9 ms·

It's always been that way. Remember the Windows 95 and Windows NT startup screens? Take this for instance: http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/winnt4

It's always been that way. Remember the Windows 95 and Windows NT startup screens? Take this for instance: http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/winnt40 http://www.guidebookgallery.org/screenshots/winnt40 In particular: http://www.guidebookgallery.org/pics/gui/startupshutdown/splash/winnt40.png http://www.guidebookgallery.org/pics/gui/startupshutdown/spl... It wasn't uncommon for Microsoft to have their name mentioned 4 or 5 times on a single screen, alongside copyright symbols, trademarks, and other crap.

zalew 14y ago
those screenshots were enhanced with adobe(r) photoshop(tm) software.
- sharkweek 14y ago
  you never "photoshop" a picture, right? -- I have to imagine there is an endless struggle between marketing and legal on these types of things
  - Trezoid 14y ago
    IIRC there was actually some talk of Adobe legal stepping in to stop the use of the term "photoshop" for editing an image. For obvious reason it went no-where.
    - mprovost 14y ago
      Here? http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4 http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4
      - 001sky 14y ago
        <example> Incorrect: The image was photoshopped. Correct: The image was enhanced using Adobe® Photoshop® software.
    - DanBC 14y ago
      They have sent letters to people using "photoshop" as a verb, especially in a general context where it's not clear that Adobe Photoshop is the editing software. Bic (pens) write to stop people using Bic instead of ballpoint. (Very successfully it seems, that's not a use I'm aware of.) Hoover try to stop people using hoover as a verb too. Google used to try to stop people using "google it" to mean "web search it". They have to try to protect the mark, otherwise there's no point them having it.
      - polshaw 14y ago
        IIRC 'bic' is used primarily in France. These companies trying to stop the use of their name seem crazy to me (unless they are 'complaining' just to get some more press). So much promotion.
        josephlord 14y ago
        But it can lead to the loss of the trademark if it becomes a common word. Anyone can brand their product with it. This happened (or at least went to court) with Hoover in the UK I think. Hoover had become the generic term for a Vacuum Cleaner and so any company could make and sell products described as Hoovers (or at least it was an open legal question). This means it is far from crazy to defend a trademark from generic use.
        zalew 14y ago
        in Poland instead of 'hoover' it was 'electrolux'. some seniors people call it so to this day. 'bic' was also popular in Brazil.
        chalst 14y ago
        There is no danger of these companies losing their trademark, anymore than Apple the iPhone maker is in danger of losing its trademark either because the term Apple is associated with other commercial products, e.g., Beatles records or because it is also a common word. The companies are worried about loss of "uniqueness" (aka. "trademark dilution"), which is a special form of protection that famous and unambiguous trademarks get. Now that the Google trademark is considered unique, you can't start a Gourmet Google Goulash restaurant, even though there is no risk of consumers being confused about who they are dealing with. The law is worried that Google's brand strength might be diluted by their brand managers not having the stage completely to themselves. I think this whole area of law is fairly recent - Wikipedia says it grew out of anti-cybersquatting efforts in the mid 1990s.
  - jcromartie 14y ago
    http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4 http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4
    - twiceaday 14y ago
      Hilarious! Trademarks are not verbs. Correct: The image was enhanced using Adobe® Photoshop® software. Incorrect: The image was photoshopped.
- masklinn 14y ago
  Adobe® Photoshop™
luchs 14y ago
I never understood why these were there, I mean you can't even see anything except some circle at that resolution.

zalew 14y ago

those screenshots were enhanced with adobe(r) photoshop(tm) software.

sharkweek 14y ago
you never "photoshop" a picture, right? -- I have to imagine there is an endless struggle between marketing and legal on these types of things
- Trezoid 14y ago
  IIRC there was actually some talk of Adobe legal stepping in to stop the use of the term "photoshop" for editing an image. For obvious reason it went no-where.
  - mprovost 14y ago
    Here? http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4 http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4
    - 001sky 14y ago
      <example> Incorrect: The image was photoshopped. Correct: The image was enhanced using Adobe® Photoshop® software.
  - DanBC 14y ago
    They have sent letters to people using "photoshop" as a verb, especially in a general context where it's not clear that Adobe Photoshop is the editing software. Bic (pens) write to stop people using Bic instead of ballpoint. (Very successfully it seems, that's not a use I'm aware of.) Hoover try to stop people using hoover as a verb too. Google used to try to stop people using "google it" to mean "web search it". They have to try to protect the mark, otherwise there's no point them having it.
    - polshaw 14y ago
      IIRC 'bic' is used primarily in France. These companies trying to stop the use of their name seem crazy to me (unless they are 'complaining' just to get some more press). So much promotion.
      - josephlord 14y ago
        But it can lead to the loss of the trademark if it becomes a common word. Anyone can brand their product with it. This happened (or at least went to court) with Hoover in the UK I think. Hoover had become the generic term for a Vacuum Cleaner and so any company could make and sell products described as Hoovers (or at least it was an open legal question). This means it is far from crazy to defend a trademark from generic use.
        zalew 14y ago
        in Poland instead of 'hoover' it was 'electrolux'. some seniors people call it so to this day. 'bic' was also popular in Brazil.
        chalst 14y ago
        There is no danger of these companies losing their trademark, anymore than Apple the iPhone maker is in danger of losing its trademark either because the term Apple is associated with other commercial products, e.g., Beatles records or because it is also a common word. The companies are worried about loss of "uniqueness" (aka. "trademark dilution"), which is a special form of protection that famous and unambiguous trademarks get. Now that the Google trademark is considered unique, you can't start a Gourmet Google Goulash restaurant, even though there is no risk of consumers being confused about who they are dealing with. The law is worried that Google's brand strength might be diluted by their brand managers not having the stage completely to themselves. I think this whole area of law is fairly recent - Wikipedia says it grew out of anti-cybersquatting efforts in the mid 1990s.
- jcromartie 14y ago
  http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4 http://www.adobe.com/misc/trade.html#section-4
  - twiceaday 14y ago
    Hilarious! Trademarks are not verbs. Correct: The image was enhanced using Adobe® Photoshop® software. Incorrect: The image was photoshopped.
masklinn 14y ago
Adobe® Photoshop™

luchs 14y ago

I never understood why these were there, I mean you can't even see anything except some circle at that resolution.