A friend of mine has copyrighted the word/name "ray". He will be collecting a licensing fee from all who chose to use that word, except for me. He likes me so I can use it for free. He doesn't like anybody else.
Copyright regulations do not allow for the copyrighting of a single word.
See:
Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring; mere listings of ingredients or contents
Since I can readily prove prior art, you friend has no case...
--Sir Ray
"M> >Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; "M> mere "M> variations of typographic ornamentation, lettering, or coloring; mere "M> listings "M> of ingredients or contents Well looks like UP can't _copyright_ things like UP or Union Pacific or "M> anything like that!
But they *can* *trademark* them. Trademarks are a whole different class of critters.
"M> "M> "M>
\/ Robert Heller ||InterNet: snipped-for-privacy@cs.umass.edu
UP can copyright their logo, which is artwork, and they can tradmark their name. Trademark and copyright are two different things.
You could have some other type of business called "Union Pacific" It could be a surf shop, a machine shop, a grocery store, a massage parlor, or whatever...as long as they did not use the logo of the UPRR, there'd be no case against the trademark. But if another transportation company, particularly a railroad, tried to call themselves Union Pacific, then there would be grounds for legal action.
parlor, or whatever...as long as they did not use the logo of the UPRR, there'd be no case against the trademark. But if another transportation company, particularly a railroad, tried to call themselves Union Pacific, then there would be grounds for legal action.<
Ah, so you are saying that the name on a piece of model railroad equipment would not infringe. A model railroad is not a transportation company! I'm not talking about a "logo" here just the name! So based on the above how can UP get away with what they are asking as long as "logos" are not used?
Because most models also use trademarks. The sheild on the front of a BigBoy is a trademark. The herald on the side of a boxcar is a trademark.
The UP is trying to cover it's butt as far as thier trademarks and copyrights go, and they have every right to do so.
Face it, they don't care about us having to shell out another few bucks for a UP model, and boycotting them isen't going to make them care. They are not in the business of selling UP merchandise, they are in the business of hauling freight.
Doug Menke
Regarding the fellow who allegedly copyrighted the name "Ray", it was written:
But it's too late to get an all-encompassing trademark for "Ray" . . . a trademark application has already been filed (Serial Number 78134829).
JR Hill
I do believe (hope?) that this is a joke, in reference to our Canadian "friend" Mr. Pruit and his claiming that he has copyrighted the word "haggis".
Chris Curren
Or that some folks are not easily ammused . . .
CTucker NY
Well, I'm sorry his little poke at those nervous nelly corporate wusses in Omaha upset you, but it says not more about his IQ than, say, if he modeled diesels with fat handrails.
Damn, I better change my name. If that potato chip company hears about me, I'll be owing them big time since they were around before me. I mean, we have precedence here!
Jay Tongue-in-cheek, Wisconsin
See. Another instance of the white man trying to hold me down. I am a businessman and I've copyrighted "Haggis" for that purpose and some train playin white boy has to try and make a mockery out of my entrepreneurship.
TEAM PRUIT
RAY PRUIT - REIGNING WCW TV CHAMPION
"Hey Donna."--------- Ray Pruit
well, unless you're going to just paint an engine black and stick white "UNION PACIFIC" letters on it...I doubt you'd sell very many.
if the model has their shield or logo on it, you are using it.
"UNION PACIFIC" letters on it...< Well in the era I model that's all you do. Probably why Trix, etc. isn't much worried with the Big Boy, boxcars and cabooses! As long as manufactures stay out of the diesels not much to worry about!
Difference being...you'd be using the actual UP artwork on your model...which can be copyrighted.
I'm sure a model railroad company could get by with printing the words "Union Pacific" on a model and NOT using the lettering/paint styles of the UP, nor their logo, and not be subject to any legal situation...but then WHO would want something like that? Certainly NOT a fan of the UPRR!
model...which can be copyrighted< I doubt very much if that artwork would fit on any model rr car! And remember a minor change can make it different if you are defining the stylized artwork as a logo! The bottom line is the it's doubtful that UP would win this in regards to model rr equipment. The basic problem is the amount of money it would take to go after them. I would be very surprised if they would even allow it to go to court, "nothing" if they win (what could you win from a incorporated model rr business that does maybe 10K a year and would declare bankruptcy at a lose) and massive problems if they lose.
What is very interesting about all this is that I did a search on the terms copyright, logo, etc. hoping to find a reference to the written law. Mostly all I came up with were legal firms, 100's of them. It must be a booming business for lawyers!
model...which can be copyrighted< I doubt very much if that artwork would fit on any model rr car! And remember a minor change can make it different if you are defining the stylized artwork as a logo! The bottom line is the it's doubtful that UP would win this in regards to model rr equipment. The basic problem is the amount of money it would take to go after them. I would be very surprised if they would even allow it to go to court, "nothing" if they win (what could you win from a incorporated model rr business that does maybe 10K a year and would declare bankruptcy at a lose) and massive problems if they lose.
What is very interesting about all this is that I did a search on the terms copyright, logo, etc. hoping to find a reference to the written law. Mostly all I came up with were legal firms, 100's of them. It must be a booming business for lawyers!
model...which can be copyrighted< I doubt very much if that artwork would fit on any model rr car! And remember a minor change can make it different if you are defining the stylized artwork as a logo! The bottom line is the it's doubtful that UP would win this in regards to model rr equipment. The basic problem is the amount of money it would take to go after them. I would be very surprised if they would even allow it to go to court, "nothing" if they win (what could you win from a incorporated model rr business that does maybe 10K a year and would declare bankruptcy at a lose) and massive problems if they lose.
What is very interesting about all this is that I did a search on the terms copyright, logo, etc. hoping to find a reference to the written law. Mostly all I came up with were legal firms, 100's of them. It must be a booming business for lawyers!
model...which can be copyrighted< I doubt very much if that artwork would fit on any model rr car! And remember a minor change can make it different if you are defining the stylized artwork as a logo! The bottom line is the it's doubtful that UP would win this in regards to model rr equipment. The basic problem is the amount of money it would take to go after them. I would be very surprised if they would even allow it to go to court, "nothing" if they win (what could you win from a incorporated model rr business that does maybe 10K a year and would declare bankruptcy at a lose) and massive problems if they lose.
What is very interesting about all this is that I did a search on the terms copyright, logo, etc. hoping to find a reference to the written law. Mostly all I came up with were legal firms, 100's of them. It must be a booming business for lawyers!
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