Apple Goes After Open Source Startup For Daring To Use The Term 'App Store'
from the butt-head-astronomer-store dept
Those of you up on your Apple history may know that the company once had a sense of humor. It once had a project that went by the code name "Sagan," and when astronomer Carl Sagan got angry and sent a cease-and-desist, Apple changed the project name to "Butt-Head Astronomer" or "BHA" (eventually leading to a defamation lawsuit that failed). So with Apple now being the insane company sending out cease-and-desist letters over something they shouldn't care about, perhaps it's time to help people rename the "app store."As you probably have heard, Apple is trying to convince the world that "app store" is not generic and that it holds the trademark on it. This has resulted in lots of people trying to invalidate the trademark, and one lawsuit against Amazon. Rather than taking a step back, Apple has become much more aggressive, lately (even though Steve Jobs has been caught calling other app stores "app stores").
We recently noted that it had threatened the developer organization Wireless Industry Partnership for daring to have a webpage that lists out alternative app stores. Carl J points us to the news that the company is now also threatening the open source startup Amahi with a similar cease-and-desist, for the app store it has for its home web server offering.
While the company is still deciding what to do, it's asking people to suggest potential alternatives:
We’d like it if you submit your suggestion for a term to use for Amahi’s store area, in every language on the surface of the earth, except of course using the term “app store.” Keep them short! We will use one of the top suggestions to name that area of our site.Anyone have suggestions that would fit with the spirit of Apple's response to Carl Sagan?
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Just so sick
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Re:
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app store
rottenapple
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Didn't Apple get slapped down ont the Amazon lawsuit?
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Re: Didn't Apple get slapped down ont the Amazon lawsuit?
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Re:
Store (that is online and, from which, you can download applications)
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Re: Re:
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Suggestion
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Re: Suggestion
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Re:
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How about....
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Crab Apple Store
Sour Apple Store
Rotten Apple Store
Bad Apple Store
Application Store
The Better Than Apple Store
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Re:
ok, not quite the same spirit.
heh. i know!
ple store. (because clearly, app is short of apple.)
pear store.
app crate.
app shop
app werehouse
app tree
orchid (again, if apple insists that 'app' is short for 'apple' rather than 'application', why not?)
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Re: Re:
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unapple store?
crapp store?
applesucks store?
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I dunno
Appli Store
App Shop
Think Differently Again Store
Shut Your Frakin' Mouth Store
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App Shop
App Mart
App Stop
Of course, I expect royalties.
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Re:
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Hate apple
AppLE store.
They can say that it stands for App Limited Edition store.
Or any variation. Like App LE Store. App.le Store. App.LE Store. aPple Store. iApp Store.
Their motto could be "Amahi App Limited Edition Store. AppLE Store! Standing in defiance of doministic capitalism!"
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A: Finding half a worm
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Re:
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Re: Re:
(in the spirit of the '$1.03 store')
too bad there's not a currency symbol for worms.
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pomme de terre?
crapp store?
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AppShop
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The Concept is SO Original!
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Apple-like Store
Red Fruit White Center
AppUpYourStore
In the 1980s I worked for an Apple retailer and they had a training program called Apple C.O.R. (Customer Oriented Retailing).
AppleCore Store
Red Delicious
OK. That was fun.
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APIP Store - Apples Pathetic IP (Of course, having Apple as part of the abriv. probably wouldn't work)
Those are the only two that even remotely fit that I can come up with. For apple there is of course, SUSJ, or "Shut up Steve Jobs", but that's only if they lose on the App trademark due to his general use of app.
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"Why waste money on pathetic 'apps', when you could purchase significantly better programs from these fine stores? Also, your money won't be going to a bunch of lawsuit-happy jerks."
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For The Times crossword enthusiasts
Not A Piracies Plot
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I don't get it...
I'm going to start a computer parts store called "HardWare Store" and then sue Ace and True Value.
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Re: Hey, that was MY idea!
*Applications, programs, and platforms
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Butt-Head AApp store - BHAa store, they can infer what the extra A is for.
Or ppa store - app backwards.
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Phonetics?
or, even better, add one letter, and piss them off by pre-empting something else they'll retroactively wish they'd trademarked:
Can't you just hear the Apple lawyers now, going, "Awwww, maaaaaaaan!"
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Re: Phonetics?
They know a cash cow when they see one......a big fat 7bn cash cow.
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Re: Phonetics?
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Re: Re: Phonetics?
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How?
How about "The TTS Store" (any long fan of Dilbert should get that). It seems an oddly appropriate jab at Apple.
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Re: How?
http://www.amahi.org/name-the-store
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Apuri = app in Japanese
tsragiry = app in Armenian
prykladannie = app in Belarusian
aplicació = in Catalan
Yěngyňng chéngxů = in Chinese
Bŏksa = in Indi
aplikasi = in Indonesian
Aplikēśan = in Kannada
eung-yong peulogeulaem = in Korean
stan = in Macedonian
aplikacji = in Polish
prilozhenie = in Russian
Апп = in Serbian
aplicación = in Spanish
Payaṉpāṭu = in Tamil
Anuvartanaṁ = in Telugo
dodatok = in Ukranian
Other words:
Application
Software
widget
Program
My suggestion:
Ape Store
iApe Store
Ape iStore
App iCounter
App iDepo
Apple Corner
App iCorner
App iBarn
Appland
iAppland
Apoo Store
Appoo iStore
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Re:
The ones you posted for Serbian, Macedonian, Russian, Ukranian and Armenian do not mean what you think they mean.
