Other "Vistas" take a wary look at their new namesake
While Microsoft's marketing team was hooting and hollering on stage in Atlanta as they announced that Longhorn's official name would be Windows Vista, at least one person was stewing back in Redmond. No, Ballmer wasn't peeved that they lost his invite to the Atlanta shindig; the title of crankiest man in Washington State was officially awarded to John Wall, head of Redmond-based tech services company Vista, Inc. Wall's company owns a trademark on the name "Vista," and he's now considering his options, which could include taking his neighbor to court — though he'd like to at least chew the fat over the back fence first. "We're going to consider our options and talk to them," he told the Seattle Times. Wall isn't alone. Among the companies that could be affected by the new name are La Jolla, California, based Vista Software, and Warren, Ohio's Vista Window Co., which makes, you guessed it, Windows. Somehow we suspect that, if any of these companies make a run at Microsoft, they're going to face a reaction that makes Apple's successful defense of the Tiger brand against Tiger Direct look meek by comparison. It's Windows Vista, now and forever (or at least until Blackcomb comes out). Get used to it.
[Via Slashdot]
