Python Trademark Status

[Grant Griffin]

Tim Peters wrote:
> 
...
> Note that CNRI didn't apply for a trademark, though, they applied for a
> service mark.  If we were lawyers, I bet we'd find that fascinating <wink>.
> 
> i'm-sure-someone-does-ly y'rs  - tim

Guilty as charged <wink>.

IANAL (or even merely "anal" <wink>), but as I understand it, the
essential difference between a "trademark" and a "service mark" is just
whether the thing in question is a "good" (for trademarks) or a
"service" (for service marks.  Aside from that distinction, I think all
of the other aspects of the two are the same.  (Obviously, some gray
areas can come into play here, but then again, that provides employment
for lawyers. <0.5 wink>)

For web authors like me whose site provides a "service" rather than a
"good", this causes endless trouble in terms of web presentation,
because the W3C and the common character sets don't provide a special
"SM" character, as they do for "TM" and "(R)"*, and even "(C)".  Also,
to the uninitiated, "SM" suggests something vaguely immoral <nudge,
nudge; wink, wink; say no more>.  

maybe-CNRI-should-loan-the-W3C-a-few-of-their-extra-lawyers
   -<nudge,-nudge;-wink,-wink;-say-no-more>-ly y'rs,

=g2
*Ironically, once you "register" your trademark or service mark, you get
to use the "(R)" designation, regardless of which kind of mark it was. 
Go figure.
-- 
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Grant R. Griffin                                       g2 at dspguru.com
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