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From: hal@slovax.WA.COM (hal)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.iso
Subject: Re: OSI Registration
Message-ID: <101@slovax.WA.COM>
Date: 20 Feb 90 21:34:47 GMT
Organization: R & D Associates, Fort Lewis, WA
Lines: 28

To add to Joey DeWiele's confusion about string-name registration of
corporate names, ...

(I happen to be a member of the Oregon State Bar, but the following applies
to most other US states, and quite possibly Canadian provinces, Australian
states, ...)
"Registration" of a corporate name is done at the state government level.
A given corporation (your example of Western Union) that does business in
many/all states, will register that name in each state.  If it only does
business in, say Oregon (example is one I incorporated, Hippo Hardware and
Trading Co.), it is only registered in that one state.  Another group of
individuals may legally use that name for a totally unrelated business in
another state, regardless of whether the subject matter of the business is
similar or not.

If we look to registering corporate names on a basis larger than the state
level (as we obviously mean to do, given the international flavo[u]r of
the c.p.iso community), we could well run into conflicting uses of these
string-names.

What I'm suggesting here is that we cannot expect the local laws to iron
this one out.  My backround in international law leads me to believe that
I'd rather solve this one as a software engineer than as a lawyer -- better
chance of success.  Unfortunately, I don't have a viable alternative (yet).

Any ideas?
Hal Miller
hal@slovax.wa.com