Essentially speaking, they're trying to figure out what to do about "abandonware". I doubt it'll have anything to do with a definite time limit, but more to the point whether or not a company has ceased to exist.
As we learned with Amiga Inc's trials and tribulations, it's up to the owner of the trademarks to defend their own trademarks, so I doubt if a company is really dead, that anyone would contest any abuses.
If this isn't a hoax (haven't even looked), then the USPTO is simply asking for public opinion on the matter of abandonware so that they can better figure out what everyone wants to do about it. I see them at least asking us as a good thing.
Besides.... Who knows abandonware better than Amigans? :-)
Wayne
