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Re: [seedsavers] Name choice for me



I also put in my vote for "seedkeepers".  In fact I think it's a better name
than "seedsavers", because as Lawrence already noted "to keep" has all
the meanings that apply to what we do.

 From the perspective of conflict with SSE it's also a great choice because
it's both close enough and far enough... with "seedsaving" SSE could still
have tried to make a case that there's conflict (they'd probably lose, but
they could try).

Btw., with regard to the issue of the cease-and-desist... without wanting
to excuse or condemn, the way trademark law works SSE /has to/ try to
prevent us from using the name or they would risk losing the trademark...
that's the nature of the beast, you have to defend it or you lose it.  
On the
other hand if they and Lawrence had gone to court over it they might still
have lost because their trademark is probably on "Seed Savers Exchange",
and not on "seedsavers" and if Lawrence made the case that "seed savers"
is a term in common usage in the field of horticulture (showing for example
that trade magazines use the exact term to generically describe people who
do what we do, etc.) then a court might have decided in his favor.  But
probably not... courts tend to side with trademark holders.  Caveat
IANAL.

Finally, it might be a good idea to register a TM on "seedkeepers" in
order to prevent SSE from doing so just to give us trouble.  Last I
checked (some years ago) it costs about $5k to do that in the US, but
trademarks are international and you can do it in some other country
where it's cheaper (I seem to remember there is at least one country
where you can do it for $1k).  Or we can not do that, and if SSE
tries to register "seedkeeprs" we'll know for certain that they really
are hostile a***oles and weren't just doing their duty under trademark
law by sending a cease-and-desist.

:j


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