Re: Pretty nasty
"Are VIDs and PIDs and so forth legally protected? By statute, in the way that Trademarks are?"
Yes. The contract for the vendor ID requires a USB-IF trademark license agreement. The USB logos are trademarked. If a company does not have a VID, then they also do not have a license to use any USB logo. Any device with a fake chip that is using a USB logo is then in violation of trademark laws in any country in which USB-IF has a trademark. At this point, that is just about anywhere they are sold. Conclusion: if it has a fake chip and uses a trademarked USB logo, then it is contraband, Such a contraband device is not protected in any way, In fact it is subject to confiscation..
Biting the hand that feeds IT
