Dam April Fools Pranks

Cost me $20

[zulufox]

So, I read this articles about a new product coming out. This is REALLY popular product.

After reading it I rush out and register 3 of the BEST domains for this new product's name.

However, now after reading more I am beginning to think it was all an april fools joke.

Oh well... Domain anyone? :P

[Dan_Norder]

If the domain is based upon the product name, chances are you were cybersquatting... so you'd probably be better off if it turns out it was a prank and never comes out.

[Llama]

Remember Gamecube.com -- lawsuite: guy lost few thousand bucks and had the domain name taken from him.

[digitalv]

Sounds like you deserved to lose the money. Maybe in the future you won't try to be so sneaky and register domains for the purpose of squatting or mis-directing traffic.

[Tigrou]

In zulufox's defence, it is possible that s/he was aiming to do affilate work for this product, or product reviews etc..

Cheers,
Colin

[zulufox]

I was hoping to do affiliate work and have a database of tutorials.

Its not like a stole the products name, I just included it in my domains:

widgeting.com
widgetworld.com
widgettutorials.com

[Dan_Norder]

Including a product name as part of a domain you plan to use related to that product without the product owner's authorization has often been seen as cybersquatting. Unless you know that that company hasn't minded other cases (and even then you might have the bad luck of being the one they do decide to go after) it's a good idea not to risk it.

[ControlEngineer]

If there is a generic name for a new type of product, you might be able to use it. Someone is about to announce Pocgit, the first of a kind pocket size widget, likely to catch on and be a new type of product. So you get Pocket-Widget-Reviews.com.

But consult with an Intellectual Property attorney first.

[Tigrou]

I have just moved to the US from stints in Canada/Europe/Asia.

It is a bit overwhelming to see how willing organizations are to throw sharp-clawed lawyers into what should be a marketing arena.

Thanks for reinforcement to take potential litigation regarding IP a bit more seriously.

Cheers,
Colin
ps I guess this explains why my cousin the IP laywer is nearly a millionaire at age 30! :-)

[spekiehl]

Widgets are a generic term and can't be copyrighted or trademarked because of popular usage as pertaining to a various number of products. Basically, everyone uses the word widget and so it's not infringing on anything. Similiarly, google is a generic word now because Google is so popular that it's become a verb. So you can't really be sued by Google for discussing Google.

[Dan_Norder]

Similiarly, google is a generic word now because Google is so popular that it's become a verb. So you can't really be sued by Google for discussing Google.

Google isn't a generic word until declared so by courts. Until then you have the entire legal might of the company to smash anyone who tries to misuse it so it never gets that far.

People can still discuss Google, but if they infringe the trademark they are going to get crushed, and rightfully so.