All of them use the same one as the Polish translation for the word uses.
The origianal English romanization of the word "Application"
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Re:
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App Store
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iStore (107)
LoL
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Go develop things and quit suing people over stupid stuff.
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Apple has the "app store" --- get over it.
Microsoft, back when it had an online store for it's failed smart-type phone, had a little thing called "Catalog"... for it's Sidekick device. It was an online store, but choose a more techie name. And yes, Catalog was wildly used around the world. And, who complained?
Now that Apple has the "app store" name - those wishing they had it are now throwing hissy-fits. Stop being whinny snot-nosed-kids and move on. Geesh!
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Re: Apple has the "app store" --- get over it.
Sorry, really can't bring myself to give a monkeys about who used the term first commercially. "App" has been the abbreviation for "Application" ever since there have been computer applications. Cf. "Applet" meaning a small application.
A "cool" catchphrase doesn't mean you get to own a standard term. Especially when the "Sue-er In Chief" himself used the term in exactly that context.
Oh.. and:
Being the first to package crap-ware in one place also does not mean you get to own a standard term.
That might stand up as an argument if you can show the many companies perhaps such as Universal, Sears, ScrewFix, RS Online, Victoria Secret etc. that Microsoft sued for use of the term catalog.
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Re: Re: Apple has the "app store" --- get over it.
Sure, I agree. And "Windows" has been the name for the little windows you look at on your computer ever since the Graphical User Interface was released (well before Windows 1). And yet, Microsoft has that trademarked and yes, has sued many many companies out of existence.
--- "Being the first to package crap-ware in one place also does not mean you get to own a standard term." ---
Actually, you switched to off topic. Focus please. It's not your opinion of the software (don't be jealous) that matters here. It's who owns the name. And yes, first one to raise their hand gets the name.
--- And yes, Catalog was wildly used around the world. And, who complained? ---
I don't think anyone knew - the failure was so complete.
--- That might stand up as an argument if you can show the many companies perhaps such as Universal, Sears, ScrewFix, RS Online, Victoria Secret etc. that Microsoft sued for use of the term catalog. ---
Yet, Microsoft was able to Trademark that common name as well.
Anyway, thank you for your comments. Good discussion keeps the world revolving.
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Re: Re: Re: Apple has the "app store" --- get over it.
Would you prefer if i said; "With a business primarily focused on consumer-oriented computing-type products, often with as much if not more 'fashion value' as substance, it is natural that Apple would be the first to actually succeed with marketing such an application repository and shopfront. It's primary value for Apple and others is in enabling them to capitalise on high-volume, low-value products in an efficient manner, which is wholly in keeping with their perceived business model, and the store itself is heavy on the "cool but pointless" products that succeed best in that space. However, being the first to succeed with something that, as you point out, others had already done before does not in my mind have anything to do with attempting to hijack an obvious and generic term for the function of the system to be a proper and exclusive name for anything. Hardly an "insight" I feel, more a lazy day for a marketing exec."
It was shorter the first time though.
Which, to my mind, points at something very broken in the trademark system rather than something good that one should just "get over".
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BHA for Butt Head Apple?
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New name
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In honor of the Apple II clone from years gone by...
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Re: In honor of the Apple II clone from years gone by...
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appStore
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Use them all.. perhaps under different contexts
Applery: (where the theme/motif more clearly is apples)
Maybe use the first and then mock Apple if they ever adopt the second.
App Core: (Apple will love this one as will anyone seriously into apps)
1984 Red Face: (besides the multiple Apple mocks, it might even hint at facebook like features).
Fruit That Is Doomed: (fruit of a loom semblance but related to apple as forbidden fruit and doomed company.. mostly for fun, perhaps as parody)
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Really? give it up Apple
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"POmaceous Fruits are F***wits Store" (POFF-Store)?
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how about
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application station
code bodega
app le magasin
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How about...
Given that "Sucks: sites have a definite legality that has been proven...
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I've got something... maybe
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Yeah I occationally listen to Motörhead...
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OFSJ store one finger at Steve jobs store
OBA = one bad apple store
IHA = i hate apple store
AAP = apple are prats store
finally GLTA = gnu linux trumps apple or you can substitute tramples for trumps.
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Trademarks Aren’t Supposed To Mean Anything
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sCOREd.
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Very sad
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Use their name in a way that can't infringe
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Store Name
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Not to be silly...
Application Purchasing Venue
Next shorten it to...
AppPurVenu
Finally, throw in something make sure it isn't associated with that formerly cool company with a fruit name...
BananAppPurVenu
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rotten
pity canonical are microscopically small and can't do anything about it.
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store formerly known as app store
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App Store renamed to ...
There, that is much better
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App store alternative
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Re: App store alternative
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Alternatives for App Store
iShop
iStore
--------
'nuff said
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A few suggestions
Crazy Steve.
AppleSource
AppSucks
Download Marketplace
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Cycling "App Store" name
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Replace the word store
App Distributor
App Warehouse
App Source
App Download Source
App Market
App Depot
App Factory
App Mart
App Shop
App Center
App Boutique
App Bazaar
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New name
Cheers
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Rotten Apple
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They should call it
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