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Ok, Many fans including myself are in a hiatus over Octane being renamed as tankor. I hate that name, is it even a character? Anyway, I'm sure many of us would not mind if he was changed to Decepticon Octane, like Autobot Jazz and Ratchet. But my real question is, did hasbro lose every single right to use the name octane in the fandom, because Has would've thought of that by now?

They said in the press release that they did want to call him Octane but could not for whatever reason. But its safe to say that if they did not call him that they have a good reason. Probably they lost the rights to the actual word Octane, and can't use it in any fashion. The last time they used Octane I believe was in R.I.D and it was paired with the word Mega for Mega Octane.

Tankor by the way is a character. I believe Originally from Beastmachines. He was the reformatted and subsequently evil Rhinox in Beast Machines.

I don't see why its such a source of drama. You can call him Octane if you want. I'm sure Hasbro won't mind.

Overcracker wrote:I don't see why its such a source of drama. You can call him Octane if you want. I'm sure Hasbro won't mind.

Actually, Hasbro will send over Jimbo and Rocky and beat you to a bloody pulp if you do. They are getting serious about this kind of stuff.

Ok, Many fans including myself are in a hiatus over Octane being renamed as tankor. I hate that name, is it even a character? Anyway, I'm sure many of us would not mind if he was changed to Decepticon Octane, like Autobot Jazz and Ratchet. But my real question is, did hasbro lose every single right to use the name octane in the fandom, because Has would've thought of that by now?

Reading this brings to mind two questions.

Firstly, do you even know the meaning of the word "hiatus"?

And secondly, what's the big deal? It's obvious he's supposed to be Octane. Just call him that, like they said to call Cybertron Downshift "Wheeljack" because that's who he was supposed to be but they couldn't name him that at the time.

JazZeke wrote:Firstly, do you even know the meaning of the word "hiatus"?

Agreed.

I think it falls under the category of "names you cannot trademark because they are too broad".

For example, with modern trademark and copyright laws, I'm pretty that is the strongest reason as to why Jazz (technically a style of music) and Ratchet (a mechanics tool) cannot be claimed by one specific company. Whereas Megatron, is a creative name that doesn't apply to anything other than the Decepticon Leader.

Copyrights and trademarks have changed alot since the '80s. Remember being able to sing "Happy Birthday"?

JazZeke wrote:

Ok, Many fans including myself are in a hiatus over Octane being renamed as tankor. I hate that name, is it even a character? Anyway, I'm sure many of us would not mind if he was changed to Decepticon Octane, like Autobot Jazz and Ratchet. But my real question is, did hasbro lose every single right to use the name octane in the fandom, because Has would've thought of that by now?

Reading this brings to mind two questions.

Firstly, do you even know the meaning of the word "hiatus"?

And secondly, what's the big deal? It's obvious he's supposed to be Octane. Just call him that, like they said to call Cybertron Downshift "Wheeljack" because that's who he was supposed to be but they couldn't name him that at the time.

If you decide to come on and to say it's not a big deal, why post here in the first place?

Overcracker wrote:

JazZeke wrote:Firstly, do you even know the meaning of the word "hiatus"?

Agreed.

Of course I know what it means. The TF world is in a standstill.

Autobotic9 wrote:If you decide to come on and to say it's not a big deal, why post here in the first place?

I dunno. I got bored, felt like fraggin' me some n00bs.

Autobotic9 wrote:

Overcracker wrote:

JazZeke wrote:Firstly, do you even know the meaning of the word "hiatus"?

Agreed.

Of course I know what it means. The TF world is in a standstill.

Uh... no. No, we're not. We're going on without pause, collecting the figures, watching the shows, nothing has changed.

Alright man, nobody calls people nOObs anymore, you nubcake! You got PWN'ed by my L33T skizzles. I Roxorz my own soxorz.

Autobotic9 wrote:Alright man, nobody calls people nOObs anymore, you nubcake! You got PWN'ed by my L33T skizzles. I Roxorz my own soxorz.

Just who pwned who? You couldn't even give my last post a worthy reply.

Autobotic9 wrote:Alright man, nobody calls people nOObs anymore, you nubcake! You got PWN'ed by my L33T skizzles. I Roxorz my own soxorz.

This post is so amusing, I just HAD to quote it.

Hiatus (hahy-ey-tuhs) noun, pl. hiatuses- A break or interruption in the continuity of work, series, action, etc.

Source: Dictionary.com (and Webster's probably has something similar too)

That aside, it is a bit annoying to lose the name Octane- though Tankor is at least somewhat acceptable... some what

I like calling him Tankor. That's what I would have called him even if he was called Octane.

Down_Shift wrote:I like calling him Tankor. That's what I would have called him even if he was called Octane.

Ok, Wheeljack

You can't copyright Octane as it is a chemical structure that was named way before TF's. hasbro didn't come up with it so has no legal right to stop KO makers calling the some crappy rip-off, Octane.

parents will go out and say: "hey jimmy bob junior wanted that toy, oh what was it called Octane?, hey heres one, right next to transchanger man, hmm i don't remember him looking like a half assed (wheeljack) Mustang, but JBJ did want an Octane so i'll buy it for him, it'll make a nice present while he's in hospital. he'll be so happy after going through that terrible ordeal with the slingshot and pitchfork"

ok i got a bit sidetracked but you know what I mean

I don't mind, as in my eyes, Tankor is Octane. Even if it stands "TANKOR" on the box, I still would call him Octane.

