MandrakeSoft ordered to drop trademark

[cloverm]

A French court has ruled against Linux distributor MandrakeSoft in an intellectual-property dispute with United States-based Hearst Holdings and King Features Syndicate.

The decision could force the Paris-based software company to surrender its trademark and domain names and to pay nearly $90,000 (70,000 euros) in damages to the U.S. companies, holders of the rights to the comic strip character Mandrake the Magician. The comic strip marks its 70th anniversary this year.

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5162456.html

[stryder144]

That sucks! Seems to be a little "kick'em when their down"-type stuff here.

[t048]

Why is King Features just stepping forward now? Isn't there some kind of statue of limitations on defending one's trademark? Mandrakesoft has been using it for several years now.

Should the worst happen, how do you think Mandrakesoft will fare in the face of court battles, fines and fees, the cost of changing its name, and buying new domains? It sounds like it could be excessively expensive, and I don't think Mandrakesoft is doing too well (weren't they bankrupt a year or so ago?).

[The_Whizzard]

[quote author=t048 link=board=19;threadid=8730;start=0#msg78870 date=1077311946]
Why is King Features just stepping forward now? Isn't there some kind of statue of limitations on defending one's trademark? Mandrakesoft has been using it for several years now.

Should the worst happen, how do you think Mandrakesoft will fare in the face of court battles, fines and fees, the cost of changing its name, and buying new domains? It sounds like it could be excessively expensive, and I don't think Mandrakesoft is doing too well (weren't they bankrupt a year or so ago?).
[/quote]According to MandrakeSoft CEO, Francois Bancilhon, "The trademark infringement action by Hearst and its King Features subsidiary has lasted four years and could last many more, MandrakeSoft said."