Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/18

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica H?
From: Kip Babington <cbabing3@swbell.net>
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 15:31:55 -0600

I thought it was pretty funny myself - and I'm just sorry Leica hasn't chosen
to follow Hasselblad in reverse (yet?)  BUT, that said, I think I can
understand why Solms would take a dim view of the post (officially, that is -
I'll bet at least some of the people there got a good yuk out of it.)

Trademark lawyers correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe that in today's
legal climate (worldwide, not just in the legally wacko USA) the holder of a
trademark MUST defend against the unauthorized use of its trademark or face
losing the right to exclusive use of it.  And since there probably is no
"bright line", as the lawyers say, to define exactly when the courts will say
you have given up a claim to exclusive use of a trademark, the only safe course
is to object to ANY unauthorized use.  In this case it may not be the lawyers
at Solms who are really to blame, but the lawyers for the trademark infringers
(the guys with factories, not just web sites,) who will stand ready to point to
any unauthorized and unobjected-to use as evidence of abandonment.  Given the
value to Solms of the Leica trademark (what do you think the operation would be
worth without it) I suspect they have no choice but to object (again, at least
formally) to any unauthorized use of it.

But I'd still like to see a Leica in 120/220.

Cheers,
Kip

Ted Grant wrote:

> >Aw, come on, Ted...It's a joke! And, in my opinion, a pretty funny one at
> >that.>>>>>
>
> Hi B. D.
>
> I agree with you whole heartedly. :)  However, as you know it's a wierd
> world out there and I'd be surprised if Solms didn't send a note of some
> kind, parody or otherwise.
>
> <<<<<<And if this upsets the folks in Solms, they're even more out of
> >touch than already think they are..>>>>>>
>
> Well I sometimes I wonder if they've ever come out of the 19th century, let
> alone arrived with everyone else to the 21st.
>
> ted
>
> Ted Grant
> This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
> http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant