Re: Are you a Switch-It! owner?

[johnlb@Primenet.Com (John Bowling)]

In article <4b2clq$q3j@iii2.iii.net>, Ken Gagne <kgagne@iii2.iii.net> wrote:
>Harold Hislop (harold.h@genie.com) wrote:
>
>: PC is a (c) and (tm) of Allen Bradly, for a line of their programmable
>: machine controller systems, which predate the introduction of the first
>: IBM personal computer. (Whoops! I meant Allen Bradley, sayeth the Typo
>: King :)
>
>Is it trademarked to mean Personal Computer in the term IBM-PC?
>

I don't know about a trademark, but PC has stood for Personal Computer 
for longer than IBM has made personal computers.  I was calling the 
Apple II a personal computer way before IBM came out with one.

aA short while ago, I responded to Cold Fusions reference to PCs 
(referring to IBMs) as a better computer than the GS. This only proves 
that he's a bit dence.  In my response, I inferred that IBM could not and 
did not have a monopoly about using PC to refer only to their machine.

Unfortunatly, Allen Bradley may have both a copyright and a trademark, 
but that does not prevent someone from using something almost identical.  
If the font, shape, case, separation, etc. is changed it is no longer owned
by Allen Bradley.

My point is that it was in general use by almost everyone who used any 
kind of personnal computer, so that when newbees now refer to their's as 
'THE EXCLUSIVE' PC, or pc, etc., they are wrong!  Yes, their's is, but so 
is mine, and yours, and anyone else's, even if they have an old PET or an 
Ohio Scientific.  And if someone says that their software will run on 
your pc (or PC), they should have a version to run on ANY machine that 
will fit on top of a desk!

John

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John Bowling             |Apple II GS can whip the pants off it's little
johnlb@primenet.com      |brother (Mac) any time!
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