Me: Hmmm, suppose google did become a commonly used verb that meant "to search online."

Red Headed Ba*d: I'd say that has already happened.

I'm not convinced that it has happened yet. I think that it has become a commonly used verb that means "to Google(tm) search online." I'm not sure that it has crossed the line to mean a generic online search. I may be splitting hairs, but I think it is an important hair. Because I don't think that reasonable people would expect a button labeled "search online" to invoke a Google(tm) search.

Cory: Right, A use that creates consumer confusion is infringing.

My difficulty here is that once it becomes a generic verb, I think that the consumer is already confused. Is contributing to confusion the same as creating confusion?