[Googlebar] Google+Googlebar

[Fritz Schneider]

> I'm not sure if these are entirely unreasonable requests, however I
> still question the motives behind the requests 

The motives are 

(1) user experience: firefox users should not be turned away from
toolbar.google.com emptyhanded -- hence our desire to link to you

(2) legal: we have a trademark to protect -- hence our desire for you
to make some changes

> Of the 2 requests this one seems much more intrusive and really is
> confusing to me.  On one hand you are asking to link from an official
> Google site to our tool but on the other hand you are saying that you
> want no ties to Google in our project and want us to change the name?
> That is quite a conundrum if I've ever heard one.  

Only if you're not familiar with IP and trademark law in the US :) You
might want to take a minute to read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark

The sentence, "Trademark rights, such as the right to exclusive use of
a trademark, generally derive only through use (i.e.. actual use in
the marketplace)" is particularly relevant.

> You want to link to us but want no inferred link of us to you?  

Yes because, in fact, there is no actual link between us and you :)

> And what is the true
> difference between "Googlebar" and "Searchbar for Google" or "Firefox
> Toolbar for Google"? 

The fact that Google names it's products "Google Foobar" whereas third
parties name unaffiliated products "Foobar Somethingoranother" or
"Foobar Something Google."

> Is it really down to semantics that much?  

Yes. The language-processing parts of lawyers' brains are hyperdeveloped. 

> You
> must have some fin legal department down there at Google or something.

Thank you!

> I work for a government laboratory so I understand all of that kind of
> thing but in my opinion I wouldn't support a name change for the
> project. 

OK, but in that case we wouldn't be able to link to you. We might be
able to license the name to you if you can't change it, but let's
cross that bridge only if we come to it.

> preventing anyone from downloading from
> googlebar.mozdev.org would likely be more of an issue 

There's nothing preventing you from putting up a 301 redirect, meta
refresh, or JavaScript redirect from the old page to the new.

> This request doesn't seem like much of an issue but I really am not sure
> what you mean by "current logo".  What logo are you referring to?

The one on the homepage, in the options dialog, and so forth. The
colors are really close to our colors, and we'd prefer that they were
completely distinct.

> An one last thing to note that is not of major importance but I thought
> I'd mention is that I will actually be on the Google campus on Thursday
> for an interview.  

I'm probably scheduled to interview you :)