Brown vs. Startup Over a Sandwich 119
An anonymous reader writes "Crunchbutton, founded by Yale grads, is trying to replicate the success of its one-button food delivery service in and around Brown University. The controversy began when the startup delivered a popular Brown sandwich called the 'Spicy With' to students. Brown's lawyers sent Crunchbutton a cease and desist letter, demanding that the company remove any associations with the university or its name. The startup says it has complied with the demands, yet Brown has not backed off, and it expects to be served with a lawsuit. This tale illustrates the perils of encouraging entrepreneurship while protecting the interests of a big educational institution."
Nothing to report (Score:4, Insightful)
That being said, I don't see why they need to focus on campuses at all, except it's a good market for delivery & cell phone usage. There is no need for a lawsuit and they already stopped delivering food associated to Brown.
Which part has the university's name (Score:0, Insightful)
The business is called Crunchbutton. The sandwich is called "Spicy With".
How does any of that suggest Brown University?
Re:ooookay? (Score:4, Insightful)
What I'd like to know is what the hell is on the sandwich?
Not everyone is from Yale and Brown, whoever wrote the summary and article.
Re:ooookay? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Super Critical Details Are Super Effective (Score:4, Insightful)
"infringe" on what?
App was making it easy for people to order a sandwich from Brown's cafeteria. Somehow Brown thought that was offensive and something to be stopped.
App makers respond by making it easy for people to order a similar sandwich from a different restaurant not run by Brown University. University goes apoplectic, presumably offended that the app maker didn't go out of business immediately.
Re:The decline and fall of the American Empire (Score:4, Insightful)
ordering food is one of those things that's much, much better done with a machine than with a phone.
first off, phone takes much more time. not only that, but it takes two persons time leading to one person at the sandwich place practically having to do phone duty. and since he has to do some sort of data input from mumblings of callers with bad lines, it's error prone. it's much, much simpler if the guy ordering the stuff does the data input into textual form that prints out on a slip for the cook. even simpler if he pays up front too(no joke orders).
whenever I order kebab, I do it online. much simpler for everyone involved - all the kebab/pizza places here have staff that have moved in from elsewhere - try explaining valkosipuli and jauhelihakastike to them over phone.
it's not as much about laziness as it is about getting what you actually want!