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By Matthew Broersma
Posted on ZDNet News: Feb 20, 2004 3:59:00 PM

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.

MandrakeSoft will be allowed to keep using its name and Web site addresses for the time being, while it appeals the Feb. 13 Paris court decision. The company said the appeals process could continue for another three years.

"By appealing the case, we suspend these prohibitions and can continue to use our trademark as well as our domain names," MandrakeSoft CEO Francois Bancilhon said. The trademark infringement action by Hearst and its King Features subsidiary has lasted four years and could last many more, MandrakeSoft said.

MandrakeSoft previously used a company logo featuring a Linux penguin wearing a magician's garb, but the company has removed the image from its packaging and advertising materials.

A December judgment in French courts also found against MandrakeSoft. A date for initial proceedings in MandrakeSoft's appeal has not yet been set.

Matthew Broersma of ZDNet UK reported from London. Christophe Guillemin of ZDNet France contributed to this report.

  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 117 Talkback(s)
FUD alert
"Oh, wait.. we already pay them a tax when we buy a computer and regardless of whether we use their operating system or not."

FUD. Pure and simple. At least TRY to come up with something accurate (or at least original).... (Read the rest)
Posted by: pschroeder@wcintl.com Posted on: 02/24/04 You are currently: Logged In as: a Guest  | Login | Terms of Use
Wow...  Martin Marvinski | 02/20/04
wrong point of confusion  Domb2 | 02/20/04
You'd have to be blind as a bat  TechDiva_z | 02/20/04
Let's see...  Fred Fredrickson | 02/23/04
Mickey Mouse OS  lgmbackman | 02/23/04
Not only that.  Uncoveror | 02/21/04
and yet...  rafe01 | 02/23/04
This is getting really old and retarded  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
re: old and retarded  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
You need to find something to do with your life, Repeaty..  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
I guess we should be more like you right?  vdraken | 02/20/04
Calm down Dr. Aken..hopefully you will get a girlfriend soon..  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
Misplaced anger??? I'd say he hit it on the head.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
Poor Bittie-you are the LAST person to make accurate judgments  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
*I* need to? ROTFL  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
Whatever Repeaty  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
too easy  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
You need to find something to do with your life Petey  Bobby Sskcat | 02/22/04
Yes, you would post silly rants all day.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
instead of silly rants most of the day? (nt)  ryusen | 02/20/04
Lay off bobby cause yall dont get it  CaptainObvious | 02/20/04
you forgot the "SS" in your new screen name! (NT)  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
Good post for anyone needing a laugh.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
he might get it  ryusen | 02/20/04
retarted  richhayes | 02/20/04
Huh???  EJHonda | 02/22/04
Bad Imitation  Domb2 | 02/20/04
70 year old 'copyright'  Joe Blow_z | 02/20/04
Less than 50 years?  jsrustad@... | 02/20/04
Mandrake the Magician  richhayes | 02/20/04
Mandrakesoft: Derived from Mandrake Root  David Mohring | 02/20/04
Then why...  rapson | 02/20/04
possible reason  Domb2 | 02/20/04
Another possible reason  Michael Kelly | 02/20/04
Grabbing at straws Carl? Can coincidences exist?  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
Courts are good at removing "coincidences".  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
Gee, how come  John Dulles | 02/20/04
There are many magicians older than Lee Falk's Mandrake  David Mohring | 02/20/04
Re: OUR COUNTRIES MOTTO  Chipper1963 | 02/20/04
the real issue for me  ryusen | 02/20/04
Hard argument to make...  jsrustad@... | 02/20/04
There are many magicians older than Lee Falk's Mandrake  David Mohring | 02/20/04
New business model ?  zd-spam | 02/20/04
Too True! You hit it right on the head..  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
but when it comes to companies you hate, you sing a very different tune  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
Point out an instance for me then, Pete  Bobby Sskcat | 02/22/04
