re: Being Hassled

Ken Sethney (ksethney_at_sethney.com)
Mon, 01 Jul 1996 13:41:02 +0000

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Harry Selent <harrys_at_cyberstreet.com> said...

> I'm a dealer for a software company. I've designed
> some of my site around their site - using some of the graphics on
> their pages (I"m a dealer for them & sell only their product). They
> keep hassling me about revising my web site so its not AT ALL like
> theirs - - no copy the same; no graphics the same (which doesn't make
> sense, because if I did my own screens shot it would come out the same
> since its the same program!!). Does any one have any ideas or
> suggestions?

If the software company doesn't protect their copyright interest, they
lose it. If they don't protect their trademarks, they lose protection
under the law.

More important from a marketing perspective, they have the right and
responsibility to control the way their product is presented in the
marketplace. You are, of course, free to take your business elsewhere.

> I mean, I could make a "Frames" web site & link to their pages anyway
> under my banner, so whats the difference?

In one case, you control the presentation of their copyrighted material.
In the other, they control it. Some companies, (Disney or MacDonald's
for example) would probably sue the living daylights out of you for
refering to their pages in a frames document.

Suggestion: Work with the software company to come up with a reasonable
compromise. They will (most likely) provide you with artwork for print
ads. They may even have a co-op program to help fund promotion of their
products. If so, they may have, or be willing to develop, a similar
policy for the Web.

--
Ken Sethney
businessVISION Consulting Group

http://www.deltanet.com/users/ksethney
ksethney_at_sethney.com

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