RudyBob
Posts: 1,480 +1,573
Sometimes but they can pick a court to file in just like the politico's do
Arizona PC builder that applied for Meta trademark says Facebook can buy the name for...
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captaincranky
Posts: 19,689 +8,831
I think this guy's deluding himself. Two companies can have the same name, unless they're in the same business.
"Facebook" (or "Meta", if you prefer), doesn't build and sell computers. So, there's no conflict
To me, the timing of this whole affair is suspicious. It's almost like somebody told him that Facebook was going to name the parent company "Meta", and he quick ran to get the name trademarked>
I also am skeptical that Smuckerberg thought this up on the fly, while he was testifying in front of congress.
He's been gobbling up companies for years, in anticipation of his "meraverse". How long ago did he buy Oculus?
"Facebook" (or "Meta", if you prefer), doesn't build and sell computers. So, there's no conflict
To me, the timing of this whole affair is suspicious. It's almost like somebody told him that Facebook was going to name the parent company "Meta", and he quick ran to get the name trademarked>
I also am skeptical that Smuckerberg thought this up on the fly, while he was testifying in front of congress.
He's been gobbling up companies for years, in anticipation of his "meraverse". How long ago did he buy Oculus?
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Rocky4040
Posts: 198 +258
Yet Zuck & company will also put in for a trade on the word Meta that's a given.
I hope meta (PC) wins this because zuck with all of those high priced lawyers should have
been able to find that another company was already using the name and also had put in for the trade mark for that name. But of coarse they probably did find out there was another company already using the name and just did not care and knew if push came to shove all they would have to do is bulldoze their way past the company and take the name for themselves because hey we have billions of dollars we can do anything we like to who ever we like and they can go suck an egg...lol
There's the problem - trying to understand Zuck and FB as "people".
They're AI, not people.
If the name matters that much to Zuckerberg, then it's not being "greedy". Brand names are valuable and Facebook/Meta has plenty of money to spend on the name if they want it bad enough. I'd say, start bidding at $20M and see where it goes from there.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,689 +8,831
In English, it's not even a word, it's a prefix. For example, "metaphor", or, "metaphysics".
It's been appropriated in colloquial English as a word, in and of itself, but only in recent decades.
Quite frankly, I don't think you can copyright or trademark a "word".
I still think this mutt is deluding himself. If Facebook wants the trademark "Meta", all they have to do is either, use a specific typeface, color, or collateral graphics associated with the name, and they can trademark it. And that's whether or not, somebody else tried to register it first.
As an example, you can't trademark "plumbing", or "electrical", or "Auto Repair". You would have to make it proprietary. Thus, "Rumpelstiltskin's Auto Repair"..
Besides, who is this clown trying to kid? Does he really imagine he could name his business, "meta", and the world would beat a path to his door? Most people with any common sense would ask, "WTF is Meta", what do they do?
Ludak021
Posts: 775 +590
In games like, say, Path of Exile, "meta" is used in the sentance as "meta build" as in "very popular and effective at the moment"... I guess PC dude was alluding to something within those lines of thinking, since he is "building" gaming PCs
I don't think he is going to get anything further from this bit of free exposure.
I don't think he is going to get anything further from this bit of free exposure.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,689 +8,831
Right, and in your example, "meta", is still performs as a prefix, just not a joined prefix. (but technically it,s being used as an adjective).
Fox God Records
Posts: 110 +97
Yeah, good luck with that. There are multiple trademarks for common words. Apple Computers has trademarked "Apple." So has Scholastic, and the Apple Rubber Company. Although both Metas are technology-based, I could easily see Meta Computers being distinctly different from what Meta (Facebook) is doing. Now, he could try selling a web domain, but I don't think Zuck is going to give him a penny, and be just fine.
He won't get a penny. No need. It's a common word. It will have more than one trademark.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,689 +8,831
You can't copyright a word, period. If fact, if Facebook is going to change their name to "Meta", I imagine it will have to be as a logotype. "So, "Meta", needs to be accompanied by color, typeface and size, along with possible integration into an overall integration into a graphic design.
Facebook has already done this with "Meta", as you'll note the infinity symbol that precedes it.
Meta Platforms Trademarks | Meta
Explore Meta Platforms trademark glossary and trademark logos.
www.facebook.com
BTW, before the hipsters got a hold of it, "meta wasn't even a word. It was, more or less, just a prefix.
You can't copyright a single word, that is true. But you can trademark a word, like Apple. You can also trademark things like Uber, which is analogous to Meta in that Uber is more of a prefix (though it's become a bit of a word), he was an Uber-nerd.
According to the US Trademark Office:
"A trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things that identifies your goods or services. It’s how customers recognize you in the marketplace and distinguish you from your competitors."
Growing apples is one thing. But, you could not be an apple grower selling products under the name Apple. Apple will argue that any use of the Apple name, computers or otherwise, implies some relationship between the 2 companies and would diminish the value of the Apple brand.
I think the issue for the guy in Phoenix will be that he hasn't actually used that trademark extensively and therefore he may not have a valid claim to the name. Or maybe, Facebook will just throw him a bone and offer to pay him something less in an NDA protected agreement. I'm sure he'd sell for a million.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,689 +8,831
The wordmark in Uber's new logo uses a custom typeface called “Uber Move.” It's supposed to echo similar sans serif fonts used for transportation signage around the world, according to AdWeek, and also saves the company from paying licensing fees.
And no, "Uber" is not a prefix. It's a German word meaning, "over or above". Nietzsche is mostly responsible for introducing it to the English speaking world, with his rants about the, "uber mensch". (over man).
Ludak021
Posts: 775 +590
Of course you can sell apples under name "apple" everyone does it. You can't make an electronic or software and name it Apple, set apple as a logo and sell it.
When applying for trademark, you need to do "how customers recognize you in the marketplace and distinguish you from your competitors" this part. It's very important.
edit: anyway, to summarize, again, dude with his "Meta" brand building (assembling) PCs has nothing to do with Facebook, VR, augmented reality, and such, so no one is in breach, they are not competing in the same market and he can kiss 20 million good bye.
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You can sell apples as apples, but if you started an apple selling company called Apple, you would likely get a letter from some lawyers in Cupertino. Companies have to defend their trademarks across all industries or they stand to lose them when someone in the same or similar business comes along and uses the name.
In the case of the PC seller there is more of a connection to FB than an apple grower has to Apple Computers.
captaincranky
Posts: 19,689 +8,831
What exactly are yuo and the PC "builder" missing? Oh wait, it's the infinity symbol in front of the word "Meta".
For your supposed connection to be valid, the apple seller would have to picture an apple with a bite out of it as their "trademark", before infringement could occur....in the same color....., in the same typeface.
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