snipped-for-privacy@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
>> Regards the use of the term 'spam' for unwanted email, my impression
>> has always been that Hormel treats it like a joke.
> No, they have a policy these days, in summary, the word 'spam' has
> been added to the English vocabulary, while 'Spam' is still a
> registered trademark, and is to be used only in reference to their
> (Hormel AFAIK) product.
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: All well and good, but how does one
> pronounce an upper case /S/ differently than a lower case /s/ in order
> to avoid violating any trademarks? Perhaps in verbalizing it we
> could refer to 'upper Spam' and 'lower spam' but somehow I think
> that would be even more confusing; it would make it come out
> sounding like a country in Asia or something. PAT]
Context, are we talking food or email? Or use more words ("Hormel Spam", "Spam luncheon meat", etc) in cases where there could be doubt.
How about using "Spam the ham"?
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Then how would we deal with Spam King? Does it refer to an experienced and effective spammer, or to some fancy variation on the meat used in luncheon sandwhiches? PAT]