Uh Houston...We have a bogey in sector nine.

[MYX]

Link
I have been on the MAME page trying to find the link to be a snitch, but couldn't find it. Anyone know where it iis?

[vrf]

It says, "Due to legal issues, the hard drive will be erased before shipping." Doesn't that put him in the clear? (Or is it using the name MAME in the auction title that is the problem?)

[MYX]

I thought that you could say it is compatible with MAME. But the first word in the advertisement is MAME in all caps and bold type. I don't really care, I was just looking through the new stuff this morning looking for a decent coin door.

[Tiger-Heli]

I would just post about it here: http://www.mame.net/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/wwwthreads.pl?action=list&Board=mamegeneral

[Patent Doc]

MAME trademark issues aside, If he erases everything doesn't it mean he's just selling an @$$ ugly cab with a computer in it.

[MYX]

Um yeah.   

[Minwah]

MAME trademark issues aside, If he erases everything doesn't it mean he's just selling an @$$ ugly cab with a computer in it.

Yes, which is fine.

Whether he will actually wipe the hard drive is another matter tho...

[Patent Doc]

Yes, which is fine

No, I realize its fine to do it, but why on Earth would you want to buy
I agree with you he probably won't wipe the drive and is hoping to do a little avoidance of the authorities by saying he will.

[Tiger-Heli]

MAME trademark issues aside, If he erases everything doesn't it mean he's just selling an @$$ ugly cab with a computer in it.

Not according to MAMEdev.  It isn't an issue of saying "MAME arcade game" not "MAME^TM Arcade Game"

To quote http://mamedev.org/ebay.html :

1.  You cannot use the trademark "MAME" in the title of your auction, except in the context of the phrases mentioned in the next point.
2.  You may use the phrases "compatible with MAME(tm)" or "works with MAME(tm)", but you should only mention it once in your ad, and only if it is necessary to describe your product. Excessive or unwarranted use of the trademark "MAME" where it is not necessary exceeds the bounds of fair use.
3.  You must not use the trademark "MAME" in the name of your product. This only implies official endorsement and we do not endorse products.
4.  You must not use the MAME logo under any circumstances; this again implies official endorsement.
5.  You must not mislead the buyer with pictures or lists of games that do not come included with your product. Any games or pictures you use must refer to properly-licensed games that are included with the purchased product.
6.  You must not mislead the buyer by implying or stating that they can play hundreds or thousands of arcade games on the cabinet. Since there is not currently a legal way to obtain a license to hundreds or thousands of arcade games, stating this is encouraging the user to commit copyright infringement.

I think the best explanation I heard about it came from Aaron Giles himself on the www.mame.net forums, to paraphrase:

If I am selling paper cups (Dixie^TM cups), I can advertise them as:

16 oz. paper cup, made by Dixie^TM, suitable for holding Coca-Cola^TM, beer, tea, water, or any other favorite beverage . . .

but not as -

COKE^TM cup, paper COCA-COLA^TM COLA
Buy this great 16-oz cup that can hold COKE and you can refill with COCA-COLA as often as you get the urge to drink COKE or COCA-COLA.  If you really like COKE, this is this cup for you, this cup will hold 16 oz of COCA-COLA at a single refill, and can be filled again whenever you want more COKE.  So buy this great COKE COCA-COLA paper cup now while you can still get one . . . COKE, COLA, COCA-COLA.

OTOH, IANAL, but I think the rules set forth probably violate most fair-use clauses, but since E-bay doesn't care and will pull (and has pulled) auctions if MAMEdev objects, they can get away with it . . .

[ften]

Link
I have been on the MAME page trying to find the link to be a snitch, but couldn't find it. Anyone know where it iis?

I wouldn't be too concern, I don't think anyone is going to buy that god-awful looking machine. Well maybe to burn it.

-FTen

[Patent Doc]

Not according to MAMEdev.  It isn't an issue of saying "MAME arcade game" not "MAMETM Arcade Game"

I realize the TM issues that's why I said.

MAME trademark issues aside

I was trying to avoid enterring into that part of the discussion.  And since Coca-Cola and Dixie are clients, not to mention Domino's among others, I can assure you I understand the implications of trademarks and not recognizing a mark or using it illegally.

[Havok]

MAME trademark issues aside, If he erases everything doesn't it mean he's just selling an @$$ ugly cab with a computer in it.

And, a crappy computer at that...