5 ms·
Even if your domain "theplayersbay.com" represents an online auction site, I fail to see how it can be seen as intrinsically associated with eBay. It's like Mi
by DJN 16y ago
Even if your domain "theplayersbay.com" represents an online auction site, I fail to see how it can be seen as intrinsically associated with eBay.
It's like Microsoft trying to prevent all software compnies from using the "soft" suffix or the "Micro" prefix.
I suspect that your domain was flagged by a poorly written pattern analysis bot and nobody at eBay has bothered to do any due diligence before firing off this "cease & desist".
My advice - send them an email stating your objection and requesting evidence that it has been construed to have an association with their brand. That should get a human being to actually look into the matter.
- tptacek 16y agoAs it turns out, you're probably wrong; Microsoft probably could target Microfoot and Megasoft and win a case. Read the comments on this thread: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1633106 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1633106 I agree that in this case, "theplayersbay.com" probably doesn't have much to worry about.
- ams6110 16y agoA company has to defend its trademarks in order for something like that to be upheld. The problem is that there are already hundreds of software companies with "soft" suffixed names. Because Microsoft was likely not the first software company to use the "soft" suffix, nor have they taken action to shut down any of these other companies, they can't suddenly do an about-face and claim trademark dilution against one of them (maybe unless there was more to it than a -soft name, e.g. a logo closely resembling Microsoft's, or other attempts to trade on Microsoft's reputation).
- edge17 16y agoThis one's the best IMO - Canadian guy named Mike Rowe decides to create a software company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_vs._MikeRoweSoft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_vs._MikeRoweSoft