@stevenroose @dachary @forgefriends

xkcd.com/386/ but:

No, this is totally not how it works. There is literally no protection against anybody from registering an unprotected 'word' as a trademark, outside of the restrictions that apply to them in general (not descriptive etc.). Which is why you will see not only corps but large non-profits registering and defending their marks quite vigorously.