Using the boards.ie Name

Dav

Hello all,

In the past we have never had a problem with people using our name for forming groups or teams in the real world or for online games etc. Up until recently, there has never been any reason for us to have any concern over this. However, in light of some of the recent activity in a game promoted on our site and using our name, we feel that we need to have greater control over this in order to avoid a negative image for the site and it's members.

We're happy to allow people to use our name in association with their activity or team that has got together on our site and to promote it on our forums. We only ask that they do 2 things:

1) Let us know about it (even if it's just a quick PM to me to say what it is you're doing).

Futher to this - if you are going as far as getting jerseys or badges or something done for your group with our logo and/or name on it, you definitely need to let us know. You never know, there might be a whole bunch of people who want to buy it outside of your own group!

2) You would apply the same sort of guidelines to it as we have here on boards in relation to how people interact.

In effect, if you've got our name, you may find yourself subject to our rules. We will not be policing the internet, but if someone brings something to the attention of the Admins that has the boards.ie name attached to it and/or is being actively promoted on boards.ie, we *may* deem it appropriate to take action on our site arising from it (this would only be on a case by case basis as we don't see the need to have a definitive "rule" about it). In the past we have taken action against people who have harassed others in pubs on social nights out or who have taken to abuse others via another site cause they know they'd be banned for doing so here.

We find it regretable that we have to come up with such a ruling, but as the site has grown so much and continues to grow at a fantastic rate, we felt the need to put this in place.

Thank you very much for your time and understanding on this.

Dav
on behalf of the boards.ie Administration Team

_blank_

What, if anything, does mean for Boardeaux, our jerseys and th logo thereon?

I have asked this many times in the past, and have not received an answer.

crocro

have you trademarked your boards.ie logo?

Dav

Des wrote: »

What, if anything, does mean for Boardeaux, our jerseys and th logo thereon?

I have asked this many times in the past, and have not received an answer.

Apologies Des, things are cool for Boardeaux, we know what's happening there and have no issues or qualms with our name or logo being associated with the team.

To crocro:
We are in the process of getting our name and logo registered as a trademark.

Jonathan

Better get these while they're still free so..

Dav

They won't be going anywhere, we just want to know when/if people are using them for things. There is no commercial aspect to this at all, we just want to know where I name is in use and what (if anything) we can do to help promote it.

Boston

Is boards.ie a registered trademark / brandname?

Gordon

!

Boston wrote: »

Is boards.ie a registered trademark / brandname?

Dav wrote: »

We are in the process of getting our name and logo registered as a trademark.

Boston

Sorry completely missed that.

*Goes off to use boards.ie extensively on the internet in an attempt to fudge the proceedings*

BuffyBot

Helix's ban (which he's been informed about seperately) is not what this thread is about. Let's keep it on the actual topic - Dav's post.

Random

Perhaps there's a better place to post this where it might get some more exposure?

kaimera

what about boards merchandise?

still tshirts on cafe press iirc. are people wearing them now subject to boards online rules?

Random

kaimera wrote: »

what about boards merchandise?

still tshirts on cafe press iirc. are people wearing them now subject to boards online rules?

You're not allowed curse down the pub or you'll be banned

sceptre

kaimera wrote: »

what about boards merchandise?

still tshirts on cafe press iirc. are people wearing them now subject to boards online rules?

No, because that would be silly.

It's the difference between representing boards and presenting boards:)

johnnyskeleton

I'm going to keep talking about boards.ie whenever I like, and you can ban me whenever you like.

DeVore

Come on guys, you can see the reasons for this. I'd love if we never had to make up rules for edge-cases simply because no one ever pushed the boundaries. But people do. Some people need to know where the rules are simply to step over them or to use them to hide behind. We're not going to play that game.

I think its reasonable for us to say "hey, if you are going to use our name and make out that you have some connection with us, its only polite to let us know first".

I think thats reasonable. Does anyone think its not?

DeV.

