OT: Using Windows Flag Logo

[Ben Rubinstein]

Richmond Mathewson wrote:
> I suppose that MicroSquash and Co. will only jump on you if you use their precious logo to detract from them. How using their logo to show that your standalone will run on their operating system should worry them, I just don't know.
> 
> There's nothing like a bit of commonsense, rather than fiddle-faddling.

I totally agree with you in principle (and I'm sure you're right in relation 
to your own case).  However, Microsoft - in principle -will not take the 
attitude you describe (should it happen to come to their attention, which is 
in practise unlikely of course).

There are two reasons: firstly, MS copyright their logos and have various 
programs which developers need to comply with in order to be able to use them 
- some of this is not unreasonable, as they want to ensure that something 
which says it eg "works with Vista" actually does so.

Secondly, lawyers will tell you that if you don't go chasing after even petty 
infringements of your trademarks, your chances of defending them when you do 
care about it will be impaired.  This is why you get crazy cases of heavy 
lawyers being wheeled out against kindergarten kids who paint a mural of 
Mickey Mouse on their playground wall, for example.  The justification is that 
Disney etc can't be seen to ignore even petty infringements, otherwise they 
will be deeemed to have not defended their rights.

- Ben  (who is sitting late in the office, trying to write some legal nonsense 
for a project he is on and wishing he was at home doing something more useful 
or entertaining)