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Was Tesla Ripped Off?


thebes

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So this is pretty typical. Tesla Motors , the consensus goes, did not rip off Nikola Tesla.

 

See here:

 

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/did-elon-musk-obtain-permission-to-use-the-name-tesla-i-wonder.52101/

 

Quite frankly it seems spurious to me.  He had his own company in 1890's and one presume the lawyers did the normal copyright things, which I believe lasts 99 years.  If the company survived into the early 20th Century that would probably extend his protection past the 2003 founding of Tesla Motors.

Don't know, not a copyright lawyer. Still. Seems to me that it's just another corporate rip off, in  this case by a scab labor motor company.  If it's a homage to his genius I don't see the connection.

 

But then again, I just finished watching the movie Spinal Tap. I do believe the band in the movie is a rip off of AC/DC, which could be construed as a ripoff of Tesla and Edison.

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21 minutes ago, JJkizak said:

I don't think you can copyright a common name. Perhaps you should check your spelling of the name Tesla.

JJK

Oops! I am always transposing letters when I type. I'll correct it.

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7 minutes ago, Marvel said:

I like Elon Musk... he thinks way outside the box, and has a wonderful sense of humor.

I have no real opinion about some California tech billionaire.  Hard to knock their successes and they do think outside the box.  Until it comes to reaping profits that is, when they all think like the robber barons of old,  but that's another story.  Apparently the company already had it's (imo spurious) name before he invested in it.

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22 minutes ago, ellisr63 said:

Monster seems to think they can as they have sued any mom and pop business for using the word "Monster". Personally I think you should not be able to copyright a word.

Then there are company's that have copyrighted "Apple" .  I wonder if anybody has copyrighted  "Air" or "Water" or "Food" yet?

 

I mean Tesla is not common and does anybody really believe it's named after anybody but Tesla?  Cheez you should have the rights to your own name. I think I'll copyright "Thebes" just in case. Do you think that town in Greece will complain? Aw, who cares, they are far away and probably can't read.

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3 hours ago, Wolfbane said:

IMHO; Nicola Tesla, the real Tesla, was ripped off both by Westinghouse and by Marconi. Westinghouse over the royalties on VAC and Marconi by accepting credit as the 'inventor' of radio.

 

Wb

 

The guy who puts it together and makes it work is usually the hero.

JJK

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