OFPEC Forum

Missions Depot => Mission Discussion => Topic started by: Kuro on 22 Jul 2004, 13:25:44

Title: Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Kuro on 22 Jul 2004, 13:25:44
Is some reworkung Operation L**ack for a different name ?
Because it would be ashame to have such a good mission not available because of some ******* (insert words which are not allowed in the forum) copyright issue for a ******* car tools from which i have never heard.
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Messiah on 22 Jul 2004, 14:38:56
what, who, and why followed up such a small copyright infringement? all thats needed to be changed is the name, surely?
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Artak on 22 Jul 2004, 15:14:04
Well I think the whole thing is just bullshit. Do some people actually think that somebody could mix up an OFP mission going by the same name as some fucking car alarms or what ever.
Toadlife's mission has a lot of impressive scripting and indeed it would be a shame to lose the whole mission due to some god forsaken car transmitter. I can honestly say, that if I ever was to buy and install this transmitter or whatever to my car, now I won't.  >:(
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Messiah on 22 Jul 2004, 15:35:05
they can't touch the scripting... not one bit... as Toady just has to say he invented it from watching a tv program on tracking collared bears (u get my drift)

all they can touch is the name...
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Homefry31464 on 22 Jul 2004, 16:56:39
I'm just curious how all this came about....?
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Dubieman on 22 Jul 2004, 17:08:13
Did lojack car systems or whatever the hell it is contact OFPEC and request this name removed?

A name change should solve everything as I don't see how Lojack the mission affects the sales of the actual Lojack. ::) :P

I wonder which came first...?

This is very stupid indeed. >:(
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: OrangeLeader on 22 Jul 2004, 18:47:23
It is just a legal issue. The word is tradmarked. Someone could sue and say it is to common to be TM-ed but you would probably loose. I was suprised that OFPEC did not remove it earlier. They must have been contacted by the company recently.

This brings up another question. What about all the other missions with copyrighted material in it? I'm talking about music mostly. They will have to go next if OFPEC wants to be in copyright compliance.
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Messiah on 22 Jul 2004, 19:59:21
hmmm... thing is tho, Lojack is easy to find as its called Lojack... music theyd have to test every mission to check - not likely the record bosses are gonna come do a witch hunt and look at our missions  ::)
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Dubieman on 22 Jul 2004, 21:09:40
Well who's gonna know about the music?  ::) ;)

I don't think I can use my "custom" music in my mission though, since I'm entering it in the BIS mission competition. They said no copyrighted material allowed unless it is BIS stuff. So no custom music. I'll probably just stick with some lame 7th song or something. ::)

Who knows, when OFP2 comes out, all our names will be copyrighted and any mission name will be m102345 and all music will be homemade. Crashing pots and pans together on the mike won't sound good... :P :-\
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: DBR_ONIX on 22 Jul 2004, 21:12:33
Eh?
This is the funniest thing I've ever heard :P
Anyway, on a more serious note..
How can you copy-right a word  >:(
I mean, where does it end.. Could I go and copy right the word "The".. And no game, song, program, anything could ever use the work The in it's title..?
This is stupid, someone should email the LoJack company and shout at them a bit.. Maybe not acctualy.. Someone should email the comapy and complain..

"What an age we live in" ::)
- Ben
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Dubieman on 22 Jul 2004, 21:23:00
Well I'm going to copyright the word "I", haha you must use a different or semi-changed language or pay me royalties. :D :o :P

I'd email them with many shouts and $$$$ :moon:
 but I'm thinking they'd get the lawyer team and sue me for harassment. :'( :P

Something we have to live with.:joystick:
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Messiah on 22 Jul 2004, 22:33:49
Eh?
This is the funniest thing I've ever heard :P
Anyway, on a more serious note..
How can you copy-right a word  >:(
I mean, where does it end.. Could I go and copy right the word "The".. And no game, song, program, anything could ever use the work The in it's title..?
This is stupid, someone should email the LoJack company and shout at them a bit.. Maybe not acctualy.. Someone should email the comapy and complain..

