Trademarks
Novell Trademark Guidelines
Logos and Trade Dress
Trademarks perform four essential functions meriting their vigilant protection:
- Trademarks identify and distinguish goods from those sold by others.
- Trademarks signify that goods bearing the same trademark originate from the same source.
- Trademarks show consumers that all goods bearing the same trademark are of the same quality level.
- Trademarks are an instrument for the promotion and sales of goods.
Essentially, trademarks represent the good will and reputation of a company.
The links below provide more important information as well as examples of "right" and "wrong" usage of Novell trademarks:
Why Protect Trademarks?
Novell is known for its high quality computer software throughout the world. Novell trademarks are worth millions of dollars as they are representatives of the Novell standard of excellence.
A trademark becomes a generic term when it identifies a type of product instead of a brand of product. This often occurs when the public treats a trademark as the name of a product, instead of a name of a particular brand of product. The words "trampoline," "kerosene," "escalator," and "cellophane" are examples of trademarked product names that have become generic terms. Interestingly, the word "Internet" is a trademarked term, but one that is well on the way to becoming generic.
All trademarks, including registered trademarks, could become generic terms if used improperly over time. Once lost, the trademark cannot be recovered. Trademark owners are solely responsible for keeping their trademarks from becoming generic terms.
Trademark Guidelines
An appropriate trademark notice (®, ™, SM, CM, or CLM) must be placed adjacent to the first and most prominent reference to the trademark.
Never use a trademark in the possessive.
Wrong:
NetWare's features give you the winning edge.
Right:
NetWare® software features give you the winning edge.
Never use a trademark in the plural.
Wrong:
Corporate information officers are choosing NetWare's for multiple platforms.
Right:
Corporate information officers choose NetWare® programs for multiple platforms.
Never use a trademark as a verb.
Wrong:
A reseller will help you NetWare your LAN.
Right:
Use NetWare® software to connect your LAN.
Never include a trademarked term in a hyphenated phrase.
Wrong:
The Yes logo indicates that a product is NetWare - compatible.
Right:
The Yes logo indicates that a product is compatible with NetWare® software.
Capitalize trademarks as they appear in the trademark database. Be especially aware of unusual capitalization, as in the following examples:
SnAppShot
NetWare
GroupWise
ZENworks
Do not abbreviate a trademarked term unless the abbreviation is also a trademarked term.
For example, you can use:
NLM™ software for NetWare® Loadable Module™ software because both terms are trademarked.
However, you cannot use:
NMA software for NetWare® Management Agent™ software because NMA is not a Novell trademarked term.
In figures and tables you can abbreviate long trademark names if the full name is too long to fit. However, you must add a footnote or a note directly below the figure or table containing the complete trademark name at the first occurrence of the abbreviation. The note must contain an explanation similar to the following:
NetWare® Management Agent is a trademark of Novell, Inc. The abbreviation "NMA" is not a Novell trademark but is used here due to space constraints.
Attribution Guidelines
Trademark notices can be set in any typeface that is compatible with the surrounding text and in any point size, as long as it is legible.
For an unregistered trademark or service mark, set the trademark (TM or SM) notice as a superscript character and put it immediately following the trademark. Do not add a space between the trademark and the notice. For example:
NET2000™ network interface board
Certified Novell Engineer(sm) designees
For a registered trademark or service mark, set the trademark (®) notice as a subscript character and put it immediately following the trademark. Do not add a space between the trademark and the notice. For example:
NetWare® network software
GroupWise(R) collaboration software
Trade Name Guidelines
Use of a term that is both a trademark and a trade name, such as "Novell," is not subject to general trademark usage rules when the term is being used as a trade name rather than a trademark, and trademark notices are not used. For example, it is permissible to use "Novell" in the possessive if it is clearly being used as a trade name rather than as a trademark, as in "Novell's software products."
In all other instances, or when it is not clear that a trademark is being used as a trade name, the general trademark rules apply. For example, "Novell Press" is a trademark that must be followed by proper trademark notice (™).