Re: [videoblogging] Re: Hey everybody - not a positive email, about domain squatters
not to mention that if you do let one expire real people who would use the domain likely cant get them as they are scooped up automatically by the registrars themselves or through a deal with a 3rd party company. i let some domains slip recently i was procrastinating and wasnt motivated to renew them fundavlog.com being one of them :( would be nice if all expired domains had to hit the open market again for a certain amount of time before they are taken by these mega domain holding companies. anyone want feedfight.com ;) it expires this month. sull On 7/11/07, randulo [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 7/10/07, Stephanie Bryant [EMAIL PROTECTED] mortaine%40gmail.com wrote: I do a videoblog for an IP lawyer. He says it's about $350 to file the paperwork, and about $2000 to get the attorney to do the legwork/trademark search, which is needed before you file. Only you can decide if it's worth it to you. This is exactly why it's a reasonable idea to protect at least the domain names through reserving them rather than hoping the courts will protect you. Remember that there are further complications regarding ip even after filing successfully. It can still be overturned (even years later) by prior use and you are forced to defend you registered trademark if someone tries to use it. Unless you have the financial backing, people like us can't do much with trademarks other than spend money. OTH, domain names are cheap and though it still pisses me off that one is forced to reserve useless names (it's like extortion) that's the cheapest most efficient tactic to protect your internet name. It's totally reasonable as long as your great idea is a single word. Unfortunately, if you have something like vlogsRus and you want ironclad protection for this idea that will soon be the hottest thing since Google, you'd need to reserve: vlogs-r-us.* vlogsrus.* vlogs-r.us vlogsr.us and probably vlogs-r-us.* (etc) Even if that amounts to say 20 names, it's still very cheap (maybe $150 for all 20) and nowadays you can point them all free to your first choice vlogsRus.com (or whatever). The small cost that came when the monopoly of NetSol was ended (entry was $70 per domain) has made it totally cheap to register all kinds of names and squat them. A pox on domain name squatters. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [videoblogging] Re: Hey everybody - not a positive email, about domain squatters
On 7/11/07, Michael Sullivan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: not to mention that if you do let one expire real people who would use the domain likely cant get them as they are scooped up automatically by the registrars themselves or through a deal with a 3rd party company. Yeah, this is totally irritating. Right after expiration, you see Tucows logo or some such. Make sure you keep your contacts up to date (email valid) because most all registrars will send a reminder.
[videoblogging] Re: Hey everybody - not a positive email, about domain squatters
It could be done on a much bigger scale than someone reading this list. Maybe some people are targetting all blogspot addresses for example, monitoring all new account names and getting the equivalent url's. On a seperate but vaguely related note, one of the reasons so many web 2 companies have strange names, is that they want short .com url's and nearly all combinations of real words that arent too long, are long since taken. Im guilty of buying a dozen or so domain names over the years and then not doing what I planned with them, although Ive never bought a name based on what anybody else is doing. I still feel guilty that I am wasting these domains, but then again I still foolishly hope I will use them one day, and nobody has ever contacted me to ask if any of them are for sale. I had the domain name reali.tv for some years, did wonder if it was a saleable name at one point but never tried, just let it lapse in the end. Ive a slight concern with the domain name I care most about at the moment, carbondown.com. Ive not done enough with the site but I still have big dreams for it. Ive just learnt that the Australian government have called their scheme to help small medium sized businesses reduce their carbon footprint the same name, carbon down. I dont mind them using it, I just hope they dont mind me having the .com, it might appear as though Ive squatted the domain after they announced their carbondown project, but I was first. Does this mean I should really be taking out a trademark here in the UK? Is this where the discussion of rights to domains leads? Should all people building a 'brand' via a website, vlog, show etc, be trademarking their name to cover themselves? Probably yes, but its dull oldworld stuff that involves cost and lawyers and having to get the right classification, and other things thich arent