[Coco] [OT] Copyright

[John R. Hogerhuis]

On Sat, 2005-07-09 at 12:56 -0400, PaulH96636 at aol.com wrote:
>  In a message dated 7/9/05 10:38:06 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> jdiffendaffer at yahoo.com writes:
>  
> >I believe Mickey is also a trademark... which doesn't expire.   This
> >shouldn't have been required.
> 

I don't know how it would have worked out for Mickey. I don't know if it
has ever (or ever will come up) that a work goes out of copyright but
you still want to protect your marks. Maybe Mickey would have been
protected.

The whole Disney thing is aggravating though since they make so much off
their money off a rich public domain of fairy tales and books that are
out of copyright, and have no protected marks. 

> I've noticed the circle/TM for trademark many times, but what is  circle/SM?
>  

Trademark - generally print them on goods to identify your brands
Service Mark - associated with services
Trade Name - your business name
Trade dress - look and feel -- user interface or say the unique shape of
a Porsche

-- John.