Are These People So Ignorant of Trademark Laws or Just Full Of It?

[katherine]

In real life a computer store selling copies of counterfeit software would be raided by police and bsa, and shut down overnight. It would certainly not be considered a "professional" outfit.
How can selling (or parking) TM domains reflect "professional" business conduct from the domaining community ?
What kind of industry is this ?
Let's face it: we cannot condone cybersquatting in one form or another and complain about the bad rep at the same time.

 

[Dale Hubbard]

Don has the argument for various reasons as he has stated. Well, I stated 'culpability' and he stated 'capitalism'. That's it in two, not one.

If these behemoths are so 'TM freaked' then they should employ some of the many outfits that do IP protection, instead of bleating to the registrant. The registrars should stand publicly accountable.

Mind you, there are many ways to skin cats. I have e xide.co.uk - check where it lands. That 'favour' is worth £500 one day.

Heh

 

[Dave Zan]

Maybe the registrars are similarly culpable for selling 'blatant TMs' to you in the first place.

You mean registrars allowing you to register blatant TM domain names?

 

[Dale Hubbard]

You mean registrars allowing you to register blatant TM domain names?

Hole in one.

 

[Focus]

that business...that's capitalism... that's America!

I literally teared up with pride when I read this line....I feel like a broken record here and have touched on this subject so many times...once more:

OWNING A TM DOMAIN & USING IT TO MAKE MONEY IS A CIVIL MATTER AND NOT A CRIMINAL ACT.

To compare tm domains and their sale, etc to counterfeit anything or even being unethical for that matter is ignorant circular logic...it is what it is..domain traffic being used for marketing online..and what keeps Yahoo and Google in the profits...as well as Microsoft..it's a big can of worms..wiggly ones. If you don't like TM domains and you don't like making money, then you know what not to do..if you like to be a hater and worry about how other people are making money and screw up their business and income stream then maybe someday soon someone will some looking for you since they can't pay their bills and feed their children anymore and you can sleep well at night knowing that big business owns you and your mind, along with ALL the money.

 

[Peachesbackwards]

While It's Not a Criminal matter and I'm more amused more then anything else as to me its one big pyramid scheme of hot potato with someone eventually going to pay the price at least for something totally blatant, this forum is enabling the practice. I always wanted to use that word! I personally think that it should be treated a bit like cigarettes here, a warning should be posted by the seller that buying this domain could lead to civil litigation against you. That's my biggest beef. These people are selling this stuff without mentioning that. Not that I blame them. Why should they if its not required. On the other hand, its hard to feel sorry for someone who can afford to buy those domains at prices stated here.

 

[Dale Hubbard]

While It's Not a Criminal matter and I'm more amused more then anything else as to me its one big pyramid scheme of hot potato with someone eventually going to pay the price at least for something totally blatant, this forum is enabling the practice. I always wanted to use that word! I personally think that it should be treated a bit like cigarettes here, a warning should be posted by the seller that buying this domain could lead to civil litigation against you. That's my biggest beef. These people are selling this stuff without mentioning that. Not that I blame them. Why should they if its not required. On the other hand, its hard to feel sorry for someone who can afford to buy those domains at prices stated here.

What a crock. Anyway, "practice" as a verb is "practise". In the USA they just use "practise' only for the noun and verb. Worry about that instead of TMs.

 

[katherine]

...
I personally think that it should be treated a bit like cigarettes here, a warning should be posted by the seller that buying this domain could lead to civil litigation against you.

Well it's not needed IMHO. Even the TM infringers should not be treated like kids and they know what they are doing
How low you a prepared to stoop to make a buck is a very personal thing after all.
Personally I have more productive things to do than monitor my brands but if I have to I will strike and I don't care if it's a fellow domainer.
I really think we need to distance ourselves from certain behaviors and try to raise the bar to ourselves. Complaining about how the whole world hates us will only take us that far.
What some are failing to see is that you can still make good money honestly and ethically