usually at the forefront of the minds of people who wanna do this stuff? Cheers Steve Elbows --- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com, Rupert [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I don't like to do this, and I'm not even particularly fired up, but I think it needs to be said. Somebody bought up Twittervlog.com in May - and Twittervlog.net - and Twittervlog.org - anonymously, of course. This was a while after I started Twittervlog at Twittervlog.blogspot.com They correctly predicted that one day I'd want to move to my own domain. In fact, I thought I'd bought Twittervlog.com, but something went wrong with the transaction, and then I forgot to do it again. And then this person pounced. Happily, I much prefer to be at Twittervlog.tv - so it's worked out OK. Oh, except for when my non-tech friends and family get confused and just type in Twittervlog.com and get a Godaddy advertising holding page. I thought MAYBE it was someone who knew my site, or maybe it was just someone random who was buying up domains that began with Twitter - twitterblog, twitterpodcast, etc - but I didn't look into it. Twitter's not my trademark, after all... So anyway, I just typed in the URL of another vlog on this list - and guess what: the same Godaddy page came up. Turns out I'd got the real domain one letter wrong (it was spelt funnily on purpose), so I've gone there now. But the lookalike domain was taken by someone else. Now, I could be wrong, but it occurs to me that there might be someone reading this list who's buying up the domain names of the blogs he or she sees here. Perhaps in the hope that we'll try to buy them back. Perhaps to try and get advertising dollars from those people who enter the domain wrong. Perhaps because they're addicted to a sort of domain-buying goldrush mentality, and they have some money to burn in speculation. If that's the case, then whatever the reason, I think it's shitty behaviour - and it makes me sad. Whoever you are, if you're reading this... you're probably smiling and sneering. I don't really care. I don't expect to appeal to your better nature. But what you're doing is pretty distasteful, and you're probably a pretty unsuccessful and unhappy person. Does this really make you any more successful or happy - or does it just give a short, cheap thrill? Next time you're on Godaddy, stealing someone else's ideas and identity, stop yourself for a second- and then go and spend that money on a session of therapy. Or buy yourself a treat. Rupert http://twittervlog.tv/
[videoblogging] Re: Hey everybody - not a positive email, about domain squatters
Domain names is a big business. There are a handful of companies that this is their only business, in fact. It is basically treated like real estate. Someone has bought meefedia.com, meefeedia.com, mefedia.com (i wouldn't suggest going to any of these unless you like pop-ups and pop-unders). Here is a article about the recent boom: http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/06/24/domain-sellers-party-like-its- 1999/ I'd suggest anyone that has a vlog to trademark their names immediately. Anyone know of any good resources to do this easily and cheaply? Regards, -Frank --- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com, Steve Watkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It could be done on a much bigger scale than someone reading this list. Maybe some people are targetting all blogspot addresses for example, monitoring all new account names and getting the equivalent url's. On a seperate but vaguely related note, one of the reasons so many web 2 companies have strange names, is that they want short .com url's and nearly all combinations of real words that arent too long, are long since taken. Im guilty of buying a dozen or so domain names over the years and then not doing what I planned with them, although Ive never bought a name based on what anybody else is doing. I still feel guilty that I am wasting these domains, but then again I still foolishly hope I will use them one day, and nobody has ever contacted me to ask if any of them are for sale. I had the domain name reali.tv for some years, did wonder if it was a saleable name at one point but never tried, just let it lapse in the end. Ive a slight concern with the domain name I care most about at the moment, carbondown.com. Ive not done enough with the site but I still have big dreams for it. Ive just learnt that the Australian government have called their scheme to help small medium sized businesses reduce their carbon footprint the same name, carbon down. I dont mind them using it, I just hope they dont mind me having the .com, it might appear as though Ive squatted the domain after they announced their carbondown project, but I was first. Does this mean I should really be taking out a trademark here in the UK? Is this where the discussion of rights to domains leads? Should all people building