Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/1999/03/05/intel_puts_legal_screws/

Intel puts legal screws on Ugeek

Chipzilla's legal department trundles into inappropriate action -- again

By Mike Magee

Posted in On-Prem, 5th March 1999 11:09 GMT

Updated Our friends at Ugeek have had a letter from Intel's lawyers telling them to cease and desist from using a "Geek Inside" logo on their Web site. Ugeek.com received a fax from lawyers Arnold White & Durkee of Menlo Park, CA, saying it has 10 days to sign and return a letter promising not to use the image any more. According to the fax, Ugeek " . . . provides technical specifications for Intel's processors and chipsets and allows your customers to shop for Intel processors at your website! All of this is likely to mislead consumers into believing that your website is somehow related to or affiliated with Intel or that Intel endorses or sponsors UGEEK's activities. Thus, consumer confusion is likely." But Ugeek does not sell chips, which it makes clear in its Processor Specs FAQ in the first paragraph. This is not the first time Intel has applied its legal hammer to crack a nut. Other Web sites, including The Register, Happy Cat, Tom's Hardware Page, and Robert Collins x86.org have also heard from m'learned friends in the past. Will Intel ever learn that if it is not to be viewed as hostile and defensive, it must cease and desist from behaving like Chipzilla? The chaps at U-Geek point out, quite rightly, that lots of other examples of the logo are around, and show examples. Our favourites on their site are Satan Inside and Evil Inside. We saw the latter on tee shirts in Palm Springs last week... Perhaps Intel's legal department should be called Stupid Inside. ® Intel Developer Forum coverage