"What an age we live in" ::)
- Ben

you can't copyright a word... its Trademarked... like Coke, Pepsi etc... such words can lose their trademarks if they become used as a generic term for the product... such as 'walkman' which is actually a trademark of sony, but everyone calls every portable tape player a walkman...

Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Planck on 22 Jul 2004, 23:33:19
The way I understood trademarks was, it protected your trademark name from any other company or person using the same name in the same, or similar  line of business.

I can see no connection between Lojack the vehicle recovery system manufacturer and a mission for a computer game.

To whit, there is no trademark infringement, more so because the mission author did not write the mission as a commercial venture.

However, the easiest course of action in this particular case of 'anal retentiveness', is to comply and remove or rename the mission.

LowJack is equally as good.


Planck
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Noon416 on 22 Jul 2004, 23:51:11
Unfortunately guys, this won't be the result of someone just being anally retentive so lets go easy on all involved, okay?

In US Trademark law, you have to actively enforce your trademark (i.e. like this situation) or you lose all rights to that trademark. This enforcement is regardless of whether commercial intent is involved.

Here's an example:
Try signing up a domain name of www.microsoft.**.** where **.** is some very obscure country suffix, and fill the site with some free advice/text of a goodwill nature. No commercial intent, purely a "cheer up your day/laugh/make you smile" text.
I gaurantee you'll still get an email quickly enough asking you to donate it to them in return for some Microsoft products (if you ask for money, they can simply take it from you immediately without your say, as its illegal).
Why? Because if they didn't take that action, they would lose all rights to the trademark of Microsoft, which is a very scary thought for anyone and their trademark.

So you see, US trademark law actually creates these unpleasant situations where trademark owners find their trademark in use and have to actively go after that infringement whether they want to or not.
Hell, the guy that owns the LoJack trademark may be a huge Flashpoint fan, but he still has to enforce his trademark or lose it, regardless of his feelings.

Unfortunate, but there we have it.
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Planck on 22 Jul 2004, 23:58:18
Maybe very true Noon, but, US trademark law does not apply in every country.

There are some countries that are not signatories to all the international conventions on this sort of thing.

As I said, LowJack is equally as good as LoJack.

Unless of course there is a bra manufacturer out there that has already trademarked that one also.


Planck
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Noon416 on 23 Jul 2004, 00:05:33
US trademark law doesn't apply in every country, but given that the business is based in the US, you'd find that they would simply have the case heard in a US court and make US law applicable.

The joys of law and lawyers. ;)

PS: Toadlife is based in the States, so in this particular situation, international law doesn't even come into it.
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Dubieman on 23 Jul 2004, 01:56:56
So the question is, is Toadlife able to change it? Or could we have someone else do it? Then inform him...


Cause this thread is kinda useless now since we are just b!tching about the situation and trademarks... :P
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: Noon416 on 23 Jul 2004, 08:24:31
Toadlife will be able to change the mission to reflect a different name/reference if he wants to. :)
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: toadlife on 25 Jul 2004, 04:14:35
See my response to this here (http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard311/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=55;t=41215;st=15#entry593614)

 :)
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: MachoMan on 25 Jul 2004, 15:26:18
U know what's the cool thing, i live in the netherlands, I can use 30 secs of any peace of music i like, so can all of u EU inhabitants, ain't that cool, so don't be afraid about the music, just keep it short.
For example only use the refrain or intro  8)
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: DBR_ONIX on 14 Sep 2004, 21:40:40
I see what Noon etc means..
But I really don't see why using the name LoJack as a OFP mission would be remotely affecting the companys what so ever.. It's not like me making a new product, and selling it under that name etc

"Money, it makes the world go round" >:(
- Ben
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: dmakatra on 15 Sep 2004, 07:08:15
Blaim it all on capitalism. ;D

:beat: *Gets Shot* :beat:
Title: Re:Operation L**ack MIA
Post by: veston pants on 15 Sep 2004, 16:54:12
so is Op.lojack still available for DLin or not?

any mission causing this much of interest must be worth a looky...