Question Regarding Grumman Lawsuit

[billswagger]

Whats happening in this case actually shows the loop holes in the laws itself.

I think any judge or law writer should examine the intent of such rules and why they exist.
Trademarks, and patents exist to protect ideas and IP.
I think these rules may be getting stretched too far to include design specs outside of the industry that they compete in.

For example, no one is taking a Grumman design, building it and trying to sell it as their own.

There is no physical aircraft that competes against Grumman.

No one is selling completely different airplanes and calling them Grumman.

There is probably also a way to link the use of such a design as public domain because it was purchased and used by the US government in a HISTORICAL war.

An even stronger argument is the educational value of such content.

Are we to rename historical figures or monuments at the cost of not being able to pay their fees?
"Sorry, its not the Eiffel Tower in game, its called 'The Big Antenna'."
A kid then visits Paris, and only knows to call it 'The Big Antenna'.

Gaming developers as well as model and toy manufacturers need to establish that their content has an educational as well as journalistic value to the public and that changing the names or designs would be misleading and a change in historical facts. This might raise issues that surround freedom of the press, and related statues.

As video game developers, we are only trying to depict the truth.


something like that....


Bill