Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy,rec.music.dylan,comp.lang.dylan
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From: akp1@quads.uchicago.edu (Adam K. Powers)
Subject: Re: Alleging name theft, Bob Dylan sues Apple Computer
Message-ID: <1994Sep9.154339.27023@midway.uchicago.edu>
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References: <dasherCvAE9H.4I5@netcom.com> <CvAz6I.3oA@meteor.sbi.com> <Cvv78q.37G@cs.dal.ca>
Date: Fri, 9 Sep 1994 15:43:39 GMT
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Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu comp.sys.mac.advocacy:29820 comp.lang.dylan:2701

In article <Cvv78q.37G@cs.dal.ca> hayes@ug.cs.dal.ca (Kevin B. Hayes) writes:
>Ross Scott Rubin so eloquently professed:
>: In article <isisCv5Jqo.LqF@netcom.com> Mike Cohen, isis@netcom.com writes:
>: >I hope so. His suit is without merit (as was BHA's lawsuit) since THE
>: GENERAL
>: >PUBLIC WILL NEVER SEE THAT NAME, AS IT'S ONLY AN INTERNAL CODE NAME. In this
>
>: Not so with Dylan. The reason he's suing now is because Apple is planning to
>: name the final product Dylan.
>
>That's so incredibly arrogant!  Does that mean everyone with the name 
>Dylan should sue him?  Has apple done anything that implies they are naming
>the product after him?  Should I sue Hayes Microcomputer Company?  Or any
>other modem manufacturer that claims their modems are "Hayes-compatible".
>Wow!  I think I see some money to be stole - er, made.


Since this thread doesn't look like it's going to disappear anytime soon,
I'll put in my $.02 by restating the whole dilemma.  Here goes:

1. Columbia Records (i.e. Sony) is preparing to release a CD-ROM 
of Bob Dylan material.

2. Apple Computer is preparing to release their DYLAN product on CD-ROM.

3. Columbia's & Bob Dylan's lawyers heard about the Apple product,
and decided to sue on the grounds that Apple's "DYLAN" would
infringe upon the copyright to sell products under the name "Bob Dylan."

This type of lawsuit pops up only when the copyrighted name is used
on a product that might confuse consumers - if I opened an auto parts
store under the name "Dylan" or "Apple" I doubt anyone would care...
Maybe Bob Dylan's lawyers would have sued even without the Bob Dylan
CD-ROM in the works, but that's probably the primary reason for the lawsuit.  
I also highly suspect that Bob Dylan himself probably has very little 
interest in the case...

						Adam K. Powers
						akp1@midway.uchicago.edu

