New Legal Threat To GMail

wellington writes "Google is facing a renewed threat of legal action from a company that claims to own the intellectual property rights to its GMail e-mail service. Independent International Investment Research, a British company that specialises in research and has several leading City investment banks as clients, argues that it launched "G-Mail web based email" in May 2002."

Yeah, but...

[killmenow]

Google's is called GMail BETA

G?

[SuperJason]

So they claim that they own the G?

Fair's fair...

[Anonymous Coward]

Google should give them 50% of the profits from GMail.

Let's see, a free email service generating $0 profit. 50% of $0 equals $0.

Settled.

Already done

[Dopefish]

I've actually already patented the use of single letters in front of "Mail", so they're both screwing me over.

AMAil
BMail
CMail
DMail
etc.

ALL MINE!

Yeah, I'm Amazon.com. This whole "Dopefish" thing is just an alias.....

Attack ONE!

[screevo]

Steve Ballmer hires a minion to launch the first volley in the Internet War of 2005

rumors

[Anonymous Coward]

I heard that Google is planning on calling it's personalized homepage GSpot...

The company is "frustrated" with Google's behavior

[Anonymous Coward]

yeah, frustrated that Google won't fork over millions. :)

Gmail? Where?

[alexandreracine]

So, why is it that I never heard of that gmail before google lauch the gmail service? They made a webpage on geocities?

Re:Fair's fair...

[Patrik_AKA_RedX]

yeah, but to be fair they should pay half of the expenses too.

Re:G-Mail?

[/ASCII]

Gmail and G-mail are too similar to be separate trademarks. Fortunatly for Google, a trademark is only valid in a specific domain, and Google have never tried to trademark the term Gmail for a stupid mail-based service that no-one would want, so they should be safe.

Obligatory Simpsons quote

[wootest]

'Nobody snuggles with Max Power. You strap yourself in and feel the "G"s!'

Re:Fight Google?

[MisterMurphy]

About the babies and the fell, wicked ceremonies?

It is all true.

In other news.

[LightningBolt!]

Google's new online banking service, known as "gmoney BETA", has become another legal battle. [artistdirect.com].

Re:rumors

[earthloop]

They wouldn't do that. Nobody would be able to find it!

What!?!

[ifwm]

"We're not going to sit on the sidelines while a company uses our intellectual property rights"

Has anyone even heard of these idiots?

YOU PUT A G IN FRONT OF MAIL.

Don't try to act like it's the light bulb, you snaggletoothed limey.

In the credits at the end of the lawsuit...

[mikael]

This lawsuit has been brought to the attention of your lawyers by the letter G, and the numbers 0 and 5.

Re:Fight Google?

[battlesharrp]

If they also had huge group orgies, I'd know where to look for a job after college.

Re:Fight Google?

[Alzheimers]

Isn't that what lead to the downfall of Atari?

Re:G?

[southpolesammy]

Guess that means that Sesame Street is going to have to start paying royalties....

Re:Two letters

[justforaday]

...humans have a HUGE oral tradition.

I sure wish I could get some of that oral tradition...

Sesame Street should cover this shit.

[mcc]

If Sesame Street really wanted to prepare children for the modern world, they should warn about things like this. That way maybe we wouldn't have mixups like this all the time.

<BIG BIRD> Hi, kids! This is the letter

G! Lots of things start with G! And they are all the wholly owned property of Independent International Investment Research PLC of Britain.

<MAN IN LARGE FOAM "G" SUIT> G!

I fucking hate laywers

[caffeinex36]

there is a special place in hell for stupid lawyers and insurance agents

Re:Fight Google?

[Pig Hogger]

Answer: Greed

Good day, sir.

I am John William Babbittworth, of the law firm Thompson, Richards, Williamson, Heresford, Babbittworth, Jones and Spencer law firm.
We represent the interests of Independent International Investment Research, which has exclusive trademark rights to all words beginning by the letter "G"...

Re:mods: funny?!

[wx327]

A perfect example of "intellectual property" gone wild.

Is this the geek's version of Girls Gone Wild? Is it coming out on DVD?

Re:From TFA...

[SirGeek]

As much as they may have a case, I always find the "we don't want to, but they are forcing us" argument funny. Not because of the company itself, but because I can imagine some IP lawyers saying, "Yesss! They are being forccced to! Hisss!" as their forked tongues flick from their mouths and they rub thier greedy paws together with reptilian glint in their eyes.

Since when do reptiles have paws ?

Instant Karma

[Frankie70]

I am going to repost all the +5 modded comments
from here [slashdot.org] onto this topic.

i like

[Anonymous Coward]

goomail
because it is kinda of a sticky interface
even if it has been ajaxed!

Re:rumors

[bombadier_beetle]

From your sig:

What is your penile percentile? [dbarbour.com]

Visiting the page I get:

Object not found!

Now, that's not very nice.

Re:rumors

[cerberusss]

Suck on her clit while performing this "come here" motion and she'll be screaming your name in no time.

That sounds like a lot of work to get her to scream your name. I just leave the fridge door open.