a 'brand' via a website, vlog, show etc, be trademarking their name to cover themselves? Probably yes, but its dull oldworld stuff that involves cost and lawyers and having to get the right classification, and other things thich arent usually at the forefront of the minds of people who wanna do this stuff? Cheers Steve Elbows --- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com, Rupert rupert@ wrote: I don't like to do this, and I'm not even particularly fired up, but I think it needs to be said. Somebody bought up Twittervlog.com in May - and Twittervlog.net - and Twittervlog.org - anonymously, of course. This was a while after I started Twittervlog at Twittervlog.blogspot.com They correctly predicted that one day I'd want to move to my own domain. In fact, I thought I'd bought Twittervlog.com, but something went wrong with the transaction, and then I forgot to do it again. And then this person pounced. Happily, I much prefer to be at Twittervlog.tv - so it's worked out OK. Oh, except for when my non-tech friends and family get confused and just type in Twittervlog.com and get a Godaddy advertising holding page. I thought MAYBE it was someone who knew my site, or maybe it was just someone random who was buying up domains that began with Twitter - twitterblog, twitterpodcast, etc - but I didn't look into it. Twitter's not my trademark, after all... So anyway, I just typed in the URL of another vlog on this list - and guess what: the same Godaddy page came up. Turns out I'd got the real domain one letter wrong (it was spelt funnily on purpose), so I've gone there now. But the lookalike domain was taken by someone else. Now, I could be wrong, but it occurs to me that there might be someone reading this list who's buying up the domain names of the blogs he or she sees here. Perhaps in the hope that we'll try to buy them back. Perhaps to try and get advertising dollars from those people who enter the domain wrong. Perhaps because they're addicted to a sort of domain-buying goldrush mentality, and they have some money to burn in speculation. If that's the case, then whatever the reason, I think it's shitty behaviour - and it makes me sad. Whoever you are, if you're reading this... you're probably smiling and sneering. I don't really care. I don't expect to appeal to your better nature. But what you're doing is pretty distasteful, and you're probably a pretty unsuccessful and unhappy person. Does this really make you any more successful or happy - or does it
Re: [videoblogging] Re: Hey everybody - not a positive email, about domain squatters
Trademarking is an interesting topic that hasn't been discussed here very much. Has anyone trademarked their vlog name? And yes... other than registering your alternative domains early .net, .org and mispellings alike trademarking is the only other defense. Peace, -Mike On 7/10/07, Frank Sinton [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Domain names is a big business. There are a handful of companies that this is their only business, in fact. It is basically treated like real estate. Someone has bought meefedia.com, meefeedia.com, mefedia.com (i wouldn't suggest going to any of these unless you like pop-ups and pop-unders). Here is a article about the recent boom: http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/06/24/domain-sellers-party-like-its- 1999/ I'd suggest anyone that has a vlog to trademark their names immediately. Anyone know of any good resources to do this easily and cheaply? Regards, -Frank --- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com, Steve Watkins [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It could be done on a much bigger scale than someone reading this list. Maybe some people are targetting all blogspot addresses for example, monitoring all new account names and getting the equivalent url's. On a seperate but vaguely related note, one of the reasons so many web 2 companies have strange names, is that they want short .com url's and nearly all combinations of real words that arent too long, are long since taken. Im guilty of buying a dozen or so domain names over the years and then not doing what I planned with them, although Ive never bought a name based on what anybody else is doing. I still feel guilty that I am wasting these domains, but then again I still foolishly hope I will use them one day, and nobody has ever contacted me to ask if any of them are for sale. I had the domain name reali.tv for some years, did wonder if it was a saleable name at one point but never tried, just let it lapse in the end. Ive a slight concern with the domain name I care most about at the moment, carbondown.com. Ive not done enough with the site but I still have big dreams for it. Ive just learnt that the Australian government have called their scheme to help small medium sized businesses reduce their carbon footprint the same name, carbon down. I dont mind them using it, I just