Microsoft: We didn't 'forget' Azure trademark

Company maintains it filed trademark application on Friday

By Gregg Keizer

October 28, 2008 12:00 PM ET

Comments

Microsoft's Azure

Computerworld - Microsoft Corp. late Monday denied it had neglected to register "Windows Azure," the name of its new cloud computing platform, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

According to a spokeswoman, Microsoft submitted a trademark application for Azure last Friday.

Earlier Monday, Ray Ozzie, the company's chief software architect, unveiled Windows Azure, a cloud computing version of its operating system. Azure, which will compete with Amazon.com Inc.'s Elastic Compute Cloud, targets developers who create online services and software.

Searches on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database run throughout Monday failed to find either "Windows Azure" or "Azure Services Platform" as registered trademarks. Microsoft used both names to describe its software and services technology.

The spokeswoman laid the blame on the agency. "I can tell you that it is absolutely not correct that Microsoft 'forgot' to register the trademark," she said in an e-mail. "It is up to the Patent Office to update its database, but you will see it listed there shortly, if not already."

Searches on the Patent Office database done at 11 p.m. EDT Monday, however, continued to come up empty.

Comment Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Jump to comments

Microsoft

Additional Resources

Xerox

Win a color printer!

By using solid ink technology only from Xerox, you could save up to 65% by printing color for the cost of black and white. Enter for a chance to WIN a PhaserTM 8860 network color printer!

Microsoft

Upgrade to Internet Explorer 8 today.

Save time and mitigate security risk. Deploy it now.

Sybase

NEXT-GENERATION MOBILITY PLATFORMS

In this white paper, IDC analyzes the role of next-generation mobile enterprise platforms as organizations seek a more strategic deployment of mobile solutions.

Learn the important issues you must consider before starting your next mobility initiative. Get your mobility white paper from IDC now, compliments of Sybase.

What People Are Saying

5 comments | Add new

See all comments (5) | Add new

White Papers & Webcasts

e-Book: The Shortcut Guide to Business Security Measures Using SSL
This 45-page e-Book gives you the tools you need to detect security vulnerabilities, build an information security strategy, and plan your investment in...