Quote:
Originally Posted by Thasaidon
From today's BBC news.
There is a small cafe near where Tolkein used to live in the UK called "The Hungry Hobbit". It has used the name for six years.
The lawyers for the big US corporation which purchased the copy right to Tolkein's work has written to them telling them to stop using the name. They say "it could cause confusion" and was an infringement of copyright (theft?).
I think the argument is risible and just another way big corporations try to extend "their rights". As far as I am concerned is a potential PR disaster for the company. Similar to the Harry Potter domain owned by a young girl who was similarly approached by the film company who claimed exclusive "rights" to the domain name.
How does the above add to the income of J. R. Tolkein as he died at a ripe old age some years ago?
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Worse, years ago there was a Filipino restaurant in Baltimore, MD. Called Sonie's. The owner's name was Sonie. Sony Corporation actually sued her to change the name of her restaurant due to the possible "confusion."
Hmm, I would have never thought of a Philippine resaurant as being connected the the Sony Electronic corporation.