There was another interresting story on Slashdot (http://www.slashdot.com):


Apparently George Lucas is suing (http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/eo/20010726/en/lucas_light_saber_battle_1.html) medical intsrument company Minrad for calling some of its new laser-based surgical devices Light Sabers. According to the suit: "Any deficiencies or faults in the quality of the defendant's goods are likely to reflect negatively upon, tarnish and seriously injure the reputation which Lucasfilm has established for goods and services marketed under its Light Saber mark. This confusion is likely to result in loss of revenues to Lucasfilm and damage to its reputation."

George is really out of line with this. He isn't a medical professional, and he certainly doesn't have a business in the medical industry. There's really no reason for him to litigate against a product that in no way competes with his line of entertainment products and services.

He almost sounds somewhat petty in this case. Maybe if he donated some of his cash and possibly made endorsements to nonprofit causes (say like 'Doctors without Borders') he could untarnish his reputation a bit.

I dunno, maybe the guy is big time into philanthropy, but this move just seems a bit too protective.

i was thinking the same thing as i read it...
noone even goes out and buys his lightsabers really, i did, but they dont just fly off the shelves like the other toys do, even the action figures move faster...so :rolleyes:
but yeah, the fact of the matter is, this person chose the name (possibly even to honor Lucas) and he goes and sues a medical company (which obviously would have less than him) so now some people wont get the surgeries they need...
this angers me...quite a bit, lives could be saved...yes wilhuf, this was quite petty indeed :(

Shouldn't Lucas sue the US government for calling their orbital defence thingy "Star Wars" :p

I dont think he would sue the government :rolleyes:

Laf... it's not like the medical company will cease to operate because they can't use that name. Lucas isn't killing anyone here, that is a little extreme.

It is lame though. Maybe Lucas is planning to establish himself in the medical field :rolleyes:

umm, since it is called light saber and not lightsaber, doesnt that mean that GL has no right to it? im not a lawyer, but if GL's device is a lightsaber, then he cannot sue over light saber... right?!?! maybe...

if imade a curved-blade sword with very little weight, and called it a Light Saber, I bet i would get sued too!

acdcfan,

no, because it depends where you are. In England we spell things re rather than er.

so sabre = saber

center = centre

so it wont matter how its spelt because it implies the same thing

wardz

what i was looking at was the fact that Lucas' lightsaber was one word, while the medical object was two words, light saber. i think that shows that they arent the same. maybe a judge wouldnt agree...