Looks like the whole blogosphere is abuzz over O’Reilly’s cease-and-desist letter that was sent to the organizers of a Web 2.0 Half Day Conference. O’Reilly and CMP, organizers of the “real” Web 2.0 Conference, demanded that IT@Cork, organizers of the “other” Web 2.0 conference, stop using the term “Web 2.0″ in conjunction with conferences, seminars and other such events.
Most comments are bashing O’Reilly, mainly because they always tried to sell the “Web 2.0″ moniker as synonymous with open collaboration, free stuff, universal love and the end to world hunger. So hypocritical of them to unleash a bunch of sharks lawyers on the poor, unsuspecting irishmen.
Well, I must say I do not agree with those comments. What do you think would Sun, Apple, IDG do if someone announced a “JavaOne and a Half Conference”, a “MacWorld Two Days Conference” or a “LinuxWorldWide Conference”? I think that O’Reilly and CMP, holders of a (pending) registration for “Web 2.0 as a service mark for arranging and conducting live events, namely trade shows, exposition, business conferences and educational conferences in various fields of computers and information technology” can and should use any reasonable means to protect their trademark against dilution, even though the organizers of the “Web 2.0 Half Day Conference” are well-meaning and even tried to invite Tim O’Reilly to their event.
Now, one might argue that one shouldn’t try to register the “Web 2.0″ term as a trademark. One could also feel tempted to side for the small guy confronted by the greedy corporate types who profit from overpriced conferences. Being a speaker at the upcoming OSCON who has to pay all his travel and lodging expenses, I might be inclined to agree 
.
But I won’t. O’Reilly and friends were the first ones who did a Web 2.0 conference and this should mean something. People coming later are free to use “Web 3.14″ if they like… hmmm, now that I think of it, I might organize the Web π Conference and trademark it: The first trascendental version of the Web, try to copy that!
Update: I happen to agree 100% with Nick Carr here: “Even if you believe that O’Reilly made a mistake in trying to trademark “Web 2.0,” or that he made a mistake in trying to enforce that copyright – and reasonable people can certainly come to either or both of those conclusions – the gang mentality that’s playing out right now has to turn your stomach. What we’re seeing is a mob using reputational blackmail to impose its will on somebody else. Everyone seems to feel a need to put his or her boot in, often yelling out personal insults in the process.” How long before we see someone calling for a boycott of O’Reilly books or conferences?
Technorati Tags: web-2.0, oreilly, conference, cmp, it@cork, trademark, cease-and-desist, oscon.
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