traherne@murdu.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (Richard Jordan) (11/01/90)
Found on comp.sys.mac.announce:
This press release was posted to AppleLink this morning...
MOVED OVER BUSINESS WIRE AT 9:33 AM, PST, MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1990.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Glenn Helton
Regis McKenna, Inc.
(415) 354-4425
or
Christopher Escher
Apple Computer, Inc.
(408) 974-2202
APPLE OPENS NEW TOLL-FREE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE LINE
FOR HANDLING SALES QUESTIONS AND USER CONCERNS
CUPERTINO, California, October 29, 1990 -- Apple Computer has created
the Customer Assistance Center, a new toll-free customer relations
telephone line.
The Customer Assistance Center opens today and will be available
Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time by dialing
1-800-776-2333. All Apple customers are eligible to use the service.
The new toll-free line is not designed to be a technical support
hotline, but instead is an extension to the comprehensive Apple
customer relations effort. The Customer Assistance Center is a backup
system to the many existing forms of customer support and service
already available from Apple resellers and others. In the U.S., Apple
sells and provides support through a network of authorized Apple
dealers, higher education sales consultants, on-campus support
centers, user groups, systems integrators and consultants.
"Apple doesn't want to circumvent the reseller relationship with
the customer," said Jackie Whiting, Apple Assistance Center manager.
The Customer Assistance Center can answer questions about Apple
sales programs and policies. Owners of Apple products should call the
Customer Assistance Center when they believe their problems or
concerns are not being adequately addressed by Apple resellers or by
regularly designated support or service providers.
When customers call the toll-free number to discuss a sales or
support concern, they should be prepared to provide basic information
including a description of the problem, a list of products being used,
support sources previously contacted and the outcome of the contact.
"The Customer Assistance Center will provide an important
feedback loop for Apple, enabling us to enlarge our knowledge base and
speed our responses to customer concerns. We also want customers to
understand that Apple stands behind its sales, service and support
infrastructure. We want to address all individual complaints and
concerns effectively," said Morris Taradalsky, Apple Customer Support
Products and Services vice president.
The Customer Assistance Center includes individuals with Apple
product knowledge and diverse business and computer experience. This
team is backed by a state-of-the-art call tracking system which will
ultimately drive a report system designed to give Apple resellers
fast, detailed feedback on customer concerns.
Apple Computer, Inc., founded in 1977 and headquartered in
Cupertino, California, designed and manufactures a broad line of
personal computing products. It has sold more than 7 million personal
computers, more than 2 million printers and hundreds of thousands of
networks.
-30-
Apple, the Apple logo and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple
Computer, Inc.
END
Apple Press Releases
PR Express
unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) (11/01/90)
In article <1953@murdu.oz> traherne@murdu.ucs.unimelb.edu.au (Richard Jordan) writes: >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > >APPLE OPENS NEW TOLL-FREE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE LINE >FOR HANDLING SALES QUESTIONS AND USER CONCERNS > > The Customer Assistance Center can answer questions about Apple >sales programs and policies. Owners of Apple products should call the >Customer Assistance Center when they believe their problems or >concerns are not being adequately addressed by Apple resellers or by >regularly designated support or service providers. Jeez, when people have specific concerns now about SPECIFIC dealers not supporting the Apple II properly, I think they should call this number (as WELL as sending letters). I'm not AT ALL saying to everyone to right now go call and say "none of the dealers support the Apple II anymore," but if you go to a dealer and they don't have system software or something like that, call this # and complain! (As I said before, also write letters! If it's on paper it's more important!) > When customers call the toll-free number to discuss a sales or >support concern, they should be prepared to provide basic information >including a description of the problem, a list of products being used, >support sources previously contacted and the outcome of the contact. > The Customer Assistance Center includes individuals with Apple >product knowledge and diverse business and computer experience. This >team is backed by a state-of-the-art call tracking system which will >ultimately drive a report system designed to give Apple resellers >fast, detailed feedback on customer concerns. But do they have APPLE II PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE or just Mac knowledge?! > Apple Computer, Inc., founded in 1977 and headquartered in >Cupertino, California, designed and manufactures a broad line of >personal computing products. It has sold more than 7 million personal >computers, more than 2 million printers and hundreds of thousands of >networks. More than 7 million personal computers?!?! According to "popular statistics," there are at least 5 million Apple IIs out there, 1 million of which are