Apple Settles TIBCO Suit, Renames Rendezvous

Though details have not been made public, sources say the companies have settled their trademark dispute and that Apple may change the name of its implementation of the ZeroConf wireless network discovery technology to OpenTalk as part of the deal.

Apple Computer has settled a trademark dispute with TIBCO Software, sources told eWEEK.com. There have been reports that Apple will rename its implementation of the ZeroConf wireless network discovery technology from Rendezvous to OpenTalk as part of the deal, but sources suggested that no new name has been set. A representative of TIBCO Software Inc., based in Palo Alto, Calif., told eWEEK.com that the suit had been "amicably resolved" but declined to comment further. An Apple Computer Inc. representative declined to comment. Details of the agreement have not been made public. TIBCO, an enterprise application integrator, filed a complaint in August 2003 in the District Court of the Northern District of California, claiming that Apples use of the Rendezvous name infringed on TIBCOs mark. The suit also claimed that Apples intent was to trade on TIBCOs good will. For insights on the Mac in the enterprise, check out eWEEK.com Executive Editor Matthew Rothenbergs Weblog. TIBCO claimed that it had been using the Rendezvous name since 1994 for the messaging system foundation for its ActiveEnterprise line of e-business infrastructure products. Apple introduced its Rendezvous technology, which offers automatic IP discovery over wired and wireless networks, in 2002. Apple filed a new trademark application July 8 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the OpenTalk name. The description of the OpenTalk mark includes the phrase "computer software for the automatic configuration of computer networks." Check out eWEEK.coms Macintosh Center at http://macintosh.eweek.com for the latest news, reviews and analysis about Apple in the enterprise.

Be sure to add our eWEEK.com Macintosh news feed to your RSS newsreader or My Yahoo page