Wednesday, May 28, 2003

Trademarks This is an astonishing story about a disabled veteran/information studies grad husband-and-wife team in Florida who set up a noncommercial website called "Virtual Office Team." Robert Half International, a California company, sicced its New York lawyers on the poor couple, who have $100 in the bank and live on VA benefits. Robert Half International asserts a trademark on OFFICETEAM, and their lawyers want the couple to cough up $10,000 and forswear their use of the phrase "Office Team," or they will seek a farcically gigantic judgement against them in a New York court, which the couple cannot afford to set foot in. And it turns out that Robert Half International has made a racket out of this. A single mom in Texas who registered virtualgalfriday.com is also being shaken down for thousands by the same white-shoe aggro lawyers on behalf of the same carpetbagging clients. Link(via Lessig) [BoingBoing] I think this maybe less of a trademark-problem and more of a too-many-lawyers- are-looking-for-work problem. 9:25:21 AM    comment []; Gesture Your Mouse The constant point-and-click of the mouse can be a real drag. One company has developed products that sense hand movements to give computer commands, creating input devices that it hopes will replace the mouse. By Katie Dean. [Wired News] Bring it on!! 9:20:42 AM    comment [];

© Copyright 2003 Ottmar Liebert. Last update: 8/25/03; 11:53:36 AM.