O’Reilly publish some really good technical books, but that does not give them any divine rights.
Their latest “clarification” on the it@cork debacle that I mentioned earlier is really not helping matters:
We’re not claiming exclusive use of “Web 2.0” in all contexts. Our service mark applies only to “Web 2.0” when used in the *title* of “live events” such as conferences and tradeshows.
So if I organised a get together of some Irish IT professionals and called it say “Web 2.0 Meetup” or anything with “web 2.0” in the title they could come after me as well?
My understanding of trademark is not comprehensive, however, from what I do know a trademark holder would have to prove several things including the basic “possible confusion” bit. How the hell could anyone in their right minds confuse a small Irish IT organisation’s conference with that of an American publisher?
Even if they did confuse it how the hell can they send threatening letters when they don’t seem to have an actual trademark in Europe? (application for a trademark is not a trademark)
From a PR perspective I really would not like to be in O’Reilly’s shoes.. They’ve handled this really badly.
On the plus side I’m sure that IT@Cork’s membership will receive a boost and that the event will be sold out
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