http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=203100004
Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) has filed a trademark infringement suit against a California dentist who has registered more than 40 Internet domains with names similar to the software maker’s products or brands. The domains registered by Dr. Saed Said are “identical or confusingly similar” to Microsoft’s trademarks, the company claims in court papers filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California. The domain names registered by Said include aMicrosoftShop.com, aMicrosoftStore.com, XboxOutlet.info, and XboxMarket.mobi.
***FS*** I predict a price increase at this dentist office and(or) extended hours soon. In my view these are just terrible domain names, they would get no natural traffic.. They aren’t typos and many folks like this dentist gent truly don’t understand the line of acceptibility relating to trademark style domain names. I’ve met Microsoft’s IP counsel and he struck me as a pretty fair, decent guy.. so if they’re going after this dentist, there must be more to the story, resistance to reason, a patern of intentional abuse or something more to have Microsoft go to court over it..
Longtime readers of this blog will know my view that Microsoft’s policy of taking over trademark intent search strings and unresolving domains in it’s browser do not help our space, because it highlights an incredibly hypocritical double-standard relating to what is correct and acceptable behavior. Forbidding cybersquatters from registering domain names like aMicrosoftShop.com while permiting Microsoft to take over aGoogleshop.xom, .dom or .cpm in its browser is just not reasoned or balanced.. It’s bad form and glares of unfairness.. I am not condoning cybersquatting, but would be a much bigger Microsoft supporter if they stopped stealing obvious domain extension mistypes in their browser’s address-bar while attacking those who they view as stealing from it. A little fairness balance and equity goes a long way to building good-will. Esp. since this inequity is so bold faced, glaring obvious.. (insert your adjective here) to any fair minded person.
Well, here you go…. Let’s take our dentist. Some helpful reader of this blog with a default Internet Explorer configuration should see what happens at:
DrSaedSaidCaliforniaDentist.com
No surprise there – it resolves to MSN Live Search, and Microsoft makes money when some hypothetical someone types in that domain name.
So, in MS’ view, it’s fine for them to make a buck off of the dentist’s name, but not the other way around.
Something is not in balance here.
Can’t trademark holders sue Microsoft for “.xom” trademark infringements? Since Microsoft doesn’t actually own these domain names what would be the grounds? Perhaps “intent to capitilize on another company’s trademark?”
Mircosoft needs to be taught a lesson because they are the biggest hippocrites around.
-Mike
Interesting comments on a related topic from the Open DNS CEO:
Original comments here: http://venturebeat.com/2007/11/27/sendori-monetizing-domain-names/#comment-653368
I found it to be hypocritical that he criticizes PPC domain parking but his own typo correction error search is OK.
I encourage you all to read those comments, especially where he implies that in the future some service will offer blocking for parked pages.
“People use us (opendns) because they have a choice — people don’t have a choice (right now) with domain parking.” — Dave Ulevitch
I take that to mean OpenDNS will offer the ability to block parking web sites soon. That makes me uncomfortable because I do not want someone deciding for me that a page does not have enough content to be considered “real”.
Hi John,
“That makes me uncomfortable because I do not want someone deciding for me that a page does not have enough content to be considered “real”.”
___
You mean like Google?…lol
Peace!
Dan
Yesterday I noticed this computer store who also has their site running on http://www.facebook.ca
There must be a TM on that domain no?
Rather late, Frank, but you’ll love this would-have-been reply from one namepros member:
http://www.namepros.com/industry-news/396678-microsoft-sues-dentist-for-cybersquatting.html#post2334498
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