0ctane wrote:

Down_Shift wrote:I like calling him Tankor. That's what I would have called him even if he was called Octane.

Ok, Wheeljack

Ok, so I walked right into that one. Well played Octane... Well played.

Great rant BTW.

Down_Shift wrote:

0ctane wrote:

Down_Shift wrote:I like calling him Tankor. That's what I would have called him even if he was called Octane.

Ok, Wheeljack

Ok, so I walked right into that one. Well played Octane... Well played.

Great rant BTW.

Thanks, I try

I just realised why they couldn't call him Mega Octane for release, theres already a Mega Octane in the original Universe line! came across it while searching the gallery.

http://www.seibertron.com/toys/gallery. ... =0&start=0

Cyberjet #7 wrote:I think it falls under the category of "names you cannot trademark because they are too broad".

For example, with modern trademark and copyright laws, I'm pretty that is the strongest reason as to why Jazz (technically a style of music) and Ratchet (a mechanics tool) cannot be claimed by one specific company. Whereas Megatron, is a creative name that doesn't apply to anything other than the Decepticon Leader.

Copyrights and trademarks have changed alot since the '80s. Remember being able to sing "Happy Birthday"?

Something like that...

Firstly, I know other TF-sites always say this, but Hasbro NEVER "lost" the rights to any name. They never owned them. For names like Jazz, Soundwave, Prowl, and other names that are part of the common english language, or for common lines and phrases, they need to request the rights to use them for each new product they put on the market, because they are owned by the U.S. Goverment. These names can only be given away to one party at a time within a certain catagory. For instance a toy and a kitchen utility can use the same name at the same time, two different toys cannot. So for each product released it is either the question if a third party beat them to it, or if the U.S. Goverment is willing give away the rights to use them.

This is the main reason why each American concept of Transformers starts out with Optimus Prime and Megatron, since Hasbro does own the names to these.

someone mentioned this...i didn't quote it though cause i'm too lazy...

but it is a matter of too generic of a term to be copyrighted. Very simply...if hasbro had the copyright for the word octane...then gas companies would be rather upset...

optibotimus wrote:someone mentioned this...i didn't quote it though cause i'm too lazy...

but it is a matter of too generic of a term to be copyrighted. Very simply...if hasbro had the copyright for the word octane...then gas companies would be rather upset...

It has nothing to do with being generic. It has to do that all the generic names are already owned by the U.S. Goverment. A slightly different meaning, eventhough the end result is the same.

Raymond T. wrote:

optibotimus wrote:someone mentioned this...i didn't quote it though cause i'm too lazy...

but it is a matter of too generic of a term to be copyrighted. Very simply...if hasbro had the copyright for the word octane...then gas companies would be rather upset...

It has nothing to do with being generic. It has to do that all the generic names are already owned by the U.S. Goverment. A slightly different meaning, eventhough the end result is the same.

i think it has a lot to do with generic wording of things...otherwise paris hilton could copyright the phrase "that's hot" or donald trump could copyright "you're fired"

both tried to do it and were denied because they're generic words that are up for grabs for anyone to use..but can't specifically hold a copyright to.

It's just a matter of time before someone in this conversation suggests a similarity between copyright laws and Nazi ideals....
Man I love Godwins law...

optibotimus wrote:

Raymond T. wrote:

optibotimus wrote:someone mentioned this...i didn't quote it though cause i'm too lazy...

but it is a matter of too generic of a term to be copyrighted. Very simply...if hasbro had the copyright for the word octane...then gas companies would be rather upset...

It has nothing to do with being generic. It has to do that all the generic names are already owned by the U.S. Goverment. A slightly different meaning, eventhough the end result is the same.

i think it has a lot to do with generic wording of things...otherwise paris hilton could copyright the phrase "that's hot" or donald trump could copyright "you're fired"

both tried to do it and were denied because they're generic words that are up for grabs for anyone to use..but can't specifically hold a copyright to.

Again, copyrights are NOT about owning it, but about owning the rights to use it and making sure no one else can use them while you have permission to use it.

Donald trump does officially have the rights to use the catchphrase within the television media market. But he can't own them, because they are owned by the U.S. Goverment. The story last year was that he tried to buy up all the rights on the various markets for the quote. He did, save for two. An independed company called "You're Fired inc." and he couldn't from Vince McMahon, who cornered the market of sports entertainment with the trademarked quote. In fact, that is how last years WrestleMania came about. They played up on several news articles that claimed that Vince and Donald were at each other's throats, because Vince supposedly didn't want to give up the rights to "You're Fired". Complete none sense. of course. Firstly, it is business, and it is the U.S. goverment that decides what happens to copyrighted trademarks like this. And secondly, Vince and Trump have been best friends for the last 30 years...

Yeah, but why no Decepticon Octane?