Re: Freecycling

Whoa... I totally missed any messages before this one. I have heard Freecycle mentioned before, but never visited the site. Why on earth would they be sued, and why are they being referred to as a *cult*? Aren't they (as mentioned in other parts of this message) just a place for people to pass on unwanted items to other people who may need them? What is wrong with that? It seems to me that passing unwanted items on to other people who can use them, is a lot better than throwing them away to end up in a landfill somewhere.

Personally when I find stuff in our house that we don't need or want anymore... if I think it is still good enough for someone else to use... I donate it to the St Vincent de Paul store in our town. However if I knew of someone who needed something that I had to give away, I would give it to them. *shrug* Just my opinion!

Gemini

I'm wondering if this is a "burp" and we're getting something that's appeared before??? It all sounds familiar, even if it does have a current date.

Shelagh

I have heard

Please don't yell. It's not necessary.

Shelagh

shelagh I think you are right, it is an old post, I seem to recall it. Also Michelle has become Slinky again and is not called Wooly.

OLd hat I think

Els

It looks to me as though someone has a bone to pick with Freecycle, found an old post on rcty about it and took off with his or her rant.

Hi,

According to google and the names and when it was posted this note started on Mar 31 2004 so it's been around a long time.

Hugs,

Nora

Stop yelling! Freecycle is not being sued. I've run Freecycle groups for

Maybe that's the objection....

sue

Interesting, (maybe), that there may be objections to trademarking.

Here on the Island "Freecycle" works without problems. I do think that trademarking a name is not a bad idea, because, big corporations come along and steal a name or come up with the same name and make other groups who use this name before them, change their names. I know all about trademarking and holding on to a name. I can't think of a reason for a non profit group, to not protect their name. In this "Dollar signs in your eyes" world, you have to stand firm. The post was an old post though, and so maybe all this has been resolved.

Els

The trademarking of names can be a touchy issue. In the energy healing world, there's a group that wants to trademark the name of one system of healing, that only people trained in their particular method can use it. Since there are gazillions of people using this system who would be excluded from using it, as well as it being a fairly common Japanese word, there's a lot of opposition. Especially as the group wanting to `own' the trademark is very conservative, and in some cases, more money oriented.

sue

Hi Sue,

Indeed trademarking can be tricky. Still one would hope that it all can be worked out peacefully. Also that a court case for a trademark does not mean that the group is dishonest. The two have nothing to do with one and other. I Hope that it get worked out so that everyone will be content.

Els

PS: Sue were you saying that "freecycling" Is an common Japanese word or did I misread that...??

Els

No, that was about the name of the healing system. Though `freecycle' might be in common usage, and it's difficult to trademark words which are used before being trademarked. Kleenex and Xerox, for example, only became commonly used after the trademark protection.

sue