GSes... Right?? So Apple IIs outnumber Macs 5 to 2 and there are HALF as many GSes as there are Macs?! Wow! HALF meaning GOOD not half meaning "only half".. Jeez.. With half as many GSes as Macs, it sure seems they'd treat us better! >Apple, the Apple logo and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple >Computer, Inc. I thought that Macintosh was a registered trademark of some other company licensed to Apple?! As well as "Classic" (from Coke.. I think that's UTTERLY LAME to be able to trademark/copyright (whichever is correct) "* Classic")... AS WELL as Apple computer having to pay money to Apple Records because the GS does music so well! {Oh, and some Macs too}.. Yes, Apple WAS paying money to Apple Records I believe.. Now they're in litigation about the "no music computers" clause, but I believe there was money exchanged before this relatively recent litigation happened. As another rambling/aside, I was playing Calibus (?) in Cosmocade today with the music through my Bose Roommates, and one of my housemates asked what I was listening to! I said it was a game, and he was surprised, thinking I was listening to a CD or something.. -- /Apple II(GS) Forever! unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu MAIL ME FOR INFO ABOUT CHEAP CDs\ \"If cartoons were meant for adults, they'd be on in prime time."-Lisa Simpson/
dale@pro-gateway.cts.com (Dale Therio, Co-SysOp) (11/05/90)
In-Reply-To: message from unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU Apple Computer purchased the rights to Macintosh from McIntosh Labs (the folks that make all that high end audio stuff) over 1 year ago. When you trademark a name you trademark it for a certain type of product. That is why one company can trademark "Classic" for a soft drink and another for a computer. =============================================================================== ProLine: dale@pro-gateway Internet: dale@pro-gateway.cts.com UUCP: crash!pro-gateway!dale ARPA: crash!pro-gateway!dale@nosc.mil BITNET: dale%pro-gateway.cts.com@nosc.mil ====================Pro-Gateway 214/644-5113 3/12/2400 baud====================
unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) (11/06/90)
In article <5460@crash.cts.com> dale@pro-gateway.cts.com (Dale Therio, Co-SysOp) writes: >When you trademark a name you trademark it for a certain type of product. >That is why one company can trademark "Classic" for a soft drink and another >for a computer. that's how I think it should be done, but from what I've heard, some- one has trademarked "* Classic".. so that anything using Classic needs to pay them... I was also told that it's NOT Coke that originally trademarked it, so both Coke & Apple are paying whoever trademarked it. (Also, if you trademark it for only one type of product as you say, why can Apple Records sue Apple computer?) -- /Apple II(GS) Forever! unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu MAIL ME FOR INFO ABOUT CHEAP CDs\ \"If cartoons were meant for adults, they'd be on in prime time."-Lisa Simpson/
taob@pnet91.cts.com (Brian Tao) (11/06/90)
dale@pro-gateway.cts.com (Dale Therio, Co-SysOp) writes: >In-Reply-To: message from unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU > >Apple Computer purchased the rights to Macintosh from McIntosh Labs (the folks >that make all that high end audio stuff) over 1 year ago. > >When you trademark a name you trademark it for a certain type of product. >That is why one company can trademark "Classic" for a soft drink and another >for a computer. > Then why is Apple still pursuing Apple Corps (the Beatles' recording company) over the matter of copyright and other legal tangles? I just read in today's paper that Apple Computer claims the copyright is longer valid since the Beatles have disbanded. Stranger and stranger... \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ | Brian T. Tao | UUCP: torag!pnet91!taob | / \ | University of Toronto | INET: taob@pnet91.cts.com | \ The Apple II / | Scarberia, ON | taob@pro-micol.cts.com | / Lives On!! \ |:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::| \ / | "Computer guru? Someone who got their computer a | /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ | couple of weeks before you did." (Alvin Toffler) |
asd@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Kareth) (11/06/90)
In <8551@darkstar.ucsc.edu> unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) writes: > (Also, if you trademark it for only one type of product as you >say, why can Apple Records sue Apple computer?) Entirely different. If this is the Apple Records who has some of the Beatles stuff I believe, supposedly they and the then Apple, now Macintosh Inc. made some kind of unwritten deal that Apple Records wouldn't sue them for using their name, and I think the apple symbol, as long as Apple didn't infringe upon *their* territory, namely music. When the GS came along with it's Ensoniq chip, virtually a small synthesizer, they were develing into the music world, and Apple Records sued em. Pretty lame eh? I heard they settled out of court. -k
ART100@psuvm.psu.edu (Andy Tefft) (11/06/90)
In article <8551@darkstar.ucsc.edu>, unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) says: > > (Also, if you trademark it for only one type of product as you >say, why can Apple Records sue Apple computer?) The agreement that Apple made with Apple was that Apple Computer was allowed to use the Apple name as long as they stayed out of the music business. Apparently Apple Records' greedy lawyers decided that computers with nice sound are in the music business.
