A question for the copy right people ?

[ian 32]

Hi guys.

With the super help of another Moderator here on the forum. I finally got my irish bumb off the seat and started organising my photo collection online.

My full name is Ian Spring and as a kid everyone always called me springer.

So I found the domain springercollection.com

I thought it was quite nice and a little personnel for my photo collection.

So just started that.

I got an email from a friend tonight telling me I should be careful about using that domain name for my project.

Because in Germany one of the biggest publishing houses is called SPRINGER VERLAG.

How can I find out if they have for some strange reason copyrighted the name springercollection also ?

I dont have any money and a big publishing house could simply blow me out of the water before I even get to start my photo project.

Does anyone have any ideas on ... if I need to change my whole project name and can i still use the name springercollection as my project ?

Do I need to copyright this name some where ?

As I said i have no money and am doing this online project on a real shoe lace budget.

Hope you guys can give me some tips.

Thanks a million.

Ian :smile:

 

[mnis 11]

Hello Ian :-P

Of course I can not give you any binding information, but maybe it helps a little.

I think that everything that could be somehow associated with the name of some big company, sometimes could be a problem. Still you're yet the only one with this domain. :rolleyes: But you should take up with the "Axel Springer Verlag" contact, and ask whether this publisher has reasoned objections. I think this is the best way to avoid possible problems in advance. :cool:

United-Domains:

http://www.united-domains.de/domain-registrieren/index2.html

 

Axel Springer SE Contact:

http://www.axelspringer.de/en/artikel/Contact-your-partners-at-Axel-Springer_40423.html

Axel Springer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axel_Springer

-----------------------------------

Domain Name: SPRINGERCOLLECTION.COM

Registry Domain ID: 1855564558_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN

Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.bluehost.com

Registrar URL: http://www.bluehost.com/

Updated Date: 2014-04-21T14:16:17Z

Creation Date: 2014-04-21T14:16:16Z

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Last update of WHOIS database: 2014-04-21T14:16:17Z

The data in the BlueHost.Com WHOIS database is provided

to you by BlueHost.Com for information purposes only,

that is, to assist you in obtaining information about or related to

a domain name registration record. BlueHost.Com makes

this information available "as is," and does not guarantee its

accuracy. By submitting a WHOIS query, you agree that you will use

this data only for lawful purposes and that, under no circumstances

will you use this data to: (1) allow, enable, or otherwise support

the transmission of mass unsolicited, commercial advertising or

solicitations via direct mail, electronic mail, or by telephone; or

(2) enable high volume, automated, electronic processes that apply

to BlueHost.Com (or its systems). The compilation,

repackaging, dissemination or other use of this data is expressly

prohibited without the prior written consent of

BlueHost.Com. BlueHost.Com reserves the

right to modify these terms at any time. By submitting this query,

you agree to abide by these terms.

This, shortened by me data set is, for example, on: www.united-domains.de; visible to everyone interested.

 

Why not just:

ian-spring-collection.com

ian-springer-collection.com

springers-collection.com

Markus

[Daid 306]

Trademarks is what you are looking for, not copyright. And trademarks are quite specific, "SPRINGER VERLAG" is not "springercollection" so you are pretty much safe with that one.

And, most likely they won't do a thing, as it would be a bad-press risk. (See the Mikerowe vs Microsoft case)

 

[mnis 11]

But whether, trade name, or copyright, I believe, a cross-border lawsuit is unlikely.

Markus

[ian 32]

Thanks guys !!

Im still not sure I should contact Springer Verlag. It would just be too easy to tell me.. yes tear it down... :-(

 

[illuminarti 18]

Personally, I wouldn't. You're just asking them to deny you. The name isn't that similar, and I presume that you aren't directly in the same line of business.

 

[gr5 2,270]

There's not much to tear down - you just create a new domain and have it point to the same website.

 

[nick-foley 5]

Definitely seems like one of the many situations where it is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

 

[Dim3nsioneer 558]

I think Daid is right, it's about trademarks. The question is, which register does apply? That of the country the server is standing in, the one of the domain registrar or the one you're officially living in?

[woofy 12]

Ian, google springer.

Checkout the diverse companies with "springer" in their name.

Then carry on and forget about it.

[DidierKlein 729]

Pay attention or Jerry Springer's security guys will comme kick your irish @ss :mrgreen:

 

[ian 32]

hehe... Thanks guys !!

Im going to keep the springercollection... I do really like it.. simple and straight forward :-)

Thanks a million !!!

Ian :-)

 

[dieselpower 0]

And if they really want the domain after all, they can buy it from you :-P

 

[ian 32]

It was weird.. I visited my publisher in germany last week and showed him my site with my photos.

He just turned to me and said.. so you want to donate your life to the springer corporation ?

I asked him what he meant ? and he turned his eyes to the sky and told... springer is a registered trademark in germany.. I am officially living in germany and must obey the rules there... I cant use any logo or trademark that uses the word SPRINGER with any seperation from other words within germany.

Funny thing is... if I was still living in Ireland... this would be zero problem...

The germans are admittely MENTAL !!! about their laws and how... everything is illegal... im sure when I quietly fart at a bus stop... they could do me for gasing.....

Ian

 

[mnis 11]

I could say that I said it from the beginning, but no matter.

I am myself with many rules and laws in my home not in line and some of it is extremely exaggerated, to put it mildly.

I am sure there are much worse worldwide regulations.

Farts are not regulated by law with us, I think so, but they might let some people to faint suddenly. And that could end up with legal consequences for the discovered polluter ..

If our small folk actually perceived as such?

Markus

 

[nallath 1,124]

You sure? I'm pretty certain the EU has some sort of standardised rules. If you are in a different field as them, there shouldn't be a problem.

My advice would be to simply use the name and change it if they decide to go lawsuit on your ass.

 

[cez_etc 0]

You can search the German trademark database for free at the official website of the German patent office.

https://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/Uebersicht (there's even an English version!)

 

Doing a "https://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/marke/register/305771000/DE).

In case you want to talk to the Springer people, please keep in mind that there are two completely different publishers named Springer in Germany. There's the aforementioned Axel Springer SE as well as the Springer Verlag that publishes scientific journals and books. The Springer Verlag people are the ones holding the trademark.