleans" Berkley Shands DECUS VAX SIG Executive Committee Production Systems Working Group Chairman
jkw@alpha.lanl.gov (Jay Wooten) (08/24/89)
In article <675@uakari.primate.wisc.edu>, bin@primate.wisc.edu (Brain in Neutral) writes: > So how does Sears get away with calling this vacuum cleaner of theirs a VAX? > Isn't that name trademarked or something by Digital? > > Paul DuBois > dubois@primate.wisc.edu I think the VAX vacuum cleaner is manufactured/named in England where DEC doesn't hold any claim to the name. Maybe the vacuum cleaner manufacturer should make DEC pay royalties ??? .food.food.food...
ram@shukra.Sun.COM (Renu Raman) (08/25/89)
In <951@wucs1.wustl.edu> berkley@wucs1.wustl.edu (Berkley Shands) writes: > >"VAX" is a real trademark from ENGLAND. In fact, they had the name long before >DIGITAL used it here. >"VAX Sucks up spills from anywhere" >"VAX - Altogether Britain's best vacuum cleaner" >"As seen on T.V." >"VAX Appliances Limited, Quillgold House, Kingswood Road, >Hampton Lovett, Droitwich, Worch. WR9 0QH." > >The Advertisment is a real screamer. "This VAX really Cleans" > > Berkley Shands Couldn't be better than this ad "This VAX sucks" :-) :-) OK, OK. Its a joke. renu raman
devine@shodha.dec.com (Bob Devine) (08/25/89)
In article <675@uakari.primate.wisc.edu>, bin@primate.wisc.edu (Brain in Neutral) writes: > So how does Sears get away with calling this vacuum cleaner of theirs a VAX? > Isn't that name trademarked or something by Digital? It is legally permissible to use the same name for two products if both are sufficiently distinct from each other. What `sufficiently' means often forms the basis for litigation -- witness McDonald's corporation's glee is attacking any company that puts a "Mc" in front of its name. Actually on second thought, some of the bigger VAXen have strong enough cooling fans that they almost could be considered vacuum cleaners! ;-) Bob Devine
blarsen@spider.uio.no (Bjorn Larsen) (08/25/89)
This reminds me of the time I and a pal went to Bedford to attend the TOPS-20 Monitor Internals course. Two days into the course, my pal used FILDDT to patch the 'Welcome' message on Training's DECSYSTEM-2060. This system was used for lots of different courses, and when the students sat down to log on the next day, they were greeted with this message: Welcome to DECSYSTEM-20 in Blue ** Nothing Sucks Like a VAX ** @ (Historical note: In Bedford they had a 2060 in the basement, but it was packaged in a blue, DECsystem-10-style cabinet. That's where the 'DECSYSTEM-20 in Blue' came from) My pal went home to Norway the next day. No sense of humor, these americans... -- Bjorn Larsen blarsen@gollum.uio.no USE, University of Oslo, Norway ...!mcvax!ifi!gollum!blarsen