Proposal for new ISO C 9x time API

[Ken Pizzini]

In tz at elsie.nci.nih.gov message <36022BE6.65EC5ED4 at renault.fr>,
Antoine Leca <Antoine.Leca at renault.fr> writes:
> > As an addendum to my earlier note, I was informed that "TIMEX" or "Timex"
> > is likely a registered trademark of a watch manufacturer.
> 
> This is clear, but I have problem to see why it may cause
> problem in the context of information technology, and furthermore
> if used as a proper noon with a non-related signification in
> a International Standard?  8-)

Well, the relationship between "Timex, a name-brand of timekeeping
devices" and "timex, the name of a structure holding timestamps"
is a little close for me, living here in the land of the lawsuit
and home of the lawyer.  Consider that Apple Computer had to
discuss their use of the name "MacIntosh" with the folk who
owned the trademark on the MacIntosh variety of apple (pomme).
(In my not-to-be-trusted memory, they wound up paying a licensing fee.)


> As an side example, Coca is the brand name under which Coke
> is know here in (Latin) Europe.  Coca also happen to be the name
> of a traditional cake made in the region of my wife.
> Should the cake shop vendors change the name of the product
> when, for legal reason, the names of the products should now
> be written (along with the price; before, all was spoken) ?  :-O

First, the "likelyhood of confusion" between a cola drink and
a cake is pretty low, and further, even if it has not been
customarily written, I suspect that you can still find adequate
documentation that the name has been in use locally for an
appreciable time before the introduction of the trademark.
There _might_ be a problem selling "coca" cakes in other
regions of (Latin) Europe, however.  (Though I suspect that
it most likely would have a lower probability of being a problem
over there than it would be here in the U.S.)


In any case, what is so advantagious about the name "timex"
that it is worth the potential for legal hassles?  Surely we
could think of some other, perhaps even more suitable, name
for this?  Some ideas:
  struct moment
  struct instant
  struct beat
  struct clock
  struct chronos
  struct tiempo
  struct heure
  ...

(From this list, I somewhat favor "chronos".)

		--Ken Pizzini