Unix as a trademark

[Chuq Von Rospach]

>      UNIX is indeed a trademark.  However if enough people use as a generic
> term AT&T will lose it as a trademark.  Aspirin is a perfect example.
> Suggestion to the world :   Whenever using UNIX don't identify it as a
> trademark. I don't.  If everyone does it AT&T is powerless to do anything
> about it.

Actually, all AT&T has to do is show reasonable attempt to protect its
trademark -- this is why Xerox(tm) and Caterpillar(tm) are still trademarks,
for example, despite continued misuse of those terms. One way AT&T enforces
that is through the requirement of all of their people to properly denote
Unix as a trademark. The requirement to mark Unix properly is also in your
Unix contract your site signed with AT&T. 

AT&T actually isn't powerlyrless -- since refusing to use Unix as a
trademark goes against your license agreements they could simply decide to
take away the Unix license from your machine. Inciting people to break
trademark could be handled under civil law, and perhaps even be prosecutable
under something or other in criminal law... Have fun!

chuq (Unix is a trademark of AT&T Bell Labs)
-- 
:From the lofty realms of Castle Plaid:          Chuq Von Rospach 
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