Finally, someone sues Microsoft for Bing's name

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft, Search

It had to happen eventually -- I'm just shocked it took this long. Bing!, exclamation point not optional unless I also want to be sued, has filed a suit against Microsoft for confusing the public of St. Louis Missouri with its Bing (no exclamation point) search engine.

It's the kind of news that warms me in both weird and wonderful ways. First, it reminds us all that capitalism is working as intended -- then it also reminds me just how much I love living in a non-litigious country like the United Kingdom. Bing![TM] isn't even in the same sector as the same-sans-exclamation-named search engine -- they do graphic frickin' design.

The thing is, as crazy as it sounds, they actually stand a chance of winning the case and claiming juicy punitive damages. I don't know if the US trademark system is the same as the UK, but trademarks here are 'categorized', with technology-related stuff mostly lumped into the same category -- it would be OK to have Bing the ship-maker and Bing the search engine, but two Bings involved with online business... I'm not so sure.

Maybe they'll be forced to rename to, in my opinion, the much better name of 'Ping!' -- exclamation point and all. [Or, if there are any gamers out there, how about 'Ding!']

[via CNET]

Finally, someone sues Microsoft for Bing's name originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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