bill@braille.uwo.ca (Bill Carss) (11/06/90)
In article <8551@darkstar.ucsc.edu> unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) writes: > >In article <5460@crash.cts.com> dale@pro-gateway.cts.com (Dale Therio, Co-SysOp) writes: >>When you trademark a name you trademark it for a certain type of product. >>That is why one company can trademark "Classic" for a soft drink and another >>for a computer. > > that's how I think it should be done, but from what I've heard, some- >one has trademarked "* Classic".. so that anything using Classic needs to >pay them... > > I was also told that it's NOT Coke that originally trademarked it, >so both Coke & Apple are paying whoever trademarked it. > > (Also, if you trademark it for only one type of product as you >say, why can Apple Records sue Apple computer?) The reason Apple Records can sue Apple Computer Inc. is that the former own the name Apple. There wasz an article in Open apple (A@ Dentral) a few years ago about this very thing. At that time, they said that every "real" word in the english language was owned by someone. Companies are now putting together nonsense words for software titles etc. In addition, letter combinations are also owned i.e. aa, ab, ac ... I have the impression that NAMES are different than patents in that they don't seem to expire. I don't know why that is, or maybe you can *OWN* a name for considerably longer than a regular patent. What I don't really understand is that I was of the opinion that a given language i.e. english, french ... was PD. How can you own something that doesn't belong to anyone? I thought it was the same sort of thing as Shakespeare's works - now they are PD and anyone can use them - quote etc. without giving credit for the quote. There is also a reasonably good chance that words or phrases may be "owned" in a given country rather than world-wide and therefore people or businesses in different countries may own the same name for different things. If this is true, it would seem to me that there would be a lot of confusion trying to decide which "Wigit" you were purchasing if there were three or four products of that name on the world market. Therefore, it is logical to assume that if you can acquire a word from somewhere (I have no idea what governing or regulating body would be involved), you would be set for life it it looked like yuour word was going to be a popular one. I think this topic may bear some further research. Bill Carss bill@braille.uwo.ca (please note the lower case) A - mazing // // ___ P - rovocative // // // \\ P - enetrating // // // \\ L - imitless // // |||||||||| E - ducational // // \\ // // \\ __ // -- Bill Carss bill@braille.uwo.ca (Please Note the Lower case!!)
knauer@sunc7 (Rob Knauerhase) (11/07/90)
In article <84@braille.uwo.ca> bill@braille.uwo.ca (Bill Carss) writes: [snip, snip] >There wasz an article in Open apple (A@ Dentral) a few years ago about this >very thing. At that time, they said that every "real" word in the english >language was owned by someone. Companies are now putting together nonsense >words for software titles etc. They also said in the next issue that the headline "Last English Word Copyrighted" was not serious... It seems many people took them seriously ("If it's in writing, it must be true!") especially since this was in a headline. > In addition, letter combinations are also >owned i.e. aa, ab, ac ... I suspect this is also false, simply because you could give everyone on the planet a unique letter combination and not need more than 7 letters (case insensitive, even). > What I don't really understand is that I was of the opinion that a >given language i.e. english, french ... was PD. How can you own something >that doesn't belong to anyone? I thought it was the same sort of thing as >Shakespeare's works - now they are PD and anyone can use them - quote etc. >without giving credit for the quote. Languages are, in a sense, "public domain." Trademarks and so on exist for the protection of the consumer (if I called my company "Apple Computer, Inc." I'd get a lot of business from people who confused me with the real thing). The root of the problem is that today's society is sue-happy. That's why Apple is willing to pay millions up front, rather than call a machine "Mac Classic" (which OBVIOUSLY isn't going to be confused with the pop or anything else) and risk getting sued for a portion or profits or other amazingly large sum. > I think this topic may bear some further research. Yup. But it's depressing work, seeing just how stupid the legal system is... One last thing, since this discussion is straying from computers to legalitites. Although you don't see it in the news reports, Apple Records started making noise about a suit when the GS was first released, since they considered anything with an Ensoniq DOC to be a musical instrument. Adding a MIDI box for the Macs just gave them more reason to sue. Rob -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Robert C. Knauerhase knauer@cs.uiuc.edu U of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign rck@ces.cwru.edu,knauer@cwru.bitnet Case Western Reserve University knauer@scivax.lerc.nasa.gov NASA Lewis Research Center "<esc> : q ! <return> emacs <return>" -- all the vi you need to know...
