Question: "M*glite" vs "Maglite"?

Why are Maglites commonly referred to as "M*glites" on CPF? Thanks.

I've often wondered the same thing... I just left it down to some form of copy right thing :nana:

From retailers, it's probably a trademark dodge. Otherwise when I see something like that done to a company name (letter replacement, euphemism), it's usually as a form of contempt.

I don't know... I tend use proper nouns anyway even for companies or organizations I don't like.

Same. Only I posted a thread that got closed. This one will probably follow down that path too.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/228704

Try searching.

There have been several threads on the topic. What I got out of it is that Maglite can be kinda sensitive about how you use their trademark.

That and some people like to do it out of contempt. I don't really see why, since other than using mostly old tech, they are consistently reliable lights, when used as intended.

Part of it is indeed as a sign of disrespect to a certain company's owner who thinks that he invented every single new flashlight innovation, even the ones that haven't been created yet. As such, some feel he's a bit too sue-happy when it comes to protecting ideas that he claims were his, originally.

Personally, I don't give a crap. Other than as shells (or hosts) for better electronics, lamps, and battery configurations; Maglite is old news. I've had a 3D model that literally fell apart in my hands after nothing more than being kept in my car for 3 years. Had a mini-Mag fall apart in my hands, and had another one that never should have even snuck by Q.C.

The light above my desk is a stock 2D inca. Maglite. Why? All of the lights I keep scattered in my apartment are cheap beaters.

It's usually disrespect/a mockery of Mag's lawsuits. I just call them Mag most of the time as I'm lazy lol.

Why do people keep using the LEGO copyright name?

greenlight said:

Why do people keep using the LEGO copyright name?

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Cause the folks at LEGO are too nice to sue us.

greenlight said:

Why do people keep using the LEGO copyright name?

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There's no better fate for a company than having its brand name sneak into everyday language. Such as: I had to put some band-aid on the nasty paper cut I got when I xeroxed those copies. When I get home, I'll play flashlight lego.

I'm sure maglite inc wouldn't mind us talking about maglightning the dark basement. Probably not going to happen anytime soon.


As to the OP question, I think the abundance of aftermarket accessories play a vital role. If you make some unauthorized upgrade to a maglite you can't use the maglite company name to sell your product - you'll get sued. Instead, you write stuff such as m*glite. Of course, m*glite upgrades are immensively popular within the CPF crowd...

jankj said:

There's no better fate for a company than having its brand name sneak into everyday language. Such as: I had to put some band-aid on the nasty paper cut I got when I xeroxed those copies. When I get home, I'll play flashlight lego.

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Ask Johnson & Johnson, Xerox and Lego how they feel about that.

Many companies (notably, the three aforementioned) have waged long P.R. campaigns to keep their trademarks from becoming generic terms for a class of items/product or verbs describing the use of them. Once a trademark is deemed generic, it can be difficult to legally enforce it some countries - especially the US.

I suspect Lego would object to our use of the term, but they're probably not aware of it, and I doubt there's anything they can do about it at this point.

jankj said:

As to the OP question, I think the abundance of aftermarket accessories play a vital role. If you make some unauthorized upgrade to a maglite you can't use the maglite company name to sell your product - you'll get sued. Instead, you write stuff such as m*glite. Of course, m*glite upgrades are immensively popular within the CPF crowd...

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^ this is the answer... because CPF (and similar flashlight enthusiast sites) push the envelope so to speak modders & aftermarket suppliers have to avoid using the Maglite name in their product description, just look at the detail in the disclaimer on Blackbearflashlights.com


The result of which is the broad usage of the incorrect spelling (call it leet speak if you will), I personally don't use it as a derogatory snipe at Mag Instruments Inc.

gswitter said:

Ask Johnson & Johnson, Xerox and Lego how they feel about that.

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I did, They said they needed a Kleenex.

Why use M@glite?

I see it all the time here...... M@aglite.
At first I thought maybe people were trying to skirt around some rules by typing something technically different but effectually the same (like cr@p) as if typing Maglite would violate some sort of trademark rule or brand-bias or something.

Why does nobody type Suref!re instead of Surefire?

Seriously. Why do "shift 2" when a simple "a" will do?

Enlighten me?

Re: Why use M@glite?

The problem is simple. People selling LEDs to fit a Maglite call them "Maglite LED Upgrades" and this makes it sound as though the company, Maglite, is selling them. What they should write instead is "We are selling an LED upgrade module for your Magite flashlight." This way there is no confusion as to the company that is making the upgrade.

aehaas

That is understandable from a sales perspective, but I was referring to those merely talking about (not selling) their Mags often type M@gs.

Just one of those things I notice and wonder "why?"

I've always wondered why they are called "Mag" lights anyway, when they're made of Aluminium same as any other light.

Now if they actually were made of Magnesium - that would be useful. Nice and light, and if the batteries run out you could just set fire to one end - OK, the runtime wouldn't be up to much but it'd be incredibly bright, even if only for a short while !

Moonshadow said:

I've always wondered why they are called "Mag" lights anyway, when they're made of Aluminium same as any other light.

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It's because the founders name is Anthony Maglica. So from that viewpoint it makes perfectly sense.

Moonshadow said:

Now if they actually were made of Magnesium - that would be useful. Nice and light, and if the batteries run out you could just set fire to one end - OK, the runtime wouldn't be up to much but it'd be incredibly bright, even if only for a short while !

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To set a solid item of magnesium on fire something violent is required. However shave fine grains of it with a knife etc. Now you can set that on fire and if you've made enough you might be able to set the flashlight itself on fire. Essentially becoming a flashlight in more than one way :candle:

In basements, outside at night, urban exploring etc. I usually prefer doing some fenixing. Have done some MTEing but that was before I discovered Fenix

ImGeo said:

Why are Maglites commonly referred to as "M*glites" on CPF? Thanks.

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Think of it as when your watching a budget tv show and they put a piece of black tape over a cars front grill emblem, everyone knows what kind of car it is but they just dont show it in fear of having to pay royalities.

Well its kinda like that :thumbsup:

mrartillery said:

Think of it as when your watching a budget tv show and they put a piece of black tape over a cars front grill emblem, everyone knows what kind of car it is but they just dont show it in fear of having to pay royalities.

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Really?? I've always thought it was because they didn't want to do any unintentional advertising for that brand they've not been payed for.

But then where I live I believe neither way is a problem. Either you just use whatever you like/have handy or you're payed to use a special product - product placement. Anonymizing things is just so :thumbsdow. Paying royalties to M*g for using their flashlight on TV what a world They wouldn't get away with that here I'm almost almost sure.