Fuck You Too Ford!
http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32801
I received this email earlier tonight:
-------------------------------------------
Dear Member,
I appologize for this email. I don't normally email the members but this is an emergency.
Today, (December 9, 2008) I received a letter from the law offices of Howard, Phillips & Andersen that represent the Ford Motor Company. Ford is forcing us to surrender the name 'therangerstation.com' to them and stop using it. Ford states that using the name 'Ranger' when used in reference to the Ford Ranger is a trademark violation. In addition they are wanting me to pay them $5,000.
As you may know, The Ranger Station has been around for the past 10 years and has been a valuable resource to Ranger enthusiasts.
If Ford does this to us, where will they stop?
I have 10-days to surrender the name and pay them $5,000. I'm asking that you contact Ford online and ask them to reconsider making us change our name and prohibiting us from using the word 'Ranger'.
You can contact them at:
https://secure.ford.com/footer/contact-ford/contact-us-email?contactMainTopic=PublicAffairs
a sample of what one of the members wrote is:
"To whom it may concern:
I am writing concerning your recent legal attacks on various "fan" websites for vehicles such as the Mustang and Ranger. I am insulted by this careless misuse of our legal system and am reconsidering any further vehicle purchases from your company until you cease and desist from any further legal action concerning this subject. I have been a Ford owner for many years and I had hoped to stay that way. These attacks are morally wrong since they are geared towards your customers, and do not instill the least bit of confidence in your brand. For the sake of your business, I ask you to please reconsider immediately.
Thank you."
Thank you for your support and I applogize for this email.
Jim Oaks
TheRangerStation.com
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This sucks hardcore. I cannot understand why a company so fiercely attacks the most loyal supporters of it's product. Now there's a difference between copyright infringement on physical and intellectual property. Like WotC and D&D, that pretty much solely intellectual property. But Ford has physical property, the Ranger pickup. I can't start another car company and offer a vehicle called the Ranger. But they're just suing us over the NAME. And thats it! Now what about things like, oh I don't know....
U.S. Army Rangers
Forest Rangers
Polaris Ranger
Ranger Boats
D&D character Ranger
Ranger Ink
Texas Rangers
Ranger college
Ranger Communications
Ranger boots
Ranger Rick
The list goes on and on...
Ford may have pissed me off to the point where I never buy a remotely new Ford vehicle again.
If you'd like to help (And please do), Follow the link above to Fords' e-suggestion box and mention the things like in this post, And that suing your products supporters is not the right thing to do.
I received this email earlier tonight:
-------------------------------------------
Dear Member,
I appologize for this email. I don't normally email the members but this is an emergency.
Today, (December 9, 2008) I received a letter from the law offices of Howard, Phillips & Andersen that represent the Ford Motor Company. Ford is forcing us to surrender the name 'therangerstation.com' to them and stop using it. Ford states that using the name 'Ranger' when used in reference to the Ford Ranger is a trademark violation. In addition they are wanting me to pay them $5,000.
As you may know, The Ranger Station has been around for the past 10 years and has been a valuable resource to Ranger enthusiasts.
If Ford does this to us, where will they stop?
I have 10-days to surrender the name and pay them $5,000. I'm asking that you contact Ford online and ask them to reconsider making us change our name and prohibiting us from using the word 'Ranger'.
You can contact them at:
https://secure.ford.com/footer/contact-ford/contact-us-email?contactMainTopic=PublicAffairs
a sample of what one of the members wrote is:
"To whom it may concern:
I am writing concerning your recent legal attacks on various "fan" websites for vehicles such as the Mustang and Ranger. I am insulted by this careless misuse of our legal system and am reconsidering any further vehicle purchases from your company until you cease and desist from any further legal action concerning this subject. I have been a Ford owner for many years and I had hoped to stay that way. These attacks are morally wrong since they are geared towards your customers, and do not instill the least bit of confidence in your brand. For the sake of your business, I ask you to please reconsider immediately.
Thank you."
Thank you for your support and I applogize for this email.
Jim Oaks
TheRangerStation.com
-------------------------------------------
This sucks hardcore. I cannot understand why a company so fiercely attacks the most loyal supporters of it's product. Now there's a difference between copyright infringement on physical and intellectual property. Like WotC and D&D, that pretty much solely intellectual property. But Ford has physical property, the Ranger pickup. I can't start another car company and offer a vehicle called the Ranger. But they're just suing us over the NAME. And thats it! Now what about things like, oh I don't know....
U.S. Army Rangers
Forest Rangers
Polaris Ranger
Ranger Boats
D&D character Ranger
Ranger Ink
Texas Rangers
Ranger college
Ranger Communications
Ranger boots
Ranger Rick
The list goes on and on...
Ford may have pissed me off to the point where I never buy a remotely new Ford vehicle again.
If you'd like to help (And please do), Follow the link above to Fords' e-suggestion box and mention the things like in this post, And that suing your products supporters is not the right thing to do.