Editorial
Another (Domain Name) Gunfight Brewing
eVentures,
(the new hi-tech venture capital company that can't even build a website
that displays properly on either of my PCs equipped with Flash 3 and
Netscape 4.x -- and which doesn't even give me the choice of selecting
an HTML version when using IE4) look as if they're preparing to sue the
stuffing out of the owners of the domain eloan.co.nz.
eloan.co.nz is is presently registered
to Parker's Edge Limited and, according to the eVentures
prospectus there are "pending proceedings" because PEL has refused to relinquish
the name to eVentures.
So... who's in the right this time?
Sounds like a pretty clear-cut case of trademark infringement right?
Don't be so hasty. The trademark used by e-loan is "e-loan" (note the hyphen), the company
which has registered the name is "E-Loan Inc." and the domain name they've
been using to date is "eloan.com."
Of course it could be argued that eloan.co.nz is just too similar to
eloan.com and, since PEL are in the loans business, it could lead to
confusion in the marketplace.
But then one must ask whether eVentures will be demanding that Sovereign Finance Ltd
will be handing over the name
eloans.co.nz
for the same reasons?
Or maybe
e-loans.co.nz?
Looks like at least two lawyers will be heading off to the BMW showroom to check
out their new cars soon.
Republic Update
I received another response from the government regarding my plan to
secede from the nation and form my own republic so as to get around
all the endless red-tape, bureaucracy and penalties placed in the way
of hi-tech new-economy startups.
The Crown Law Office said they don't know how I'd go about seceding
so I should ask my local MP.
What do we pay these people for if not to know the law?
And what's the point in emailing my local MP if all I'm going to get back
is another note advising me that our tiny-minded "live in the past" ministers
can't cope with this new-fangled technology?
This republic option is looking better and better every day.
Free republic-ation rights available
on request :-)
General News & Current Events:
TODAY'S KEY NET-NEWS HEADLINES
Eforce cracks 20,000 member mark
The "viral marketing" strategy employed by
Christchurch-based consumer site Eforce has
seen the venture's membership top 20,000
inside a month...
IDG
Angry user set to take on Telecom
Another internet consumer upset at extra internet
charges on his Telecom bill is refusing to pay and is
determined to face Telecom in court...
NZ Herald
When is a freeloader not a freeloader? When it's you
While Telecom labels Clear and free internet provider
i4free "freeloaders" for collecting termination payments
for internet calls in New Zealand, Telecom itself is not
averse to freeloading off Telstra in Australia...
NZ Herald
E-tailers not delivering, analysts say
POOR fulfilment strategies could sink local online retailers,
with late deliveries and dangerously high return rates
threatening their future, analysts say...
Australian IT
Supreme Court Upholds ISP Ruling
The court denies an appeal that sought to hold
service providers responsible for users' actions.
Prodigy had been sued over phony email threats
sent from one of their accounts...
Wired
Clinton Unscrambles GPS Signals
The U.S. military is ordered to stop intentionally
scrambling its global postioning satellite signals
as of Monday night, so that normal folks can
finally figure out where they are...
Wired
Postal services to deliver email security
Canada Post signs a deal to launch an electronic security delivery service, and the U.S. Postal
Service agrees to provide USPS-branded email postmarks to a secure Internet transmission
service...
CNet
Mood Thaws Between MP3.com, Record Labels
Shares of MP3.com rebounded on Monday as the world's largest record companies said they were
stepping up efforts to settle their dispute with the online music company after a federal judge's
ruling on Friday that MP3.com violated copyright law...
Yahoo/Reuters
Sun and IBM war over Web servers
And the battles are bloody. One thing is
clear: IBM is going after Sun with everything it has...
ZDNet
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