Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: gmd.de!nntp.gmd.de!xlink.net!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.duke.edu!eff!news.kei.com!ub!newserve!sarah!psinntp!psinntp!viper!nntp!jim
From: jim@esprit.visix.com (Jim Edwards-Hewitt)
Subject: Re: Copyrighted characters in adventures
Sender: news@visix.com
Message-ID: <JIM.94Apr28132816@esprit.visix.com>
In-Reply-To: gdr11@cl.cam.ac.uk's message of 26 Apr 1994 16:36:36 GMT
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 17:28:16 GMT
Lines: 26
Reply-To: jim@visix.com
References: <2pj8ph$sj@tekgen.bv.tek.com> <2pjfuk$rvl@lyra.csx.cam.ac.uk>
Organization: Visix Software Inc.


Gareth Rees writes:
>Tom Almy writes:
>> When James grows up and starts up his "James Bond Agent Agency" he
>> could be sued for trademark infringment.
>
>I believe this is false, at least in the UK; you're allowed to trade
>under your own name even if it infringes someone else's copyright (but
>you're not allowed to gratuitously change your name for trading
>purposes).

It is true in the US (at least in some cases, I don't know the fine
points).  I remember reading that the third Gallo brother (other than
Ernest and Julio) is not allowed to use the family name to sell wine.
(These are producers of mass-market California wines.  If you're lucky,
you've never heard of them in the UK. ;-)

	-- Jim

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Jim Edwards-Hewitt            jim@visix.com           Visix Software Inc.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      "No, please!  I've got a wife and kids!  Millions of kids!"

				-- Bugs Bunny
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