hope they dont mind me having the .com, it might appear as though Ive squatted the domain after they announced their carbondown project, but I was first. Does this mean I should really be taking out a trademark here in the UK? Is this where the discussion of rights to domains leads? Should all people building a 'brand' via a website, vlog, show etc, be trademarking their name to cover themselves? Probably yes, but its dull oldworld stuff that involves cost and lawyers and having to get the right classification, and other things thich arent usually at the forefront of the minds of people who wanna do this stuff? Cheers Steve Elbows --- In videoblogging@yahoogroups.com, Rupert rupert@ wrote: I don't like to do this, and I'm not even particularly fired up, but I think it needs to be said. Somebody bought up Twittervlog.com in May - and Twittervlog.net - and Twittervlog.org - anonymously, of course. This was a while after I started Twittervlog at Twittervlog.blogspot.com They correctly predicted that one day I'd want to move to my own domain. In fact, I thought I'd bought Twittervlog.com, but something went wrong with the transaction, and then I forgot to do it again. And then this person pounced. Happily, I much prefer to be at Twittervlog.tv - so it's worked out OK. Oh, except for when my non-tech friends and family get confused and just type in Twittervlog.com and get a Godaddy advertising holding page. I thought MAYBE it was someone who knew my site, or maybe it was just someone random who was buying up domains that began with Twitter - twitterblog, twitterpodcast, etc - but I didn't look into it. Twitter's not my trademark, after all... So anyway, I just typed in the URL of another vlog on this list - and guess what: the same Godaddy page came up. Turns out I'd got the real domain one letter wrong (it was spelt funnily on purpose), so I've gone there now. But the lookalike domain was taken by someone else. Now, I could be wrong, but it occurs to me that there might be someone reading this list who's buying up the domain names of the blogs he or she sees here. Perhaps in the hope that we'll try to buy them back. Perhaps to try and get advertising dollars from those people who enter the domain wrong. Perhaps because they're addicted to a sort of domain-buying goldrush mentality, and they have some money to burn in speculation. If that's the case, then whatever the reason, I think it's shitty behaviour - and it makes me
Re: [videoblogging] Re: Hey everybody - not a positive email, about domain squatters
On 7/10/07, Frank Sinton [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I'd suggest anyone that has a vlog to trademark their names immediately. Anyone know of any good resources to do this easily and cheaply? I do a videoblog for an IP lawyer. He says it's about $350 to file the paperwork, and about $2000 to get the attorney to do the legwork/trademark search, which is needed before you file. Only you can decide if it's worth it to you. --Stephanie -- Stephanie Bryant Author, Videoblogging for Dummies [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.mortaine.com/ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [videoblogging] Re: Hey everybody - not a positive email, about domain squatters
On 7/10/07, Stephanie Bryant [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I do a videoblog for an IP lawyer. He says it's about $350 to file the paperwork, and about $2000 to get the attorney to do the legwork/trademark search, which is needed before you file. Only you can decide if it's worth it to you. This is exactly why it's a reasonable idea to protect at least the domain names through reserving them rather than hoping the courts will protect you. Remember that there are further complications regarding ip even after filing successfully. It can still be overturned (even years later) by prior use and you are forced to defend you registered trademark if someone tries to use it. Unless you have the financial backing, people like us can't do much with trademarks other than spend money. OTH, domain names are cheap and though it still pisses me off that one is forced to reserve useless names (it's like extortion) that's the cheapest most efficient tactic to protect your internet name. It's totally reasonable as long as your great idea is a single word. Unfortunately, if you have something like vlogsRus and you want ironclad protection for this idea that will soon be the hottest thing since Google, you'd need to reserve: vlogs-r-us.* vlogsrus.* vlogs-r.us vlogsr.us and probably vlogs-r-us.* (etc) Even if that amounts to say 20 names, it's still very cheap (maybe $150 for all 20) and nowadays you can point them all free to your first choice vlogsRus.com (or whatever). The small cost that came when the monopoly of NetSol was ended (entry was $70 per domain) has made it totally cheap to register all kinds of names and squat them. A pox on domain name squatters.
