Microsoft could face 'Vista' trademark challenge

Macworld ^ | July 25, 2005 | Elizabeth Montalbano

[Panerai]

The founder of a Redmond, Wash.-based custom application and services provider is considering taking action to challenge Microsoft Corp. over the naming of the next version of the Windows operating system (OS).

John Wall, chief executive officer of Vista Inc., said his company is “considering all of its options” for a potential case against Microsoft because of the company’s choice of the name “Windows Vista” for the previously code-named Longhorn version of the OS.

Wall said the naming of Windows may violate a trademark his company has and potentially create confusion over the software and services Vista provides. Vista is headquartered just down the road from Microsoft and provides small businesses with online information systems, including custom applications, as well as with consulting services.

“If people call it Windows Vista, thats not a problem,” he said. “If people call it ‘Vista,’ that confuses it with our business and what we do.”

Wall said Vista will be analyzing traffic to its Web site, http://www.vista.com, to see what effect the “Windows Vista” name may have on visitors to the site. If the effect is significant — that is, if a surge of visitors come to Vista.com looking for information about Windows Vista — the company may decide to take legal actions over the trademark.

[randog]

Vista? That's almost as good as 'Acme'.

[Terpfen]

The frivolous tech lawsuit trend marches ever onwards.

Ping!

[Echo Talon]

Good, I hope MS gets scared and uses a different name... Windows Vista sounds stupid! :D

[SlowBoat407]

How about Windows "Pane"?

[softwarecreator]

Windows Vista sounds stupid

Man, you ain't kidding ... now that is one freakin' lame sounding name!

[Tax Government]

For all Microsoft's reputed intellect, the company is DUMB DUMB DUMB! What kind of intelligent person would get this far down the road toward naming a product, without researching and resolving trademark disputes?

[softwarecreator]

How about Windows "Pane"?

Windows "Sill"?

[Tax Government]

They should name it "Basta", as in "enough already".

[sharktrager]

The Vista View Apartments.

There ain't no vista, and there ain't no view. And there sure ain't no vista of no view.

[softwarecreator]

to see what effect the “Windows Vista” name may have on visitors to the site.

Does bending over and retching count as an "effect"?

[SlowBoat407]

[thoughtomator]

Slowboat got it almost right... call it Windows Pain, and there's no truth-in-advertising lawsuit that can ever be lodged against 'em!

[Perdogg]

When will the home version be available?

Vista - Viruses, Infections, Spy ware, Trojans, and Ad ware.

[softwarecreator]

And I thought they'd reached the bottom of the barrel with "millennium"

But now, with "Vista", they've proven that if you just lift up that barrel ...

[softwarecreator]

LOL!

[SeaBiscuit]

"What kind of intelligent person would get this far down the road toward naming a product, without researching and resolving trademark disputes?"

The arrogant kind. MS stripped Lindows from their name because they said it was an infringement on their trademark.. guess they think it's just a one way street. Their arrogance knows no bounds.

[softwarecreator]

OSS ping! (for N3WBI3, who is on sabbatical)

[softwarecreator]

MS stripped Lindows from their name because they said it was an infringement on their trademark.. guess they think it's just a one way street. Their arrogance knows no bounds.

Ummm ... no.  Vista is a REAL word which according to dictionary.com means:
A distant view or prospect, especially one seen through an opening.

Lindows, is an obvious blending of the words "linux" and "Windows".  Windows is a registered trademark, therefore illegal.

There is NO comparison.

[ken21]

i was just thinking as i read this,

i don't have a negative image of "vista",

because i used to live in a city named the same.

[softwarecreator]

Yeah, but for the name of a long awaited Windows® release.  {BLECH!}

[Panerai]

[softwarecreator]

Now THAT is what I tink of when I hear the name Vista ... ugly car ugly name!!!

[SeaBiscuit]

Windows is a real word too. What's that got to do with it, the guys software company is called Vista.

[Perdogg]

I heard that Microsoft will release a new version of Explorer and their own Portable Document Format program. What is going to happen to people with XP (v 2002)? Will it be functionally obsolete? Also, will Vista solve the Y-2036 problem?

[softwarecreator]

Do you REALLY, honestly think that MS knew about this little pissant company when they named it Vista, come on ... think about it ... they did not know.

Believe me, I think it was stupid for them not to find out and it is a horrid name ... but it was not ARROGANT of them ... just bad taste and stupidity.

[softwarecreator]

What's this about MS creating their own PDF format?  Does Adobe own the format?  If I was MS, I wouldn't do it, just more animosity that they really don't need.  Bad idea and a Public Relations nightmare.

[HereInTheHeartland]

"What kind of intelligent person would get this far down the road toward naming a product, without researching and resolving trademark disputes?"