WhiteWashMan

yes it is.

but you know, some people are going to take offense or take it the wrong way, simply because they want to

Cuddlesworth

I suppose its time to shut down the boards.ie brothel then.

hullaballoo

Actually, Trade Marks are registrable but the fact that they're not registered doesn't mean they're not legally protected. Boards.ie Ltd owns all of the marks associated with the brand and all registration will do is shore up the protection.

Boston

DeVore wrote: »

Come on guys, you can see the reasons for this. I'd love if we never had to make up rules for edge-cases simply because no one ever pushed the boundaries. But people do. Some people need to know where the rules are simply to step over them or to use them to hide behind. We're not going to play that game.

I think its reasonable for us to say "hey, if you are going to use our name and make out that you have some connection with us, its only polite to let us know first".

I think thats reasonable. Does anyone think its not?

DeV.

It's not only reasonable, I'm also amazed it took as long as it did, as I think it's just been pure luck that a problem hasn't popped up before.

WhiteWashMan wrote: »

yes it is.

but you know, some people are going to take offense or take it the wrong way, simply because they want to

Did you just call me fat :mad:

hullaballoo wrote: »

Actually, Trade Marks are registrable but the fact that they're not registered doesn't mean they're not legally protected. Boards.ie Ltd owns all of the marks associated with the brand and all registration will do is shore up the protection.

Trade marks are only trade marks in the area they are applied. I'm not a solicitor but I have encountered the same "brands/trademarks" used in different fields without conflict. There would be nothing to stop me setting up a cloths shop tomorrow and calling it boardsie, regardless of whether or not boards.ie -LTD had it as a trade mark.

Anyway.

hullaballoo

Boston wrote: »

I'm not a solicitor but I have encountered the same "brands/trademarks" used in different fields without conflict. There would be nothing to stop me setting up a cloths shop tomorrow can calling it boardsie, regardless of whether or not boards.ie -LTD had it as a trade mark.

Anyway.

I'm glad we're in agreement on that though I fail to see why you would need to quote my post to make that point.

Boston

I figured if I was going to have appalling grammar and spelling I might as well have it while quoting the spell check mod.

Jazzy

so can i still slag the sh1t out of all the users i like on irc?

pwd

What happened to prompt this?

Tbh, I can't see people wanting to pay to use the boards name/logo etc. I'd be interested to see if they did though..I'm not aware of any website/community endorsements by sites like this.

It's a reasonable suggestion, as long as it's not taken to extremes. I think usually it's pretty clear that the name is used just to indicate how the people involved in the team (or whatever) are associated with each other. But in cases where it seems more like the site is being represented by the team/clan/whatever I agree there should be some control.

Black Swan

Thou shalt not use the name of boards.ie in vain!

Dav

pwd wrote: »

Tbh, I can't see people wanting to pay to use the boards name/logo etc.

Nor can we tbh, not sure where you got this idea from

Sherifu

pwd wrote: »

What happened to prompt this?

Knock yourself out.

pwd

Nor can we tbh, not sure where you got this idea from

from this:

Dav wrote: »

Futher to this - if you are going as far as getting jerseys or badges or something done for your group with our logo and/or name on it, you definitely need to let us know. You never know, there might be a whole bunch of people who want to buy it outside of your own group!

_blank_

OK.

I've asked this question on at least two prior occasions, and at neither stage was I replied to.

At one stage we were going to get Football Style Pin Badges made up with the Boardeaux Crest on them.

Possibly sell them to players, or maybe just give them out to players and those who wanted them.

The sale price would be only to cover the costs of getting them made, and MAYBE a bit of fund raising for the team (the funds they raise would be minimal).

What would be the stance on something like this happening?

seamus

As far as I can tell Des, work away. Just give Dav or Darragh the heads up that you're doing.

Dav

I didn't see that question before Des, but my initial reaction is that I'm not opposed to it, but will wanna run that by the boss to make sure. I'll get back to you about it after we've had a chance to talk about it in the office (before close of business tomorrow I hope), I might even have a place for you to get the badges made thanks to the efforts of someone else in doing some leg work on a similar idea before.