Dan Warne25 January 2007, 5:03 AM
If Microsoft wants to make a deal with us to put information about their new operating system up on the site, we'd love to speak to them, says Vista Windows' Paul Imola.
Remember Tiger Direct, which sued Apple over Tiger, claiming loss of business to its website? Or Mac OS X "Jaguar" which couldn't be marketed as Jaguar in some countries because Ford owned the trademark?
How about Intel trying to sue alternative processor manufacturers for selling their versions of the "386" and losing the court battle, with the court advising that numbers couldn't be trademarked? (This was in fact the genesis of the Pentium brand.)
Trademark battles have raged in the tech industry seemingly since the dawn of time.
But Microsoft Australia says it has no problem with Sydney company Vista Windows Pty Ltd, which registered its business name in 1999.
Spokesperson Cathy Jamieson said, "[It's] definitely not an issue as these folk are manufacturers of View Windows and that's exactly what "Vista Windows" means."
"If they were a software company, it would be a different story."
Vista Windows spokesman Paul Imola said traffic on the company's website had gone from around 500 hits a week to 7,000 hits a week.
"We’re in the building game – we manufacture aluminium windows and doors and get a decent amount of traffic through the website, but people don’t buy windows off the website," he said.
"If Microsoft wants to make a deal with us to put information about their new operating system up on the site, we'd love to speak to them," he said hopefully.
"They’re welcome to buy the website off us for a small margin – let Microsoft know. I'll give APC a commission," he offered.
Imola even said he would be happy to give Bill Gates a discount if he was after some new aluminium window frames for his riverside mansion.
"I reckon I could definitely work something out to be honest," he said.
Imola said Vista Windows would certainly be upgrading to the new Microsoft's next-gen OS at some point in the future.
"I think we need to progress like everyone else. These days in business you need to be on top of your IT – we rely very heavily on them."
However, Imola admitted it could get confusing if he had to ring an IT company and say "It’s Paul from Vista Windows ringing about our Windows Vista."
Meanwhile, Microsoft has nothing to fear from Vista Corporation, which according to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission is under administration and being wound up.
But there could be significant confusion with Westmead, NSW company, Macroshaft. The company doesn't have a website, but no doubt it manufacturers parts for very large machines.
There's no suggestion it is related to the similarly named US company Microshaft.