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Acorn Computers Ltd (2006) dissolved |
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Daniel Nesbitt |
Message #112138, posted by solsburian at 18:41, 6/12/2009 |
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The 2006 incarnation of Acorn has been struck off and dissolved by the Companies House. By the looks of it they have never filed any accounts: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/eeb50386c0092215363911798bdc238f/compdetails the companies website is still running though. |
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Mark |
Message #112139, posted by Mark76 at 19:31, 6/12/2009, in reply to message #112138 |
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I can't say I'm that bothered.
There're plenty of fish in the sea when it comes to Wintel (or WinAMD) laptops.
[Edited by Mark76 at 19:32, 6/12/2009] |
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Jason Togneri |
Message #112140, posted by filecore at 19:36, 6/12/2009, in reply to message #112139 |
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They've been dead for a while; who care if the corpse starts to fall apart? |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112141, posted by trevj at 11:01, 7/12/2009, in reply to message #112138 |
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(As notified in the London Gazette on 25 August and previously on 17 February this year.) I guess their creditors must've appealed the first time or something. Anyway, I'm not sure whether owning the company name would even mean much these days... I'd actually been toying with the idea of registering it myself but haven't done so. |
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David Roberts |
Message #112143, posted by daveroberts at 15:02, 7/12/2009, in reply to message #112141 |
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I'm not sure on the finances of Acorn, however a call to companies house confirms that they owe over £4000 in fines for non reporting of accounts etc.
The difference in the Gazette, as noted by Trevor, wasn't the creditors, it was an inquiry to buy the company which stopped the striking off until the company wasn't sold.
The website is up but not used according to one of their partners.
I have spoken to them and they confirm that they are no longer interested in Acorn as their are running Apricot computers now.
The only advantage to having the limited company would be to protect the name Acorn Computers (not Acorn)name in the UK, however since a French company owns the trademark you would not be able to trade without an agreement with them. See Acornsoft on the IPO website.
The trademark is also being applied to America as well.
If someone was to startup trying to use the name they would find it expensive to say the least. (Again see Acornsoft) |
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Mark |
Message #112145, posted by Mark76 at 15:44, 7/12/2009, in reply to message #112143 |
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Acorn... Apricot...
What next? Dragon!?  |
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David Roberts |
Message #112147, posted by daveroberts at 16:04, 7/12/2009, in reply to message #112145 |
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Acorn... Apricot...
What next? Dragon!? You can always have Molyneux, Vectrex, Sonolor or half a dozen others for the right price  |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112149, posted by trevj at 16:21, 7/12/2009, in reply to message #112143 |
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Acornsoft is registered by Acornsoft Limited, which appears to be in no way linked to the original Acornsoft fondly remembered by many of us.
AFAICT Aristide & Co l'antiquaire de marques does not have Acorn registered with either the UK IPO or French INPI (despite the Phoebe pictured on their homepage)!
[Edited by trevj at 16:23, 7/12/2009] |
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David Roberts |
Message #112151, posted by daveroberts at 16:43, 7/12/2009, in reply to message #112149 |
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Acornsoft is a new company run by Jez Doughtey and is NOT the same Acornsoft we know. The trademark has not been accepted yet as it is marked Opposition outstanding (from Aristide)(Trade Mark Number 2515541)
Acorn is trademarked by Aristide (TM No. 2343001)
Not the same name but the address is. I spoke to them a while ago and they confirmed they held both the name (Acorn (Class 9,41)) and the nut logo (Class 9(TM No. 2421051)) The agent for both Trademarks is Adrien Prioux based in London. |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112153, posted by trevj at 08:14, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112151 |
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Ah - I missed the "Opposition outstanding" status. Do you know what Acornsoft's intentions are? It seems to have remained dormant since its creation. As for Aristide, the use of an agent (albeit at the same address) definitely complicates the search process. |
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David Roberts |
Message #112154, posted by daveroberts at 09:46, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112153 |
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Ah - I missed the "Opposition outstanding" status. No problem 
Do you know what Acornsoft's intentions are? It seems to have remained dormant since its creation. Last I heard they are looking to do something on the iPhone. As far as I know it is completely unrelated to any of the Acornsoft titles which went to Superior Software and another company, name escapes me at the minute, and of course the authors of any that were not picked up. Trademark was requested in May 2009 so I have no reason to doubt that he intends to use it now. Maybe just waiting for Acorn to disappear...
As for Aristide, the use of an agent (albeit at the same address) definitely complicates the search process. They use the name Data Access
57 rue d'Amsterdam, Paris 75008, France to register all the trademarks on thier site.
Does this say something about them as a company? |
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David Roberts |
Message #112157, posted by daveroberts at 18:16, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112154 |
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Well, someone's been quick.
Acorn Computers (Cambridge) Limited was registered today.
No real details yet and no name, when I checked. |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112158, posted by trevj at 19:07, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112157 |
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I'd have thought that Acorn Computers (Cambridge) Limited could have been previously registered anyway at any point with little problem.
I'm comparing here with my local newsagent (from my days as a paperboy), called Madden's (Rugby) Limited. There's also a Maddens Limited, which is registered in another town. Obviously there's an apostrophe difference but hopefully we'll never see Companies House register a name such as Acorn Computer's! |
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David Roberts |
Message #112159, posted by daveroberts at 19:13, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112158 |
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Apparently no one would be able to use Acorn Computers as the law has changed on registrations. It would not be different enough from acorn computer services etc. Companies Act 2006.
I just find it a huge coincidence that it was registered the day that the old company closes.
Don't forget Cambridge is where Acorn was formed.
