[nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific andSerotek AnnounceTrademarkAccord

[David Evans]

Dear All,

That would be a good trick as the American Foundation For the Blind 
pre-dates the formation of the ACB and even the NFB.
In Fact, the American Foundation for the Blind is one of those organizations 
that helped to form the ACB in an effort to combat the NFB which was trying 
to get equal wages for blind workers in sheltered workshops.  They were 
mainly responsible for getting a law passed in 1933 that allowed the 
operators of a sheltered workshop to be able to pay Blind workers less than 
minimum wage for their work.

The AFB operated more sheltered workshops than almost anyone and this equal 
wages thing would have cut into their profits.

Most times, a company seeking a trade mark or copywrite will include a 
phrase in their declaration, that includes a word and any derivians there of 
to that word or name.
The NFB has done this to the word "Federation" and "Federation of the Blind" 
in its copywrite claims.
This is done to prevent any confusion between other businesses and 
organizations and is common practice in business.
In fact, the first thing you must do when starting a business is do a 
fictitious name search to see if some one else has claimed the rights to 
that name already.

David Evans, NFBF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "kaye zimpher" <kayezimpher at bellsouth.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific andSerotek 
AnnounceTrademarkAccord


> So should the american council of the blind sue the american foundation 
> for
> the blind because the words american and blind are both in the company 
> name?
> Even though we all know that the 2 organizations perform vastly different
> tasks and while I will not say they are never coufused it does not seem a
> law suit necessary.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Cindy Handel" <cindy425 at verizon.net>
> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 9:14 AM
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific andSerotek
> AnnounceTrademarkAccord
>
>
>> Well, for those who say that the lawsuit was totally unnecessary; unless
>> you
>> work for Freedom Scientific, in their tech support or sales area, you
>> don't
>> really know how much confusion there was between Freedom Scientific and
>> Freedom Box.  It seems that if people don't like Freedom Scientific, they
>> find any excuse to bash them...much like some do to the NFB.  Would it
>> also
>> be wrong for the NFB to file suit against a smaller organization who uses
>> "Federation", or "Blind Federation" in their name, just because there
>> probably isn't any confusion?  No, it would be perfectly appropriate.
>> There
>> are reasons for names to be registered or copyrighted, whatever they do 
>> to
>> insure the name isn't used by someone else.
>>
>> It didn't come to a court case, because the two companies worked out an
>> agreement.  But, just because FS is the larger company, they're not
>> automatically wrong and the bully.  Just my opinion.
>>
>> Cindy
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Michael D. Barber" <m.barber at mchsi.com>
>> To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 7:55 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific and Serotek
>> AnnounceTrademarkAccord
>>
>>
>> I agree with Alicia.  I'm extremely disappointed with Freedom Scientific
>> regarding this lawsuit.
>> I think it was totally unnecessary.  In my opinion, Freedom Scientific
>> should pay more attention to developing a product that isn't so buggy
>> instead of picking on small companies.
>>
>> Michael
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Alicia Richards
>> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2007 12:37 AM
>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific and Serotek
>> AnnounceTrademarkAccord
>>
>> Hi, list.  I have mixed feelings when I read this.  In one way, I'm glad
>> they've settled, and that FS has dismissed the lawsuit.  It wouldn't have
>> been good on either company to have fought the battle to it's fullest
>> extent.
>>
>> Unfortunately, I feel like FS basically won this suit.  The only reason
>> they
>> chose to dismiss it is because Serotek gave into their demands.  I've
>> never
>> seen anyone confuse FreedomBox with any FS product, and I wish Serotek
>> didn't have to make such changes to their line.  The name Freedom Box has
>> existed for years.  What made FS decide they had to fight about it now? 
>> I
>> personally think that FS is worried because Serotek and their products 
>> are
>> gaining in popularity and use among the blind, especially since System
>> Access came out.  So now they are perceived as real competition, and
>> therefore a threat.  FS didn't think they had to act till now.
>>
>> I'm disappointed that Serotek had to give in, but I do think that all the
>> suit has done is put their name even more in the public spotlight.
>> Hopefully in a roundabout way, that will contribute to the growth of 
>> their
>> company.
>>
>> Alicia
>>
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