How'd Apple get away with it?????

From: Hans Franke <Hans.Franke_at_mch20.sbs.de>
Date: Mon Sep 13 12:34:17 1999

> >What I thought interesting was something I just read earlier today, is that
> >apparently MicroWare has a version of OS-9 that runs on the PowerMac.

> Now that would be really cool!

Well, _if_ I buy an Apple PC, I'd go for Mac OS, if I want to run
other OSes, I'd prefer cheap PC-Boxes.

> >Seriously, IMHO, Apple is justified in this, after all this is Version 9 of
> >the Mac Operating System.

> Honestly, I don't agree. Expanding on your example, what's stopping me from
> making 97 (very rapid) failed attempts at making a MerchWindows, and
> releasing a MerchWindows98?

Well, if your fast attempts take also >10 years, you might get
the same credit.

> Something tells me that Micro$haft would be all over me like [profanity &
> expletives deleted] and that I'd lose horribly... why should Apple win just
> 'cause they're bigger?

As long as simple logic (like the one obviously for me) is still
an argument at court, the naming of (Mac)OS 9(.0) is valid (Of
course I know that simple logic, or logic at all, is no reason
for court decisions about brand name rights). Also one may keep
in mind that MacOS 9 means MacOS _Version_ 9, while in OS/9, the
version number is still to be added (of course, the 9 in here
lost it's meaning long ago).

> Besides - Mac OS X (thereby called for Version 10) is already out - they've
> already skipped 9. Why not call it XI, or 11, or Mac OS X Workstation, or
> something and leave poor ol' 9 alone?

Not exactly, they called it X, since they are still unshure if
it can be delivered as a follow up to MacOS 9(.x) - MacOS X is
a little bit like Microsofts promise that NT will be the only
Windows after 95^H8^H^H2000.

> [ Editor's Note: Could you see what an American would think of Mac OS 11 in
> Germany? Mac OS Elf...

Think of it like one and one (like in meone or someone) - you'll always
know what it's about - it's a bit like the VIC 64 story - it took an
american mind to have this twisted idea influencing your product name.

> --- We have a tourist shop here in town - they
> called it Das Gift Haus; except in German, "Gift" means "Poison"... I went
> in there once asking if they had any arsenic in stock... ;-) ]

Well, ja. This isn't uncomon - Der/Die/Das is recogniced by most
Americans as German versions of the/the (and even if not, it can
be skipped), and Haus will go well as 'creative' written version
of House (kewl, isn't it ?), so most Americanos get the meaning,
and maybe the impression of something genuine German (*g*), while
using 'Das Geschenkhaus' or more aprobiate 'Der Geschenkladen'
would result in some dumb looking faces (Listmembers excepted).

Gruss
H.

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Ich denke, also bin ich, also gut
HRK
Received on Mon Sep 13 1999 - 12:34:17 BST

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