Bad News :(

[Fandu]

Well I finally got in touch with "ESRI" the company who's logo ours (my entry) looks like.... not good news.

Andrew:

Thank you for the message and for seeking confirmation on your
organization's use of the enclosed logo. I can confirm back to you that the logo that you sent is indeed ESRI's corporate logo. The ESRI "globe logo" is both a U.S. registered trademark and copyrighted work. It definitely is not "clip art" as it was designed by our internal Graphics Department about 5 years ago as part of our corporation's new look for the next century. Considerable time, money, and effort has gone into the development, launch, and worldwide implementation of the trademarked logo. On behalf of ESRI, we would recommend that your organization select another logo so as to avoid potential trademark and copyright infringement. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Sincerely,

Peter C. Schreiber, Esq.
ESRI Legal Department


So I'd say it looks like it's time for a new contest? Or the second place logo?

 

[Russ]

Well, that sucks. It was a damned nice job you did on the logo; shame that we can't use it anymore.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Tripleshot]

As I said in the Email,if ERSI used that logo from a public domain clip art file,They have no claim to copyright protection. You said you got that from a clip art file. Just tell me where I can find it and I will have my attorney look into it. Just because a legal begeal says thier art dept. worked on that logo for x amount of time and resource does not prove they did not also use the globe logo from a clip art file they found.If the globe has been in the public domain longer than this legal dept.' guy says they have had copyright protection,the globe can be used by anyone because it was not copyrightable.

I don't scare that easy.

 

[RaySun2Be]

I agree with Tripleshot. We should at least check and see if the globe was in the public domain prior to their use.

 

[ViRGE]

Damnit!:| Definately check to make sure that it wasn't public domain before now, as the number of occurences of the globe in other images in unusually high.:Q

 

[Fandu]

Virge, got any examples I can use to strong arm them?

 

[ViRGE]

Do a search on the forums, I know someone found 1 or 2 examples...

 

[Ken g6]

In the meantime, I do recommend using the second-place logo. I voted for the other one, but it was a close call. If that globe hadn't been around for awhile, I don't think I would have picked it.

It did go so well with the flying saucer in the SETI logo, though.

 

[Tripleshot]

Time is of the essence in this matter.Anyone who has clip art files,please check for a copy of the globe.I wanted to have the logo all set up and ready to go for the store opening prior to comdex and we are rapidly running out of time to get this in to production. I have some ideas of my own and I am sending the only authorized logo to Anand tommorow. I will send the newly designed globe logo to him as well,but I feel a bit foolish since this may not be legal unless that globe is in the public domain.
I believe one way or another we will get this going. I hope so.I have spent a considerable amount of time and money on this so far and I would like to recoup my expenses. So has Narzy and Virge and Anand to that extent.
So if all our members can check thiere clip art(as I did,to no avail),maybe we will get this resolved and be able to move ahead in time for the above goal.

Thank you Team AnandTech!

 

[Fandu]

As I said to the others, I got the globe from my "clip art" directory which contains a couple thousand different pictures. Some are actual clipart and others are ones left over from pervious projects, that being said, I cannot guarentee 100% that it did indeed come from a public domain clipart package. But if ViRGE is correct and there are others out there using it, then that would suggest to me that it is indeed public domain.

 

[Ken g6]

While browsing for clipart, in hopes of coming across the globe, I came across this notice instead:

<< All clipart images are free for personal use only, these images are not permitted to appear on commercial sites, due to copyright restrictions on various icons appearing within this collection. >>

In other words, it's possible for the globe to be public domain and still copyrighted so we couldn't use it. :disgust:

BTW, I seem to recall some kind of experimental image search engine being developed someplace. That is, something that takes an image and looks for similar images. Anybody know anything more about it?

 

[Tripleshot]

Ken_g6

If our globe is one of those,then the same would hold true for ERSI.


We still need that clip art. I'm still searching.

Anyone else?

 

[BGod]

Check Ditto.com if you're looking for a specific picture.

 

[Russ]

Well, I just went thru all 3271 matches on the word &quot;globe&quot;. Ours is not among them. Anyone want to do &quot;earth&quot;? There are 9000 on that one.

Russ, NCNE

 

[Lord Demios]

Didn't see them in the earth one either.

LD

 

[Tripleshot]

I now have $500+ worth of clothing that can not be sold and I am none to happy about it. Thats out of my pocket. I may have to execute plan B if Fandu or anyone else hasn't found the source of this globe by Monday.


I will not give up the Team AnandTech gear store. It is still on track and I have lots to offer. My graphics artist may have to do some extra work,but a good and legal representation will be made.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[BoberFett]

Ugh, I feel like I really crapped on you guys with this one. I just didn't want to see anybody get in trouble.

Tripleshot

You could probably sell that merchandise discretely to members without too much trouble.

 

[ViRGE]

Ya, prototypes are allways valuable.

 

[BiggieN]

hey, i'm still interested in &quot;donating&quot; money whereas you give me a reward for my &quot;charity&quot;....hint hint.

 

[Tripleshot]

I will accept donations from those who PM me with there sizes.I can then look to see what is available out of the current inventory. I appreciate your offers. I am still in favor of using what was voted on,but so far,Fandu is the only one who has the clip art and he needs to find it before we can proceed.If he finds it and I am satisfied,I can use the logo on all the items as special recognition to the Distrubuted Computing forum. Otherwise,it will be a more AnandTech like logo that I will go with.

I am also interested in badges to be made up that can be sewn on that depict the code cracking program the member is most prone to using,such as SETI's alien or the toxic drum(I don't know what thats one for). It would provide instant recognition to the team you support.

Waddaya think?

 

[Possessed Freak]

what is the filename of the img that you have Fandu. Perhaps that may make some since if it is named like a clipart file.. like globe1034.jpg or whatever.

 

[Michael]

The filename would help.

I looked at both images. They're close, but not exactly the same. You basically received a boilerplate legal response to your inquiry, so I wouldn't say that the case is closed. If we can find the source of the file you used it will help.

We also can send a nicely worded letter to the owner of the business and ask them permission to use the logo. Send it via snail mail, not e-mail. Say in the letter that the logos are not identical, but close enough that we felt that it would be best to ask. Say that we're a club and not related to ERSI in any way. we can even put up a disclaimer on the main team website if they want.

We're talking about a few hundred shirts/ball caps at most in an area that has nothing to do with their company.

Michael

ps - in looking for the glode in the clipart I have (no luck), I saw tons of other globes we could use. Then we could have generation 1 / generation 2 shirts once the first batch sell out.