Park Bench Software has fallen afoul of CBS over the former’s Star Trek inspired diagnostic application, DiagnosticPADD, which uses an interface lifted from the PADD device used by the crew members of the USS Enterprise NCC 1701-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
It’s worth noting that while Park Bench Software never cites Star Trek in the app or the app description, it appears that CBS is well within its rights here to force the removal of DiagnosticPADD from the App Store. After all, they own the trademark on PADD, and the applications’ interface is clearly modeled after the LCARS computer interface, which CBS has a copyright for.
That said, it’s rather sad that CBS decided to go the C&D route here when they could have just had a conversation with Park Bench Software and licensed them to release an officially sanctioned Star Trek version of DiagnosticPADD. Surely that would have been a better version for everyone: CBS, Park Bench and the fans.
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