Coincidence? |
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Mark |
Message #112160, posted by Mark76 at 19:34, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112159 |
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Nostalgia? |
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David Roberts |
Message #112161, posted by daveroberts at 19:36, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112160 |
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Nostalgia? |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112162, posted by trevj at 19:58, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112159 |
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IANAL but can't see specific reference in cl.66 of the Companies Act 2006 about exactly what constitutes a name difference or similarity. Wouldn't it be up to the one of the (numerous) similarly named companies to object if they wish to do so?
As for the new company, its address is just the other side of town for me, so maybe I should make contact out of curiosity!
[Edited by trevj at 19:59, 8/12/2009] |
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David Roberts |
Message #112163, posted by daveroberts at 20:37, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112162 |
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IANAL but can't see specific reference in cl.66 of the Companies Act 2006 about exactly what constitutes a name difference or similarity. Wouldn't it be up to the one of the (numerous) similarly named companies to object if they wish to do so? Not sure. I'm just going on what a friend said when he started a business. He had lots of problems getting the name he wanted.
As for the new company, its address is just the other side of town for me, so maybe I should make contact out of curiosity! Good idea.
I did a quick google on the address and there seems to be lots of companies registered there.
Worth a bit more digging. |
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David Roberts |
Message #112164, posted by daveroberts at 20:49, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112163 |
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Looks like the address is a hired registered office.
It belongs to Duport Associates and has at least 12 other companies using the same address.
Website is http://www.duport.co.uk/ |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112165, posted by trevj at 21:21, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112164 |
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Hmmm. Their 'reserve a company name' service (a snip at £65 p.a.) is marketed to those "thinking of starting a business in the future and want to ensure that [their] company name doesn’t get taken by somebody else". If, however, the principal intention of registration is to seek money or prevent others from registering the name (where it is one in which reputation or goodwill had been previously acquired), I understand that one could lodge an objection on grounds of opportunistic registration.
Anyway, no one AFAIK is about to begin designing/making RISC OS computers... but I s'pose the Acorn name may at least attract some press attention for anyone doing so. |
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Mark |
Message #112166, posted by Mark76 at 22:27, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112165 |
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That'd be the weirdest comeback of the century if it happened. |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112167, posted by trevj at 23:03, 8/12/2009, in reply to message #112166 |
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Not quite as weird as if we ever saw C5s again! |
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Jason Togneri |
Message #112168, posted by filecore at 08:09, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112158 |
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I'm comparing here with my local newsagent (from my days as a paperboy), called Madden's (Rugby) Limited. There's also a Maddens Limited, which is registered in another town. Obviously there's an apostrophe difference but hopefully we'll never see Companies House register a name such as Acorn Computer's! Umm... no. "Computer's" would clearly be a mis-spelled version of "Computers" and invalid. Your original example, however, is just coincidentally close - it really has little to do with the fact of their being an apostrophe. Madden and Maddens are clearly different names - the latter is not simple a plural of the former. It's like Smith vs. Smithe, Smythe, Smitt, etc. Nobody would argue that anybody was trying to copy a similar trade name for the purposes of poaching business if these were genuinely the names of those involved. However, if Mr Madden opened "Madden's", and Mr Johnstone opened "Maddens'" nearby, and in a similar line of business, that would be a clear violation. These things are usually taken on a case-by-case basis. |
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Trevor Johnson |
Message #112171, posted by trevj at 09:38, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112168 |
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OK, apologies for digressing a little regarding apostrophes.
But consider Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited (est.1908) and Advanced Technologies Limited (est.1995). (Admittedly, this was before the 2006 act was around... but perhaps someone else has the time/inclination to search for comparable examples of new incorporation or name change, since implementation of the act on 1 October 2009.)
[Edited by trevj at 09:39, 9/12/2009] |
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Mark |
Message #112172, posted by Mark76 at 10:21, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112171 |
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I wonder if this is the real world equivalent of cybersquatting? i.e. Someone has registered the name just to stop it being used (for whatever reason or purpose).
I mean... Can you really imagine there's anyone out there who's rich (and mad) enough to actually want to revive the Acorn Risc line? |
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David Roberts |
Message #112173, posted by daveroberts at 10:34, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112171 |
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I spoke with someone at Duport today, and they confirm that a client did ask them to open the company yesterday, although they wouldn't give me anymore information about them.
I did ask about whether you could use Acorn Computers name and they confirmed that it would not be possible because it is to simular to another company. They wouldn't say which one. But it is to do with the companies act and would not have been inplace when Acorn 2006 started. |
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David Roberts |
Message #112175, posted by daveroberts at 18:37, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112173 |
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There's now a site.
http://acorncomputers.info
Someone or somepeople from the community. |
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Mark |
Message #112176, posted by Mark76 at 19:02, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112175 |
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I can't believe how similar the Acorn (Cambridge) and Acorn (Mansfield, iirc) logos are.
This new lot are certainly ambitious  |
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Peter Howkins |
Message #112177, posted by flibble at 19:08, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112175 |
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There's now a site.
http://acorncomputers.info
Someone or somepeople from the community. Perhaps, but they've got the logo wrong, the second one is Acorn (the one we know) from the late 90's.
The Acorn from 2006 had this logo
http://acorncomputers.co.uk/images/Acorn-Logo.gif |
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Eric Rucker |
Message #112181, posted by bhtooefr at 20:48, 9/12/2009, in reply to message #112176 |
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The 2006-2009 Acorn licensed the original Acorn (including logo) trademark from the current owners of the trademarks, though. So, they're allowed to be that similar.
Here's the registrations:
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/domestic?domesticnum=2343001
http://www.ipo.gov.uk/domestic?domesticnum=2421051 |
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