Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (October 2005, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 20 Oct 2005 21:01:59 -0700
Reply-To:     Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: VW SUCKS...Re: name change of Volks Cafe...
Comments: To: Mike Collum <collum@verizon.net>
In-Reply-To:  <43584962.1010502@verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

It will never happen in a million years, not with the corporate attitude of VOA and VAG. The word "Volks" has been sewn up as a US Registered Trademark by Volkswagen for at least 3 decades, based on a court decision against an independent VW repair shop back in the early/mid 70s (I've got a copy of it buried in DEEP storage [hey, I full time in my Westy] provided by VW's legal beagles when they went after me in 1986). What was weird is that while I could use "The Old Volks Home" as a Product Line, I couldn't use it as a business name, even though it had been in constant use since 1976. So I kept using my business name of Sherwood Auto "featuring Old Volks Home Products" since then without any hassles, but you never know. I guess because I don't sell parts on the website and that I just have info stuff & links, they leave me alone, but again, you never know. I already have a couple of fall back domains to switch my stuff should it happen. I don't have the link handy, but the US Trademark site, with looking a what Volkswagen has sewn up as "intellectual property" makes for very interesting reading. I figure only a class-action lawsuit by enthusiasts dedicated to the cause *may* perk their eyebrows a bit, but is there a snowball's chance in H E Double-Toothpick we could prevail. Better have some very DEEP pockets and wallets. -- Jim Thompson 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt" 73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise" 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug" oldvolkshome@gmail.com http://www.oldvolkshome.com ********************************** On 10/20/05, Mike Collum <collum@verizon.net> wrote: > > Timothy, > > You're absolutely right ... however ... I'll bet that Volkswagen would > go after any of them, too, if they sold parts for Volkswagens. > > I personally think that VW should offer businesses that have Volks in > their names, and DO sell VW related parts and accessories, some sort of > form, mutually signed, that would legally allow use of the name and > still protect VW's interests. > > Mike > Houlton, Maine > > > Timothy Lee Harrison wrote: > > On Friday 21 Oct 2005 00:23, Jeffrey Schwaia wrote: > > > > > >>IIRC, Peter told me that they've been in negotiations with VW for over 6 > >>years. I don't think there was any more room at the end of the rope. > > > > > > Personally, I think I'd have stuck to my guns. There are plenty of > German > > words beginning with "Volks": > > > > Volkshaus... a name for a local municipal hall > > Volksrat... a local government organisation > > Volksfest... a local/public fete > > Volksmusik... traditional music (e.g. Bavaria, Austrian Tyrol) > > Volksschule... primary=elementary school > > Volkseigentum... commonly owned property, i.e. municipal property > > Volksabstimmung a referendum > > Volksbegehren a petition by the people (to government) > > Österreichische Volkspartei... Austrian "Peoples Party", i.e. > conservative > > party > > > > I'm sure there are plenty more - these come to mind without consulting a > > dictionary!!! VW AG can't possibly claim all these words are *their* > > intellectual property. >


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.