New Legal Threat To GMail

**RealitY** · 09-13-2005, 07:57 PM

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday September 13, @09:36AM
from the stuff-you-can't-make-up dept.
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.

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/13/1227226

**lynx** · 09-14-2005, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by RealitY

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday September 13, @09:36AM
from the stuff-you-can't-make-up dept.
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.

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/13/1227226

Original article

both sides making offers but failing "to meet in the middle".

IIR: Give us £25M -> GAP <- Google: Fuck off

IIR should save their money. The idea of storing info on the web is hardly original, neither is web based email, so the only possibility is that they are talking about the actual name. That isn't an infringement of intellectual property rights, it is a Trade Mark dispute. The fact that they are calling it "intellectual property rights" seems to indicate that they failed to register the TM.

The unspecified German company may have a better claim, since it would appear that it has actually registered the TM.

**Santa** · 09-14-2005, 08:13 AM

when your ontop they will try to take you down

**scales1** · 10-20-2005, 02:38 PM

Well, Google is forced to change the name:

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/ar...834586,00.html

**Barbarossa** · 10-20-2005, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by scales1

Well, Google is forced to change the name:

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/ar...834586,00.html

I can't decide who's side I'm on.

In the end, I don't think I care.

**Samurai** · 10-20-2005, 03:27 PM

Yup. Now changed to "Google Mail".

Why would this company wait so long to take action, after G Mail has been out for so long. I'm smelling money-making in the background.

The story behind the new "Google Mail" name

You may have noticed the Google Mail logo. We are changing our service's name in the UK. Starting October 19, 2005, all new users will have @googlemail.com addresses. Don't worry, though – all messages are being sent and delivered as before.

Why the name change then?

We have been involved in a dispute regarding the Gmail trademark in the UK. Another company has claimed rights to the Gmail name. We have tried to resolve this dispute through negotiations, but our efforts have failed.

We are still working with the courts and trademark office to protect our ability to use the Gmail name, but in the meantime, we want you to have an email address you can rely on.

We are dedicated to offering the best email service to our users. Our email service stays the same no matter what the logo is or what follows the @ symbol. This change lets our team focus their time on continuing to bring you excellent service.

What this means for our users
Do I need to do anything?
No. Although the name is changing, your email service remains the same. To sign in, you can go to the same page as before, or you can now also visit: http://mail.google.com/mail.

When will you start offering @googlemail.com addresses? When will this change take place?
Starting October 19, 2005, the Gmail service will be renamed Google Mail in the UK. We will no longer issue new @gmail.com addresses. All new addresses will be @googlemail.com addresses.

What if I invite someone? Will they also have to create an @googlemail.com address?
That depends on where your invitation recipients are located. If they are in a country where we issue Gmail addresses, then they will get an @gmail.com address. But from the UK, you will only be able to send Google Mail invitations. If your recipient is also in the UK, he or she will only be able to get an @googlemail.com address.

What if I'm a UK user who already has a Gmail address? Will I also need to change that address?
No, this change doesn’t affect existing Gmail addresses. For now, our plan is only to issue @googlemail.com addresses to new users. Trust that we will do the best we can to offer all our users a reliable and consistent email experience.

**BawA** · 10-20-2005, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by scales1

Well, Google is forced to change the name:

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/ar...834586,00.html

thats a shame, i realy like Gmail and prefer it over "Google Mail"

**Barbarossa** · 10-20-2005, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Samurai

Yup. Now changed to "Google Mail".

Why would this company wait so long to take action, after G Mail has been out for so long. I'm smelling money-making in the background.

Oh they were definitely hoping for a pay-off. I expect they are now a bit miffed because they've been made to look like a bunch of cunts.