German Court Says No to Gmail Name

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German Court Says No to Gmail Name

engine

1:09 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

Google was banned from using the name "Gmail" for its popular webmail service by German court, following a trademark suit filed by the founder of G-Mail, German mail system.
Daniel Giersch, 33, started using the name G-Mail in 2000, four years before Google released "Gmail". The battle for the trademark has dragged on for three years and has been fought in a number of jurisdictions. Google has filed lawsuits against Giersch in Spain, Portugal and Switzerland.
"I have made it clear since the beginning that I will never sell the name," Giersch said, "It is my sole intention to realise my idea for a hybrid mail system. I am absolutely convinced of its success. Neither "G-mail" nor myself are for sale."

German Court Says No to Gmail Name [torontodailynews.com]

Neues Urteil: Google darf Markennamen "G-mail" in Deutschland nicht verwenden [pcwelt.de]

p5gal5

1:35 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

So, for a "German mail system" he chose "G-Mail" and not "D-Mail"? Makes more send in English than 'auf Deutsch.'

mifi601

1:42 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

since mail is an English word it actualy does make sense - imo

walkman

2:12 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

>> So, for a "German mail system" he chose "G-Mail" and not "D-Mail"? Makes more send in English than 'auf Deutsch.'

totally irrelevant since Gmail (as in Google's gmail) didn't exist back then.

the_nerd

2:18 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

So, for a "German mail system" he chose "G-Mail" and not "D-Mail"? Makes more send in English than 'auf Deutsch.'

Look at his last Name: "Giersch" I guess that's why he called it "G-Mail".

adfree

2:19 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

Assuming that they didn't decide and launch over night but months before chances are EVEN GOOGLE WAS STILL IN BETA BACK THEN.

September 21st 1999 it was, when the BETA indicator came off the Google logo.

Let alone ANY indication of even a remote chance this upcoming search technology would ever evolve into anything close to mail.

night707

2:25 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

The German guy has the rights for "G-mail" in 60 countries and it looks like Google iaming safely for another defeat in the next round at the German Supreme court.

Hobbs

2:41 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

Giersch sounds pissed for sure, looks like Google was too heavy handed in their approach, they probaby could have settled it with less lawyers and more geeks.

vincevincevince

2:56 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

Hobbs, my thoughts exactly. You don't buy someone with that strong a claim and that kind of attitude to life. You eat them. You engulf them with geeks and make their dreams for Gmail into a reality just as surely as you sweep them into a natural partnership with Googlemail....

the_nerd

3:45 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

Could be a nice chance for some G-Competitors to charm Giersch into some kind of joint-venture. With 50 million or so you can make some dreams come true a lot faster ..

jecasc

5:55 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

The guy has the rights to the name, the case is cristal clear. And if someone owns the name you can either buy him out or look for another name if he doesn't want too.

The only reason Google hast taken this to court is to generate as many costs as possible until he gives up the name. If someone with less money than Giersch had owned the name he would already be bankrupt.

adfree

11:04 pm on Jul 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

They should have fired their trademark lawyer prior to registering their global gmail brand.

Kurgano

7:25 am on Jul 6, 2007 (gmt 0)

Good for Daniel Giersch and good for german courts! Google has its merrits but when I see them throw money at the guy and then set lawyers on the guy, i'm not impressed.

I bet everyone here has a domain name they'd like to own but can't. I'd like to think most of us would accept a "no" response and move along if our best offer was turned down.

disclaimer: I reserve the right at a later date to think Giersch is an idiot for not chosing another name and investing his winfall into his email dream if Google made a (very) rediculously high offer. It's just business in the end. Did they even make an offer?

walkman

12:22 pm on Jul 6, 2007 (gmt 0)

Daniel Giersch, I believe is RICH already. This seems to be about pride mostly, since he can get the $XX million and change to Blah-mail and still do his business.

I hope the loser (G) pays the legal bills otherwise Google can ruin him. Gambler's ruin and all....

Habtom

8:02 am on Jul 10, 2007 (gmt 0)

suit filed by the founder of G-Mail, German mail system

Does this person know about search engines, or G kicked him out. I can't find him.

Kurgano

6:02 pm on Jul 10, 2007 (gmt 0)

he hasn't started the site yet, just owns the domain according to the article.