Its possible....  doe_z | 02/22/04
It is not about confusion  Louisiana oilman | 02/20/04
What about Windows?  str_z | 02/20/04
Yes, but Microsoft has plenty of dirty money to protect its "trademark"  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
What about windows  kwacka | 02/20/04
So True  Domb2 | 02/20/04
the difference is...  ryusen | 02/20/04
Real and imaginary names  Domb2 | 02/20/04
but...  ryusen | 02/20/04
You typically only own the trade mark in areas you do business  DonnieBoy | 02/22/04
Not so  Louisiana oilman | 02/22/04
More foolishness  Sunny Jalolly | 02/20/04
Thanks to Lindows lawsuits you linux freaks like so much  Xunil_Sierutuf. | 02/20/04
Huh????  drichards1953 | 02/20/04
NO MORE FREEBIES PAY UP OR GET A JOB HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA  Xunil_Sierutuf. | 02/20/04
you mean like bug business  JWatson77 | 02/20/04
are you still using the FREEBIE website  JWatson77 | 02/20/04
They need smarter lawyers that can do a search first.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
You mean like a search for "Windows"?!?!?!  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
Good point proving me right.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
Bittie-what I said added nothing for you..and you are NEVER right  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
SMILE...........................  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
Hmmm, so your saying you were wrong. Interesting.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
I looked "windows" up in fact  Bill4 | 02/20/04
Trademark Search  drichards1953 | 02/20/04
Spot on!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
Re: Spot on!  none none | 02/22/04
Good point, but the "Lawyer Thing" could cost more ...  Bit's_Conscience | 02/22/04
Another head scratcher  Michael Kelly | 02/20/04
there needs to be a limit on trademarks  JWatson77 | 02/20/04
Guilty as Charged!  ShadeTree | 02/20/04
Grow up Bit-- wait until the courts decide..  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
They did  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
Heehe  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
it's funny when you're right  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
How to tell when bobby has lost...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/22/04
my favorite  pschroeder@... | 02/22/04
Shady isn't me but, the court did decide little one.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
This does show  skeptic tank | 02/20/04
MandrakeSoft ordered to drop trademark  Loverock Davidson | 02/20/04
Blah, blah, blah...  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 02/20/04
you must not ready any of SS's posts, then  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
BUt bobby is a child so have to make allowances.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
And yet..  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
BUt bobby is a child so have to make allowances.  Chipper1963 | 02/21/04
Really, show me big mouth.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/22/04
Really, show me big mouth.  Chipper1963 | 02/22/04
Don't...  Bobby Sskcat | 02/20/04
ok  pschroeder@... | 02/20/04
So that's why you follow mw like a lost pup.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/21/04
Very puzzling.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 02/20/04
Nothing to be puzzled about.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/20/04
Message has been deleted.  idnew2009@... | 02/20/04
Huh?  andycrofts | 02/23/04
sad  pschroeder@... | 02/23/04
Message has been deleted.  idnew2009@... | 02/20/04
Communism, Atheists, and Muslims  Linux_Developer | 02/22/04
Red Linux  pschroeder@... | 02/22/04
Very funny, try paying for something instead of 'stealing'  Linux is the Anti-Christ of computing | 02/20/04
Very funny, try paying for something instead of 'stealing'  Linux is the Anti-Christ of computing | 02/20/04
Paper MCSE's LOL  Suicida| | 02/22/04
Just rename self Vindows  FilledOut | 02/21/04
Message has been deleted.  linuxcad_is_a_spammer | 02/22/04
LinuxCad uses crayons.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 02/22/04
Message has been deleted.  linuxcad_is_a_spammer | 02/22/04
sad attempt  pschroeder@... | 02/22/04
Mandrake is a root, Windows are in buildings  swiftnetcomputers | 02/23/04
Got Root????  swbobcat | 02/23/04
roots n' windows  seal101 | 02/24/04
FUD alert  pschroeder@... | 02/24/04
You're clueless  JoeTheGuy | 02/24/04

What do you think?

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