The United States Patent and Trade Office Rejected Microsoft's 1990

question 51

Multiple Choice

The United States Patent and Trade Office rejected Microsoft's 1990 effort to gain exclusive rights to the name Windows. This decision illustrates the fact that

• A) copyright protection has its limits.
• B) design patents do not cover computer software applications.
• C) trade dress will not cover the "look and feel" of a product, as Microsoft claimed.
• D) common-law rights do not always justify trademark protection over a generic term.

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Definitions:

Large-Scale Institutions

Broad systems or organizations in society that influence the structure and functioning of social life, such as government, education and religious institutions.

Individual Interactions

The exchanges and communication between people, which can influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Sociological Approach

A method of studying society that focuses on understanding social structures, patterns, and relationships from a systematic and critical perspective.

Culture Shock

A feeling of disorientation and discomfort that one may experience when exposed to a foreign culture or social environment for the first time.