When is it appropriate to use company logos?

[8086]

If someone designs a product that uses a component from company X, and then they produce some documentation for the product, is it okay to include the logo for company X on the front page footer of the documentation, along with any others that produce components that have been used in the design?

I imagine you may need some kind of partnership with a company for you to be able to use their logo on your documentation, or a copyright issue if you don't have anything whatsoever to do with the company, etc.

If anyone has a definite answer I would love to know, cheers.

[EEVblog]

It's simple, legally you can't, unless you have got their permission.
Whether or not they actually care is another matter entirely.

Dave.

[8086]

As I suspected. Thanks Dave. 

Happy New Year by the way.

[gxti]

You have to be careful not to use logos in a context where their use could be mistaken as an endorsement of your product. But using a company's logo and/or trademark strictly to identify the company and their products is generally acceptable.

[Jon Chandler]

If you mention trademarked terms, you should mention whose trademark it is.  Otherwise (and perhaps even still), you may get a nasty-gram from the trademark owner.  This is especially true for words that may be slipping into generic usage.