People buying up other domain names just to be a _____

[Lu_e]

Seems like you hear about it more and more, for the soul purpose of being a ****. It seems especially a **** move if it's an up and coming new company who neglected to reserve their webspace due to $ or perhaps they didn't think of it. Or in the following example maybe they're just old folks;

- In a recent episode of Discovery channels 'biker battleground' or whatever. Someone bought the other guys shop name URL/domain name just to be a ****. No, I didn't see the episode just saw a commercial.

- Also recently in the BMX bicycle community a certain BMX forum/blog owner bought the domain for another guys company/BMX team; Rodeo Peanut. Just being a-

- TO THE POINT today when trying to check out WASD's website I put in. www.wasdkeyboard.com (missing the 'S' on the end) and well... was a little annoyed. Try it for yourself, personally it makes me want to do the opposite of support the company it re-directs to.



What are your thoughts on these practices? Most of the time it isn't even a matter of $$$, but rather just to be a ____

[danielucf]

The new owners often try to exploit the address like with wasdkeyboard (I wouldn't buy either brand personally). It is pretty shady and I think there should be more protections in place probably.

[tp4tissue]

The new owners often try to exploit the address like with wasdkeyboard (I wouldn't buy either brand personally). It is pretty shady and I think there should be more protections in place probably.

WASD is for n00bs you say ??...

[Lu_e]

The new owners often try to exploit the address like with wasdkeyboard (I wouldn't buy either brand personally). It is pretty shady and I think there should be more protections in place probably.

Because they've done something to piss you off? Or their products just aren't for you?

ANYWAY ya it seems interesting that you can trademark a brand name or whatever but someone can still buy the exact name in URL/Domain form?

Is there 0 protection, or grounds for a lawsuit or anything? I honestly don't know.

[intelli78]

Domain squatting is in fact illegal in the USA. If WASD wanted to dedicate the legal resources, it could retake that domain.

[exitfire401]

Domain squatting is in fact illegal in the USA. If WASD wanted to dedicate the legal resources, it could retake that domain.

I thought it was only holding the domain with no intent to use? ex. Max is using the domain legitimately, so there would be no standing. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[intelli78]

According to Wikipedia,

Cybersquatting (also known as domain squatting), according to the United States federal law known as the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.

[noisyturtle]

Personally I see nothing wrong with cybersquatting. If you can get there first and some bloated company wants the address, let them pay you for it. In fact, it always warm my cockles when I hear about such an event.

[C5Allroad]

In my book, Maxkeyboard has lost some respect...
Buying another companies domain and redirect to their website is like me saying free ice cream and directly offering cake instead.

[intelli78]

saying free ice cream and directly offering cake instead.

the horror

[GSimon]

Would be hard for WASD to take claim of the domain even through legal means I would assume. Could argue that WASD is a common key cluster used in a gaming setting and that they were targeting that market segment as opposed to mimicking the WASD brand or attempting to re-direct their users.

It's not the most ethical thing to do I guess, and domain squatting sucks, though it's smart to take pre-cautions and buy domains variations like that if you feel they could be used against you. Google has a bunch of other domain names that re-direct to google.com . Also wonder who owns geekwhack.com lol, if it's ripster he's kind enough to re-direct it here.

[dorkvader]

From what I've read on it.

If a company registers (say) wasdkeyboards.com before the actual company does, they can take it. That bike shop thing is a good example.

But I'm not sure wasdkeyboard.com can be taken that way unless the wasdkeybaords company wants to also copyright "wasdkeyboard".

I've not been impressed by maxkeyboard anyway, so this is just more reason to buy another DIY keyboard instead.