Facebook haunted by mild-mannered specter

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/silicon-valley-mild-mannered-specter-haunts/story.aspx?guid={DA2AE936-F19E-494B-B17B-CDBA3F2AF0BF}&dist=msr_1

by ljlolel • 18 years ago

16 12 18 years ago

marketwatch.com

ojbyrne3• 18 years ago

I feel a bond...

"He has, however, plunged into a quixotic and surprisingly adept legal effort to challenge the company's registered trademark. In addition, he's using the experience of publicly criticizing Facebook to inform his own startup."

helveticaman• 18 years ago

If I may ask:

Do you think this guy is for real? Is this kind of screwing over a big risk for founders? How would you avoid it?

mlinsey• 18 years ago

Regardless of whether or not the "he stole my idea" story is real, I do think that he may have a good case that "Facebook" isn't trademarkable. When I arrived at college the year before Facebook the site launched, we received a dead-tree book at orientation that was called a "Facebook", and they had been a tradition there and at many other schools for a while. While Apple can trademark their logo, they can't trademark the word "Apple".

ojbyrne3• 18 years ago

I think YC has the answer to the third question. Don't take VC money - or at least delay it as long as possible. The more money and the further you get away from founding, the less your contribution is really worth, unless your role expands with the company - and that's often difficult once the VC's management team arrives.

I don't know if he's for real, but he seems persistent and intelligent, typical traits for a founder. Zuckerberg doesn't really seem all that smart.

kradic• 18 years ago

http://i-love-cartoons.com/snags/clipart/Casper-Friendly-Gho...

daveambrose• 18 years ago

Is anyone else reading his book?

brandonkm• 18 years ago

Yea, I figure its at least worth checking out to see his perspective on things.

gojomo• 18 years ago

I read the parts related to Facebook/Zuckerberg, while it was online a while back.

Even though it's written by Greenspan, it makes Greenspan look like a lacksadaisical worrywart, and Zuckerberg a driven executor.

See my previous comments here ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49294 ) and here ( http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24748 ). (Greenspan has broken the direct page links, but you can get the general idea without buying his book.)

ivankirigin• 18 years ago

What a loser. I read only enough to remember the name to ensure I never use a product he makes.

Facebook haunted by mild-mannered specter

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