For a hefty consulting fee I could do a web search of the Patent and Trademerk Office and give them a hint.

http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=doc&state=5rggko.3.2

[Perdogg]

Metro

Metro is the codename for Microsoft's next generation document format, which is based on XML. It is similar in many ways to Adobe Systems' PDF. Metro is intended to allow users to view, print, and archive files without the original program that created it. The name Metro also refers to the print path in Vista. With Metro, documents can remain in the same format from the time they are created to the time they are printed. Microsoft states that Metro will provide better fidelity to the original document by using a consistent format for both screen and print output.

While many analysts suspect Metro is intended to be a "PDF-killer", Microsoft insists that they are not attempting to duplicate all the functionality of the PDF. For example, at the time of this writing, Metro is not planned to have the capabilities for dynamic documents.

[tang-soo]

And in their own neighborhood of all places.

[SeaBiscuit]

Actually I think they are THAT arrogant. "Vista is headquartered just down the road from Microsoft and provides small businesses with online information systems. Also their website is, www.vista.com. IMHO, I do think MS knew about that company even though its small, but just didn't care.

[softwarecreator]

Oh okay, as usual they are the BIG ugly corporate bullies who do everything wrong.

MS goes thru this, GM went thru this, EXXON went thru this.  Some people just hate successful companies.    Same old, same old.

[perfect stranger]

Do you REALLY, honestly think that MS knew about this little pissant company when they named it Vista, come on ... think about it ... they did not know.

I'd hope somebody gets fired over something stupid like this.

There's something called a trademark search, not to mention just a simple internet search.

Q: Why did they need to change from longhorn in the first place? Did feminist groups protest over the name or something?

[softwarecreator]

Thanks for the info.  Now this is one area where I disagree with MS.  Why do it?  No need.  This is gonna come back and bite them right in the a$$.

[softwarecreator]

I'd hope somebody gets fired over something stupid like this

I agree, it was stupid and someone did not do their job.  MS should have known better than this, I mean, come on, somewhere there HAD to be a company called Vista!!

[Mad Mammoth]

I think Microsoft should call their new OS "Acme". It no doubt is going to perform at a level Wile E. Coyote has come to expect from his many purchases of fine Acme products.

[Nachoman]

No problem. MS can just buy Vista, Inc., cherry pick its talent and close their doors.

[SeaBiscuit]

No, I have nothing against MS, or any successful business, more power to them because its good for the country, Please don't jump to conclusions. I just happen to think that Bill Gates can be arrogant and controlling, it shows in the OS itself.

[softwarecreator]

As a looong time MS user (back in the very early DOS days), I can honestly say I am NOT looking forward to this "Longhorn" thing.

Enough is enough ... improve XP and W2K and realease them as free, or low cost upgrades ... I am SICK of full blown new OS releases every 2 or 3 years.

[softwarecreator]

I just happen to think that Bill Gates can be arrogant and controlling

Saying things like this can easily make someone "jump to the conclusion" that you have something against MS.

My bad.

[Mad Mammoth]

Now THAT is what I tink of when I hear the name Vista ... ugly car ugly name!!!



HEY Dumb Azz! Don't be calling MY car ugly!!! LOL

[softwarecreator]

No problem. MS can just buy Vista, Inc., cherry pick its talent and close their doors

Or better yet, drop the name, it's old fashioned and not very unique or original.  When I hear the name, I think of that ugly car from the 70's (or 80's or whatever).

[perfect stranger]

It is curious that nobody at microsoft asked that question, nor anyone that reported it.

[softwarecreator]

HAHAHHAHHAHAHA!!!

Good find!!

I actually used to like that show when it first came out ... but it really sucked the last couple of years and I stopped watching it.

You know, no matter how hard I tried, everytime I saw "Red", all I could think of was the bad guy he played in RoboCop.

[softwarecreator]

Would you want to be the one to admit you thought of the name "Vista" and than forgot to see if it was copyrighted?

I'm sure that intern is probably not working there any longer.

[longtermmemmory]

how about eWindows? (everything is "e" these days)

how about Windows Panorama?

I think Vista Inc has real reason to be concerned because people do not say WindowsXP, they say "XP" (or 98, ME)

in short Vista, Inc. is screwed. Everyone is going to thing MS bought them.

[SeaBiscuit]

That's OK. I know what you mean about MS bashers, but honestly I am not one of them. I'd much rather an American company such as MS be successful than say, a foreign Linux distro. ;-)

[Mad Mammoth]

Personally, I think Kurtwood Smith is one of the best actors going, and his guest appearance on Star Trek - Voyager was a real tour de force. He was on his game.

If you haven't seen that episode, it is really worth hunting down, he's great.

[softwarecreator]

in short Vista, Inc. is screwed. Everyone is going to thing MS bought them

Agreed.  With all the potential for new and cool sounding names ... THIS is what they came up with?

Note to MS: Drop the name.  It isn't worth the bad publicity and the name is not exactly cutting edge.

Booooring.

[perfect stranger]

Maybe the intern should apply to work at Vista.