[throwaway420]

Insofar as FiftyThree is merely making a polite request as a matter of professional courtesy rather than threatening legal action, then I don't think your criticism applies. They didn't get nasty about it, they didn't cite some bizarre legal arguments where they claimed to forever own the word Paper. They just made a cordial request. I think that's entirely reasonable and makes them come across very good in this situation.

[pron]

Making a cordial request about it to Facebook is one thing; publicizing it (probably in an effort to shame Facebook) is another.

[throwaway420]

There's a very real possibility that FiftyThree is going to get impacted in all kinds of searches because of this. I don't begrudge them for taking advantage of a marketing opportunity that will get written about in the media that they'd be fools to not take advantage of. Their business could conceivably be on the line.

You're certainly free to disagree or feel all the sympathy you want to for Facebook here, but I don't think most people would see it the same way.

[qq66]

These are the risks of choosing a product name that is one of the most common items in the world. The benefits are familiarity and comfort; the risk is that anyone can start using it.

[madoublet]

It could also have a positive effect by increasing the overall search volume for that term.

[officemonkey]

>shame Facebook

If only. The entire post is to (a) differentiate their Paper from the FB Paper and (b) make an effort to protect what little trademark they have.

They're making it public so everyone can know "We exist, we were here first, please don't let FB steamroll us."

If they didn't do this, in six months FB lawyers would send a cease-and-desist telling them to stop using Facebook's trademark "Paper."

If they make enough stink they can maintain their brand. If they don't, then the 800-lbs Facebook gorilla will take away their brand identity.

[morganvachon]

>If they make enough stink they can maintain their brand.

This is it exactly. Copyright and trademark are not the same thing, but many people confuse them. You have it right: With trademark the burden is on FiftyThree to defend it. The fact that they are doing that so politely makes me like them more.

[Touche]

I disagree. They're trying to shame others into giving in to them owning the word "paper".

[Sparkky]

I'm pretty sure they are just trying to ride this publicity gravy train as long and as hard as they can.

Look at all the publicity, they are on Reddit, news sites, twitter, HN... I've never heard of them until today, and I imagine I'm, not alone.

[coldtea]

That's cute.

So, when a big gorilla company uses the name of your well known (and with your use it already known to them) application / webpage that you've worked for years on, I wish you a good luck "trying to ride this publicity gravy train".

[hluska]

When a big company decides to use your name, your options are very limited. You can try to take the fight legal (and face the big company's entire legal team plus the distraction of suing a behemoth). Or, you can turn their massive publicity machine against them and set yourself up as an underdog.

The media loves David v. Goliath stories and being cast as David could have profound marketing opportunities for 53. Kudos to 53 for having the sense to handle this gracefully.

[xerophtye]

Eh? They have been on Hn several times before you know. Several blogs too. Don't you remember their other Product? The Pencil?

[antr]

"a polite request" in the public... i think not

[huangc10]

seems more like a "I'm about to go apeshit on your ass" blogpost. Understandable though.