Shorthand Guide to Using the Windows NT Trademark of Microsoft Corporation

Updated: May 1, 1996

1. Our Marks Are Important

Microsoft Corporation's trademarks and service marks are valuable corporate assets. This guide will assist you in the proper use of the Microsoft® Windows NT® trademark.

2. Product Names

Without a specific trademark license from Microsoft, Microsoft's marks may never be incorporated as part of the name of a product or service of another company. You may not include Windows, Windows NT, NT, or any potentially confusing variation, in the name of your product. This same rule applies to other Microsoft marks, such as Microsoft®, which should never be included in your product name or company name.

3. Packaging and Advertising

The compatibility of an application (or program) with the Windows NT operating system may be noted on packaging, collateral material, or advertising (but not included in the product name) by using phrases such as "for use with," "compatible with," or "for" the Windows NT operating system. On all such materials your product name must appear more prominently than the Windows NT mark, and the Windows NT mark should be visually distinguished from your product name by putting it in a different font, or color, or on a different line. This is important to avoid any implication that your product is produced, endorsed, or supported by Microsoft.

Here are some examples:

Do Say:

XYZ for the Windows NT® operating system

Do Not Say:

XYZ Windows NT

Windows NT XYZ

NT XYZ

XYZ NT

Correctly referencing the Windows NT mark means doing all of the following:

Using the symbol "®" with our mark Windows NT and with Microsoft. The symbols should be placed next to the last letter of the mark, at the upper right or at the base line. In advertising copy, the symbol should be used at the first or most prominent mention.
Placing the generic product name, "the descriptor," immediately after the mark. The descriptor for the Windows NT operating system is "operating system."
Including the following notice(s) on such material: "Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation."

4. Always Use Our Trademarks as Proper Adjectives

Trademarks identify a company's goods or services. A trademark is a proper adjective that modifies the generic name of a product or service. Microsoft is our house mark to identify all products and services that originate from us. Our Windows NT mark identifies our operating system.

Examples:

Proper Adjective	Generic Name or Description
Microsoft®	software
Windows NT®	operating system

5. Do Not Combine the Trademarks with an Improper Generic Name

Windows NT is the mark we use to identify our operating system. Applications (programs) designed to run on the Windows NT operating system are not "Windows NT applications," but rather "applications for the Windows NT operating system."

Examples:

Do Say:	Application(s) for the Windows NT® operating system Windows NT®–based application(s)
Do Not Say:	Windows NT® application(s) or NT application(s)

Do Say:	user of the Windows NT® operating system
Do Not Say:	Windows NT® user

6. Do Not Use Our Trademarks in the Possessive or Plural Form

Examples:

Do Say:	Scalable fonts in Windows NT®
Do Not Say:	Windows NT's scalable fonts

Do Say:	The company ordered two copies of Windows NT®.
Do Not Say:	The company ordered two Windows NTs.

7. Do Not Abbreviate or Create Acronyms

Our marks should not be abbreviated.

Examples:

Do Not Say:	Win NT
	WNT (for Windows NT)

8. Company Names

Microsoft marks may never be incorporated in your company name, whether a corporate name or d/b/a.

Examples:

Do Not Say:	Windows NT, Inc.
	XYZ Windows NT Company

9. Internet (or Web) Site Names

Follow the guidelines outlined above when using the names Windows NT and Microsoft on your Internet site. Internet sites may use a term such as "about Windows NT®" in the title of their sites; however, the site's title should not begin with either Windows or Microsoft. Do not use Windows, Windows NT, or Microsoft in your Internet domain name.

10. The Flag Logo

The flag logo of Microsoft is a valuable symbol for our Windows NT operating system and related products. The flag logo may never be used without a license from Microsoft. For details regarding licensing criteria for the flag logo for use with products that are "Ready to Run" or are compatible with the Windows NT operating system, OEMs, ISVs, and IHVs are invited to contact:

Systems Marketing
Windows Logo Department
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399
Fax: (425) 936-7329

11. The Windows "Start" Logo

The Windows Start logo (also known as the "Start Button") is a trademark of Microsoft and is reserved for use by Microsoft only. Do not use the Windows Start logo or any modifications of the Windows Start logo in your communications.