Use of "Macintosh" in Babystep2.

[Bender]

Hi,
I was just looking at the Babystep Tutorials (not following them really), and I came through this block of code: (link: http://wiki.osdev.org/Babystep2)

Code: Select all

msg   db 'Welcome to Macintosh', 13, 10, 0

If we look at Apple's , trademarks list it does contain Macintosh as their TradeMark. (link: https://www.apple.com/legal/intellectua ... mlist.html).
I don't know if one can use a Trademarked name like that, but from what I have heard people should avoid using such names. Maybe one could edit the article and convert it to "My OS"? (Since I am too lazy to gain wiki access rights )
-Bender

[iansjack]

Even Apple, fond though they are of litigation, don't object to people using the word "MacIntosh". In fact I suspect they rather enjoy it.

Trademarks do not prevent people from talking about Biros, Hoovers, Fords, or even Macintoshes.

[Bender]

Hi,
I am not a lawyer, so I am not sure but....

[ORG 0x7c00]

xor ax, ax ; make it zero
mov ds, ax

mov si, msg
ch_loop:lodsb
or al, al ; zero=end of string
jz hang ; get out
mov ah, 0x0E
int 0x10
jmp ch_loop

hang:
jmp hang

msg db 'Welcome to Macintosh', 13, 10, 0

times 510-($-$$) db 0
db 0x55
db 0xAA

If you see the above code the author indirectly claims that his code is Macintosh (or a part of it) which should be avoided IMO.

don't object to people using the word "MacIntosh". In fact I suspect they rather enjoy it.

I have my doubts, Microsoft actually tried to sue Lindows and "MikeRoweSoft" which are not even close than related.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsof ... s.com,_Inc.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsof ... keRoweSoft
EDIT: Repaired the link
EDIT2: idk why but phpbb omits the '.' in the hyperlink which is important for the first one, you may put a '.' at the end while navigating to that page.
-Bender

[bluemoon]

If you see the above code the author indirectly claims that his code is Macintosh (or a part of it) which should be avoided IMO.

As if my target audience is THE World with the following code:

Code: Select all

printf ("Hello World!\n");

Anyway, while it is quite obvious the author did not hold such claim, let's just change it to Hello World™.

PS. I replaced them with Hello World anyway.

[Bender]

I give up.
EDIT:
I don't think "World" is trademarked or owned by a organisation so it should be okay to use World.
And yeah someone edited the page, issue closed.
-Bender Failed

[iansjack]

I replaced them with Hello World anyway.

Oh dear! You seem to be infringing on a registered trademark

[Bender]

I replaced them with Hello World anyway.

Oh dear! You seem to be infringing on a registered trademark

No idea what I just saw. I guess I was wasting everyone's time after seeing stuff like "Hello World" being owned. OMG! Another Hello World!!!! http://www.hello-world.com/resource/copyright.php. I declare I am insane.

[sortie]

Hello World is a registered trademark? Good luck enforcing that.

[iansjack]

Hello World is a registered trademark? Good luck enforcing that.

I wouldn't have thought there would be any difficulty in enforcing it. It only means that you can't trade under the name, or sell a product of that name. And, TBH, it's not the catchiest company name.

[bluemoon]

Even you got the trademark you will not be automatically protected. You still need effort to enforce it because it is described by civil law and not criminal law.

For instant, King got the trademark Candy, they have trouble enforcing it (this may also create a reference case if it is not enforced for long time) and they even withdraw that trademark later.

Hell I just found that Google also plan to trademark the word 'Glass'...

[onlyonemac]

Perhaps someone would catch the joke if they've ever booted up System 1 to System 7. The message "Welcome to Macintosh" was originally displayed during the Macintosh startup process. I only know this because I'm into old Macs.