Just a "heads up"...on orchidariums

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by cb977

Great minds, my friend

of course!

[JohnEDove]

I just signed up because of this subject, someone brought it to the attention of the membership of another forum I am on. I can't grow much that is more complicated than corn but it irks me to no end when I see stuff like this going on.
It is my understanding that you cannot legally copyright a word or name someone else has already used and with a simple search of Amazon Books for anything with the word Orchidarium I found 3 publications pre-dating 1995 that use that word that most certainly refer to a container or building for growing exotic plants.


South America's National Parks: A Visitor's Guide by William C. Leitch (Paperback - Oct 1990)
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Excerpt - page 118: "... Many of the plants are labeled, and an orchidarium brings to easy view many flowers not ordinarily seen in ..."


The Lizard's Tail (Masks) by Luisa Valenzuela (Paperback - Jul 1, 1991)
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Excerpt - page 164: "... enjoy his home, where they tell me he has an orchidarium, ..."


Global Biodiversity: Status of the Earth's Living Resources by World Conservation Monitoring Centre (Hardcover - Jul 1992)
17 Used & new from $2.00

Excerpt - page 554: "... 1,000 India Orchid Research and Development, Arunachal Pradesh 400 National Orchidarium and Experimental Garden, ..."

Hope ya'll will forgive my invading your site.

[cb977]

Hope ya'll will forgive my invading your site.

Hello John

We always welcome new folks around here...I hope you stay to check out the community.

Per the research and link I posted above, they have indeed trademarked, not copyrighted the name Orchidarium! I also had a hard time believing it but I was able to access the actual legal document.

What this all means...I don't know!

I do know that those of us who have "tanks" or terrariums or vivariums or wardian cases should refer to them using a word other than orchidarium just so that Marty and our community receive no negative backlash from whatever happens with the legalities.

On a brighter note, I do hope you'll stay around and check out Orchidboard...we've got some really great folks here. Everybody is very friendly, generous with their knowledge and experiences and respectful of one another.

If you need help with anything, please feel free to ask

[WhiteRabbit]

thanks for chiming in on the issue!
I suppose one could 'trademark' the word - but might have a hard time challenging usage that isn't pertaining to naming of another product for commercial sale
tho I don't know too much about such things

I think sue is right - to be safe proly should use another word so the board doesn't get into trouble - tho it irks me lol

[snow]

i have a wonderfull african violet blooming in myplantarium.

[ronaldhanko]

Very interesting discussion. I've never referred to my set-up in any other way than as a "plant case," but find it a bit humorous that these people are trying to protect their use of the word. I found over 13,000 references on the web and if they are going to try to protect the word they're going to spend the rest of their lives doing so. I also find it a bit irritating that they are claiming exclusive right to word that has been used, if I am not mistaken, back to the 19th century.

[ronaldhanko]

A question: If it is determined that this name cannot be used does that mean that every such reference on the Orchid Board has to be removed? A search will show that there are 500 posts using this word.

[cb977]

Originally Posted by ronaldhanko

A question: If it is determined that this name cannot be used does that mean that every such reference on the Orchid Board has to be removed? A search will show that there are 500 posts using this word.

I also found NUMEROUS uses of the word on the web LOL

My thinking is that we wouldn't try to change every time it has been used here in the past but now that we have been made aware of it, we should make the effort to replace that word with another...

except, of course, Becca and Dana, who have actual Orchidariums
(I know there are others but can't think of them...sorry)

I like snow's new one: plantarium!

[gixrj18]

I think it's kind of ridiculous. If you don't want people to use the word, then it should at least be an original word....that you came up with! Not a commonly used term that you payed a little money to borrow!

[cb977]

I agree...and am astounded that the folks who approved this one didn't do a little research before approving it!



I also think it's kind of silly for Riverside to go through the process of becoming a member here just to contact Ross...and not even make the effort to become involved in a forum that directly coincides with his business!

I love this one too:

We have invested many years and efforts to establish the name

They must be like 200 years old! The word was "established" a very long time ago

Another