anatoly@ritcsh.cs.rit.edu (Anatoly Ivasyuk) (11/07/90)
In article <84@braille.uwo.ca>, bill@braille.uwo.ca (Bill Carss) writes: > In article <8551@darkstar.ucsc.edu> unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) writes: > > > >In article <5460@crash.cts.com> dale@pro-gateway.cts.com (Dale Therio, Co-SysOp) writes: > [stuff about trademarks and copyrights omitted] > The reason Apple Records can sue Apple Computer Inc. is that the former own > the name Apple. > Actually, Apple Records had a previous agreement with Apple Computer that Apple Co would not produce music computers. Apple Records (owned in part by former Beatle George Harrison, I believe) believes that Apple violated that agreement when they made the //gs, and that's why they were suing. > There wasz an article in Open apple (A@ Dentral) a few years ago about this > very thing. At that time, they said that every "real" word in the english > language was owned by someone. Companies are now putting together nonsense If memory serves (I don't have the back issues of Open-Apple (tm), now A2-Central, here with me) but that particular article was in an April issue, and was meant as an April Fool's joke. :-) > I think this topic may bear some further research. *sarcasm on* Yes, probably on your end. *sarcasm off* > Bill Carss > bill@braille.uwo.ca (please note the lower case) OOOO OOOOO OOOOO Anatoly Ivasyuk (anatoly@ritcsh.csh.rit.edu) O O O O Computer Science House OOOO O O Rochester Institute of Technology O O O O O O OOOOO O "If all else fails, RTFM."
lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu (Raymond Lang) (11/07/90)
In <84@braille.uwo.ca> bill@braille.uwo.ca (Bill Carss) writes: >There wasz an article in Open apple (A@ Dentral) a few years ago about this >very thing. At that time, they said that every "real" word in the english >language was owned by someone. Companies are now putting together nonsense That was a joke, as he explained in a subsequent issue for the benefit of those who didn't pick up on the sarcasm. [other stuff] >maybe you can *OWN* a name for considerably longer than a regular patent. There's some confusion here. Patents, copyrights, and trademarks are three different things that serve three different purposes. Inventions are granted patents, creative works are copyrighted, and brand names get trademarked. I'm not a lawyer, so I can't really presume to explain the differences fully; but my understanding is that patents expire after 25 years, and that copyrights and trademarks may be renewed indefinitely (someone correct me if I'm wrong). >Bill Carss >bill@braille.uwo.ca (Please Note the Lower case!!) Ray lang@rex.cs.tulane.edu
bh1e+@andrew.cmu.edu (Brendan Gallagher Hoar) (11/08/90)
Speaking of the Apple Records/Apple Computer Suit (sorry, SUITS, Records sued first, Apple sued to try to gain the rights of the name, but anyway)...speaking of this stuff The newest MacUser that I have (the December 1990) suggests that the reason that Apple did not ad 16-bit 44.1kHz digital sound to the new Macs was because of this ongoing Thingy with A. Records... Just thought you'd (y'all would) like to know. (Disclaimer Someone at work gave me the MacUser...I would never ever involve myself in the Mac world..no never...uh-uh...well, ok, so I lied) Brendan G. Hoar bh1e+@andrew.cmu.edu Carnegie Mellon, Inc.