Microsoft applies for trademark on 'Mod'

[Reefa]

Back on December 9, Microsoft applied to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a trademark on "Mod."

Might this be Microsoft's long-awaited replacement for "Metro"? In August 2012, just before launching Windows 8, Microsoft officials conceded that the company would no longer be using "Metro" to describe the tiled interface and design language at the heart of its Windows Phone and Windows operating systems.

Though Microsoft officials never admitted publicly the reason for the pull-back, a naming dispute with the German partner Metro Group is believed to be the reason behind Microsoft's Metro naming crisis.

Since that time, different teams at Microsoft have used different words as substitutes for "Metro" and "Metro-Style." Some teams have favored "immersive," while others have used "Windows Store" or "Windows 8." And still others have used the word "Modern" as the replacement for Metro.

As NeoWin reported on December 28, Microsoft has applied for trademarks for "Windows Mod," "Office Mod" and "Microsoft Office Mod." Maybe Office Mod is the hoped-for name for the Metro-Style versions of the four core Office apps Microsoft is building (as part of the codename "Gemini" wave)?

Perhaps Mod will be the new Metro. Or perhaps it's something else entirely. One of my contacts said he wondered whether "Mod" might be shorthand for "module." Maybe Microsoft's Windows Mod and Office Mod -- should the trademark application win approval -- will simply be some kind of new programming aid to help developers build more Microsoft-centric apps?

I've asked Microsoft officials for comment on the trademark filing. If I get a response, I'll update this post.

It's worth noting Microsoft applies for many trademarks it never ends up using commercially or publicly. Still, this one is intriguing....

Source:http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-applies-for-trademark-on-mod-7000024661/

[Whoopenstein]

The music file format with the .MOD extension comes to mind. That might be a problem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOD_(file_format)

[Bigmedion]

Hi,

MOD is a very generic term, its also present in PHPBB, Cyanogen,in the 50's and 60's rock scene ( see Quadrophenia movie), and so on, and so on :s :s

Edited December 29, 2013 by Bigmedion

[Ganxxta]

Hi,

MOD is a very generic term, its also present in PHPBB, Cyanogen,in the 50's and 60's rock scene ( see Quadrophenia movie), and so on, and so on :s :s

Yes and if they get the trademark I expect them to go full troll mode and sue everybody who uses MOD in any way.

[janedoe]

The music file format with the .MOD extension comes to mind. That might be a problem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOD_(file_format)

Not a problem actually. Assuming they even use it, and again assuming they use it in terms such as "Windows Mod" and "Office Mod", there's no fear of anyone mistaking the usage to refer to the audio file format.

Yes and if they get the trademark I expect them to go full troll mode and sue everybody who uses MOD in any way.

They can get the trademark for all anyone cares, it's not a copyright. Trademark infringement depends on the similarity of the products or services involved. Only if any users of the expression are trying to deliberately fool people into buying their product by making them mistake it for Microsoft's can action be taken. As Bigmedion noted, the term is used in a variety of spheres ranging from games to music and what not, so to automatically assume litigation against all users even in unrelated fields is not only silly but pure FUD.

Edited December 30, 2013 by janedoe

[calguyhunk]

So the nsane mods like DKT and Jalaffa are in trouble? :tehe:

@ JaneDoe - Relax, we're just having a little bit of fun :p