George Lucas...WTF?

[Deset Gled]

In a sense, the C&D letter & copyright lawsuit filing is just a warning shot. They don't want anyone using that term for any reason.

Just to clarify something: so far, I have not heard of any suit being filed. Lucas has send the C+D letter threatening suit, but has not followed through.

My understanding is that C+D letters are a cheap and easy way to test the water and sometimes bully people into submission. For example, even if the laser company in question knows they could win the case if taken to court, if they can't afford the legal costs to fight Lucasfilm in court they may acquiesce to the demands anyway.

Of course, its also possible that Wicked Lasers is banking on the fact that they are based in China, where filing charges against them will be much more difficult, to deter Lucas from actually pressing charges. In some ways, we are witnessing an interesting game of poker.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

C&D letters ARE cheap. Like I said, a warning shot, and just as you surmised, they may be a way for an IP holder to win even if they couldn't prevail in court. If you don't have the $$$ for the fight, don't start it.

As for the company being located in China? China has gotten a LOT more diligent about enforcing copyright and other IP laws since the Chines pirates that have scourged other nation's IP holders have also started damaging the locals as well.

In addition, if the USA is the primary market for their product, they really can't afford too much negative press or a big fight with one of the local favorites.

Especially if they get the authorities in other countries to enforce their IP rights overseas. If you can't sell in your primary market, your secondary market, your tertiary market, etc., because of copyright laws, it may not be possible for you to stay in business.

Sure, you could TRY to stay in biz as a pirate, but lasers aren't quite as cheap to reproduce as, say, knockoff watches, toys or even other forms of IP (like movies or music).

Besides, do YOU want to be the one that finds out that Lucasfilm's Security has actual WORKING Lightsabers?

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Besides, do YOU want to be the one that finds out that Lucasfilm's Security has actual WORKING Lightsabers?

I don't believe that could possibly be true. When I last had a run-in with Lucasfilm Security, they assured me that they were only carrying ordinary nightsticks and that those were not the droids I was looking for.

 

[Fast Learner]

Thanks for the insight, DannyAlcatraz.

 

[Umbran]

If Lousy Horse looks exactly like Crappy Horse, you'll win.

Must.... resist.... comment... about... Dead Horse....

 

[Janx]

Must.... resist.... comment... about... Dead Horse....

well, there's the thing. If you take a printt of Crappy Horse and rotate it 180 degrees, you will see the exact likeness of the legendary painting Dead horse.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

See, now you're just using technology to make stuff up! Judas Priest wept!

 

[Relique du Madde]

I know someone who was fired for drinking Diet Coke on the rocks at a dinner.

It was a dinner of Pepsi executives. One of the higher-ups was giving a speech when that guy's drink arrived, and he knew from across the length of the table that it wasn't a company drink, so mid-speech said "Drizzt*, you're fired!" and kept going.

*Not his real name.

Wow. Who knew Pepsi was ran by a bunch of troll baiters? I mean seriously, you'd think that Pepsi would have made sure that the place only sold Pepsi just in case people started to order drinks, and the fact they didn't only proves they wanted to bait someone into getting fired.

 

[El Mahdi]

In the latest opinion by Justice Allan Lane of the 9th circuit Court of Appeals: he ruled in the case of Lousy Horse v. Crappy Horse, that a Horse is a Horse...of Course.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Unless it's Mr. Ed. Unfortunately no one has decided on what Mr. Ed's status is beyond being "famous."