A very sad situation

[xwingband]

Exactly. He's only gotten them to agree to that because it's a settlement.

If they went to court High-tech could still sell "lightsabers" under the "laser sword" idea but they'd be sued to the next century based solely on the trademark issue. So the $250,000 is essential a bargain for being as stupid as they were.

[Angelus Lupus]

Unless GL uses the fact that sabers have been refered to as "laser swords" by some characters to nix that idea too

[Eruialsul]

On the other hand though, even if "lightsaber" is trademarked it's practically a hose-hold term, calling something a lightsaber could theoretically be defended under fair use, but that would take a good lawyer. Though that doesn't help at all with selling unlicensed prop replicas.

[Marsupial]

The sword seemed at first glance a simple long rapier of metal. But he found that when his grip tightened on the hilt it pressed a catch which released a terrific force stored in the hilt into the blade, making it shine with light. When anything was touched by this shining blade, he found, the force of the blade annihilated it instantly. He learned that the weapon was called a lightsword...

Kaldar, Planet of Antares by Edmond Hamilton, 1933 (Weird Tales magazine, reprinted in paperback 1965)

[Firebird21]

The sword seemed at first glance a simple long rapier of metal. But he found that when his grip tightened on the hilt it pressed a catch which released a terrific force stored in the hilt into the blade, making it shine with light. When anything was touched by this shining blade, he found, the force of the blade annihilated it instantly. He learned that the weapon was called a lightsword...

Kaldar, Planet of Antares by Edmond Hamilton, 1933 (Weird Tales magazine, reprinted in paperback 1965)

The Lightsaber is a copy... Who'd a thunk...

[Eruialsul]

Not surprising, considering how much the original Star Wars copied other things, like the Red Badge of Courage and The Hidden Fortress.

What was that saying again? "There's nothing new under the sun."

[Ryma Mara]

He barrowed things from the wizard of oz and kurasowia(sp) films, he was steapted in film lore.

Taken from the beginning of my SE vhs tapes from carry fisher

[Eruialsul]

First of all, "borrowed" and "steeped." Second, "Kurosawa," as in Akira Kurosawa, writer, director, and producer of The Hidden Fortress.

It's interesting how so many stories are borrowed from bits and pieces of others. What's more interesting is how many of them turn out either really good, like Star Wars or The Lord of the Rings, or really bad like a few thousand that I could name if I knew their names--but of course, I don't know their names because they were so bad they've all been forgotten.

[Marsupial]

Being imaginative isn't only about being able to make something new, but to give a good twist to existing concepts.


Look at the guy who invented sliced bread. He didn't invent bread. He didn't invent slicing. He still invented something fabulous: sliced bread. Its the application of a known concept to a known product, but with the good twist.


GL might not have invented most of what was used to make star wars, but he sure did a great job mixing everything together, and got the proper people to realise that story.

Now... using concepts and ideas is one thing, using a copyrighted or trademarked item/concept/word is another. If you're to sell a lighted stick in a handle, fine. But you cannot sell a lightsaber without paying royalties to the trademark owner of it.

[elrond.406]

Look at the guy who invented sliced bread. He didn't invent bread. He didn't invent slicing. He still invented something fabulous: sliced bread. Its the application of a known concept to a known product, but with the good twist.