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A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

news.fiftythree.com

31–40 of 162 posts

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#31
post #3

[deleted]

>> "Facebook's app is a newsreader that kind of somehow has to do with paper maybe?" I'm guessing the name is a reference to 'newspaper'. Most people I know just refer to the newspaper as 'the paper'.

The Facebook > Facebook

Paper > The Paper

fixed ;)

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#32

If I was in FiftyThree's position I would be pissed off. But it is a very common word. Simply changing the name of the app to 'Facebook Paper' would probably help with a lot of the issues it might cause.

Yeah, it will be pretty ridiculous if FiftyThree manages to enforce some kind of IP over the use of the word "paper" as a name for a product... Trademarking common English words, anyone?

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#33
post #19

It's a matter of respect. Paper (FiftyThree) is a well known brand and app, so basically the Facebook developers were 100% aware that they were utilizing someone's name (at least they should have been), and therefore they went ahead to publish their new app with complete disregard for what already existed.

[deleted]

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#34

I think Facebook should change Paper's name mainly because Paper is a horrible name for this product, which is actually "Facebook without all the crap you never use". The fact that "Paper by FiftyThree" is a name already in use is another factor, why fight this battle when the name isn't even very good?

Right, it's simplified Facebook. Facebook with all the extra bits removed. The hardback book reduced to the paper back...

Yeah, I mean it's not the worst, it's just not like, "MUST DEFEND THIS AWESOME NAME" level IMO.

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#35
post #19

It's a matter of respect. Paper (FiftyThree) is a well known brand and app, so basically the Facebook developers were 100% aware that they were utilizing someone's name (at least they should have been), and therefore they went ahead to publish their new app with complete disregard for what already existed.

On the other hand, FiftyThree have chosen a very common English word for their product name. You can't call dibs on a word like "paper", and this was a risk they should have taken into account. Either choose a proper (and trademarkable) name, or choose a common word and expect such consequences. You can't have it both ways, and I think even considering Facebook's Paper, FiftyThree have probably made the right tradeoff. Whining about it now just makes them look bad.

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#36
Pfft. What a silly request. This is an entirely different application.

Should we expect an upcoming blog post from 53 complaining that Crayola has released a new product entitled "Pencil"?

If you want to protect your name, use a protectable name. If you're going to use an entirely generic name then deal with it... wait hang on... Dunder Mifflin just called... they want their name back too.

Cool company, great products, daft blog post.

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#37
post #23
post #9

It's like Apple Inc and Apple Corps. Lesson to self, avoid generic names.

The generic name seems to have worked out well for Apple though, hasn't it?

30 years later? Sure, but I think they would have done well with any brand name.

I really like 53's Paper app, but I wouldn't like it any less if it were called Doodlepad, DrawPaper etc.

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#38
post #35
post #19

It's a matter of respect. Paper (FiftyThree) is a well known brand and app, so basically the Facebook developers were 100% aware that they were utilizing someone's name (at least they should have been), and therefore they went ahead to publish their new app with complete disregard for what already existed.

On the other hand, FiftyThree have chosen a very common English word for their product name. You can't call dibs on a word like "paper", and this was a risk they should have taken into account. Either choose a proper (and trademarkable) name, or choose a common word and expect such consequences. You can't have it both ways, and I think even considering Facebook's Paper, FiftyThree have probably made the right tradeof…

What about something like "Square?" That's about as generic as it gets, yet is there any question as to what someone is referring to when they are talking about "Square" in the context of an app?

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#39
post #33
post #19

It's a matter of respect. Paper (FiftyThree) is a well known brand and app, so basically the Facebook developers were 100% aware that they were utilizing someone's name (at least they should have been), and therefore they went ahead to publish their new app with complete disregard for what already existed.

[deleted]

[deleted]

Re: A letter from Paper (FiftyThree) to Paper (Facebook)

#40
post #22

People are going to call the app by Facebook "Facebook Paper" because "Paper" is simply too generic. 53's drawing app name is not strong either. Their iOS app is not called "Paper", but "Paper by FiftyThree". Their icon is not of paper, but of a napkin style rendering of "53". For all intents, the drawing simulation brand name is "FiftyThree". There was a brief moment in history when people thought "I wonder if 53 wa…

And 'facebook' is original? FB's legal team has a hernia anytime someone on the web uses face or book, perhaps they should take their own advice?

If it continues it might be funny for 53 to release Paper Facebook.

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