Gibson delivers his terse verdict, “Autodesk is not the street,” at Art Futura 1990 in Barcelona.
AUTODESK TRADEMARKED CYBERSPACE, GIBSON OBJECTED, GULICHEN TRAP LEGEND
*Autodesk filed a trademark for the term “cyberspace” in the late 1980s. *William Gibson publicly objected, sparking a rumor that he tried to trademark “Eric Gullichsen.” *The rumor was a prank by Timothy Leary that grew into accepted lore.
In 1989 the Autodesk Research Lab built a rudimentary virtual‑reality system on a 386, two Matrox cards, a VPL EyePhone, a Polhemus tracker and a data glove. The rig pushed six to ten frames per second on models with a few hundred polygons. The team’s motto, “Reality Isn’t Enough Any More,” reflected a push toward a product that would later become the subject of a trademark filing. Timothy Leary, met at Hackers 2.0 in 1986, nicknamed the lab “Cyberia” and championed Gibson’s 1984 novel Neuromancer as prophetic.
When Autodesk applied to register the word “cyberspace,” Leary warned Gibson of the move. Gibson’s lawyers replied with a formal letter that Autodesk ignored. The dispute lingered in the tech underground, fed by a prank that would become myth. A year later, at Art Futura 1990 in Barcelona, Gibson met the Autodesk team and delivered a terse verdict: “Autodesk is not the street.”
What sparked Autodesk’s cyberspace trademark?
Autodesk’s VR effort began after a visit to Scott Fisher at NASA Ames. The lab assembled a 386‑based system with Matrox graphics, a VPL EyePhone, Polhemus tracker and data glove, achieving six to ten frames per second on a few hundred polygons. The project carried the motto “Reality Isn’t Enough Any More.” Timothy Leary, a frequent visitor, dubbed the lab “Cyberia” and praised Gibson’s Neuromancer as prescient. As the prototype edged toward a commercial product, Autodesk filed a trademark application for the term “cyberspace.” The filing was a direct response to the growing cultural weight of the word in emerging digital discourse.
How did William Gibson react to the trademark?
Gibson learned of Autodesk’s filing through Leary, who told him the author was “plenty miffed.” Gibson’s legal team sent Autodesk a letter demanding the trademark be withdrawn. The letter quoted Gibson’s own maxim, “The street finds its own use for things,” in a conciliatory yet pointed tone. Autodesk ignored the correspondence, and the trademark proceeded. Gibson later summed up his view in a brief comment to the author: “Autodesk is not the street.” The exchange cemented Gibson’s public objection without any further legal escalation.
Where did the Eric Gullichsen myth originate?
Timothy Leary, known for pranks, circulated a rumor that Gibson was attempting to trademark “Eric Gullichsen” as retaliation. The story spread when Barlow embellished it, and Rudy Rucker amplified it further. No evidence of a filing exists; the rumor remained a joke that gained traction in hacker circles. The author of the source story confirms that the “Eric Gullichsen” trademark was never pursued by Gibson, and that the tale persisted only because of Leary’s initial prank and subsequent embellishments.
What happened at Art Futura 1990 in Barcelona?
After leaving Autodesk for his own startup, Sense8 Corporation, the author attended the inaugural Art Futura 1990. In the lobby of a Barcelona hotel, he met Gibson. Over cava and late‑night tapas, Gibson delivered a laconic verdict: “Autodesk is not the street.” The meeting closed the chapter for the parties involved, and the conversation moved on to a visit to Gaudí’s Park Güell, whose ceramic lizard appears in Gibson’s Count Zero. The Art Futura encounter marked the final public exchange on the trademark dispute.
Frequently asked questions
Did Autodesk actually trademark the word cyberspace?
Yes. Autodesk applied to register the trademark “cyberspace” while developing its early virtual‑reality system.
Did William Gibson try to trademark Eric Gullichsen?
No. The claim that Gibson attempted to trademark “Eric Gullichsen” was a prank by Timothy Leary that spread through rumors.
What did Gibson say about Autodesk’s trademark at Art Futura 1990?
Gibson told the Autodesk team, “Autodesk is not the street,” during their meeting at the inaugural Art Futura 1990 in Barcelona.
The Autodesk trademark filing and Gibson’s objection remain a footnote in early internet lore, but the false “Eric Gullichsen” story illustrates how a prank can become accepted history. The episode underscores the tension between corporate branding and the cultural ownership claimed by the digital underground. As new terms emerge, the street will continue to test the limits of legal claims, reminding companies that trademark power does not guarantee cultural legitimacy.
Sources: Hacker News (https://colo.to/cyberspace.html)