Almost Dell had been successful in trademarking the general term "Cloud Computing". Unbelievable? No, read:
InfoWorld vom 21. August 2008: "Dell edges out SAP and Oracle for 'Bozo of the Month'
The company that invented nothing tries to hijack cloud computing with a cheesy legal play. Don’t let them get away with it.
By Bill Snyder
I know I'm supposed to be objective -- or at least restrained in my opinions -- but I can't help but see Michael Dell's attempt to trademark "cloud computing" as anything other than the cheesy, contemptible antic of a clown.
There, I said it.
There's not much excuse for Dell's action, but it would be less upsetting if Dell and company were great technologists. Or even OK technologists. But Dell has built the world's largest screwdriver shop on top of other people's technology, and if the company has ever made a serious technological contribution, I've yet to hear of it.
As it happens, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has apparently soured on the idea of allowing Dell to trademark "cloud computing" after first giving it a tentative OK. Dell has six months to appeal the decision. Given the way Washington, D.C., works these days, Dell's money may well talk. We in the IT community should have a say as well. Give a call to Ruth Nybold, the PTO's public affairs officer, at (571) 272-8400 or send an email to Ruth.Nyblod@uspto.gov, and tell her what you think.
If Dell is my first official "Bozo of the Month," (Merriam Webster Dictionary: bozo = a foolish or incompetent person) SAP and Oracle, both of which snuck in hefty price increases earlier this summer, are runners-up. Sure, big software vendors make no pretense of being charities -- nor should they -- but at a time when IT budgets are being pressured by the worst economic climate in decades, squeezing the customer is really, really stupid."
