[Amc-list] Copyrights ?

["Swygert, Francis G MSgt 436 CES/CECM" <Francis.Swygert3@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Date: Monday, March 19, 2007 07:29 PM
From: milnersXcoupe <hh7x@xxxxxxxxxxx>

http://www.moparstyle.net/forums/showthread.php?p=977985#post977985

anyone using anything that belongs to Daimler-Chrysler, like using
the word:  MoPar for any reason - without the express permission of
Daimler-Chrysler - are now subject to being 'sued'.

check out the above for the latest incursion - Forums are being
yanked...
------------------------------

This is nothing new. When profits take a dip most companies decide to
squeeze everything they can to get a few more bucks. As noted, Chrysler
did this in the 80s. It's usually some idiot lawyer's idea. They don't
realize the damage done by hitting the enthusiast sites, they just take
the "shotgun" approach and sue everyone. There are legitimate uses of
trademarked and copyrighted names. I'd think that identifying enthusiast
sites would be one of them. I can certainly see where selling T-shirts
and such would be viewed as deals that require licensing, but not
something like naming a site. How do you identify an AMC site without
using AMC? It might just be a matter of time before I get a "cease and
desist" letter for the AMC-List and AMC Magazine, but then DCX doesn't
own the AMC trademark any more, so maybe not. DCX has put Chrysler on
the market, so it looks like they are trying to wring it for every
little bit first -- doesn't mater if some animosity is generated since
they are going to lose money on the deal anyway! 

They want to keep Jeep, which begs the question as to what factories in
North America they intend to keep. The Pacifica probably won't go with
Chrysler as that body is used for the GC as well. IIRC the M-class
Mercedes SUV is built in the same factory, somewhere in the south...
Alabama?? That factory will probably stay DCX. There is a good chance
that DCX will do what AMC was encouraged to do -- stop Chrysler car
operations and go strictly truck. For the short term it makes sense --
stop car production/development on anything that isn't making money and
concentrate on those that are. Long term it's just a dwindling death for
the car side, though the new small cars (Caliber and Sebring) may do
well. 

It's too bad that the lawyer's ideas don't get filtered through
marketing first. Those guys would probably scream about it! The old car
enthusiasts don't necessarily buy new cars, but they get the name out
there and generate lots of free advertising/good will for the parent
company. They can also do the reverse -- create enough negative "will"
to impact sales when they feel "wronged" by the maker. Car maker execs
aren't necessarily car people, that can be a problem too!

The real problem with the American law system is unless you have deep
pockets you can't defend against harassing lawsuits by big companies. If
you could sue for legal fees there would be fewer of these, but that's
not allowed. Legal fees can't be included as damages, even though in
many cases that's the most damaging part! 
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