Josh Koffman <PICLIST@mitvma.mit.edu> wrote:

> [Microchip Technology, Inc.] continually seem to threaten anyone
> that has the name "pic" in their title. How short sighted *sigh*

Josh:

The owner of a trademark must actively defend that trademark; if the
trademark is allowed to fall into common usage, it ceases to be
protected.  That's what happened to "aspirin", "cellophane",
"trampoline", "escalator" and "cornflakes", all of which were once
trademarks... And it's what's in danger of happening to "xerox",
"fedex", "kleenex", and "coke".

Microchip is REQUIRED BY LAW to protect their trademarks by doing
what you call "threatening"; in my opinion, what they're doing is the
exact OPPOSITE of "short sighted".

-Andy

=== Andrew Warren -- aiw@cypress.com
=== Principal Design Engineer
=== Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
===
=== Opinions expressed above do not
=== necessarily represent those of
=== Cypress Semiconductor Corporation

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