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Amusing Anecdotes in the Apple domain battle.
cswiii writes "In case you've not heard, Apple's been putting legal pressure on two teens who registered "appleimac.com". This latest story mentions Apple's most recent action to date -- registering a copycat domain, that is actually an old domain that one of the kids used to own.
" Who knew that apple was less mature than a couple
of 16 year olds? Thats just to funny.
Update: 02/25 05:58 by CT : as with most of the best jokes, this was a hoax.
Funniest thing I've seen all day.
This is the kind of think I usually associate with Microsoft.
apparently it was a joke.
As another person noted, go to www.traya.net yourself and don't accept news.com on blind faith.
Exactly. I actually find it funny Apple did this. I mean, they're a big company who could have crushed the kid instantly, but instead they just register a similar domain as his company. Of course the kid doesn't care since it's more publicity to him.
taco should have fact checked a bit before posting an inflamatory story like this...
some git registered traya.net as 'Apple Computer, Inc.'
it was not Apple Computer doing the registering.
$ whois traya.net
[rs.internic.net]
Registrant:
Apple Computer, Inc. (TRAYA6-DOM)
PO Box 1816
Issaquah, WA 98027
US
Domain Name: TRAYA.NET
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Reser, Ben (BR987) breser@VECDEV.COM
(785) 539-6106
Billing Contact:
Reser, Ben (BR987) breser@VECDEV.COM
(785) 539-6106
Record last updated on 20-Feb-99.
Database last updated on 25-Feb-99 07:39:56 EST.
Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.LIGHTREALM.NET 207.159.128.2
NS2.LIGHTREALM.NET 207.159.128.10
NS3.LIGHTREALM.NET 207.159.153.114
This must be the tenth or so time in the last few days, that a story has been posted with the word "to" used where the word "too" should be. One or two times is one thing, but it's getting a bit ridiculous.
Taco man seems to just post immflammatory crud to keep slashdot readership and web hits up. Hype for hype's sake and just to give more exposure to linux. At least do it with a little class and not use the lowest denominator such as childish commentaries. What will slashdot be next, the online computer version of the Star or National Inquirer? Grow up
This is really fucked up. I wish this effort to destroy a company was put towards Microsoft. Of course if it was Microsoft, the writer probably wouldn't have written this news article.
"13 year old Joey Milfus reports Apple computer representatives broke into his house Saturday evening and stole all of his PC equipment. "
I mean...come on guys.
I talked (via email) with Ben Kite, of the DDA, about the whole appleimac.com thing and encouraged him not to support these guys. He replied that he wouldn't and I talked (again, via email) with Dan Goodin of News.com about it. I'm happy that the DDA isn't endorsing losers like this. Domain squatters suck.
The company was called Tray Networks.. I don't think they'd be loosing much sleep over anyone registering trayA.net
Too many people with too much spare time I think.
From what I've read, this doesn't come across as a situation similar to the ajax.com or the other hoopla over veronica.org(?). No, this sounded like the two teens picked the name *specifically* to cash in when Apple came knocking, like a grift scheme. The quotes I've heard attributed to these kids makes them sound like they're full of s**t. "Oh, look at how the big, vicious company is hounding us!"
FIRST!!!
cause it's not gnulix.
http://www.internic.com/cgi-bin/nwhois?domain=appl e&root=com
Compare the two... the only information that is the same is "Apple Computer, Inc". Name servers, address, both contacts, it all differs.
Real question is : how did vecdev convince Internic that they are allowed to use the Apple Computer inc name? *This* is very much a trademark violation, if not worse.
-Leolo
Looks like the Traya kids have ZERO original ideas. They even stole an ISP's logo and a pretended it was theirs.
http://www.arn.net
Ughhh Hang the brats.
Main Entry: too
Pronunciation: 'tü
Function: adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English tO to, too -- more at TO
Date: before 12th century
1 : BESIDES, ALSO
2 a : to an excessive degree : EXCESSIVELY b : to such a degree as to be regrettable c : VERY
3 : SO 2d
i love the internet!!!
samedi@disinfo.maniamtiredtoday.net
"An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment."
I am curious. Do you really think the reporter asked ?
I'm not a Slashdot hater, but you post an anti-Apple story (link to one), and then, instead of apologizing, you just dismiss it as the funniest thing you've seen all day. In fact, you seem to post an awful lot of negative Apple stories (this doesn't count pro PPC). Is Apple oppressing you? Are they near monopoly? You have a choice between a PC or an Apple computer. If you buy an Apple, you should expect what you get. If you've been a CEO of a major computer company, perhaps you can make comments on how evil Apple is and how bad their decisions are. Just because they aren't catering to exactly what you want right now doesn't mean they're evil. They do have to stay in business. They can only do so much for their customers, progress, and stay in business.
Of course if it was related to Linux, you'd first make the article appear to be stupid, foolish, FUD, and, well you wouldn't be taking a stance against Linux so you wouldn't need to report a retraction if the article made mistakes.
I used to think people who made negative comments on your postings were jealous or something, but maybe I was wrong.
Well, your comment is probably better than what the author of the story will do (remove the article and not mention a word about the mistake). I'm not exactly what the intentions were of the guy who registered the domain. Why blow money on this? Claim to be Apple?
story posted earlier on CNET News.com incorrectly stated the owner of domain name "Traya.net." The domain is owned by Ben Reser.
That's it. Sorry I missed the original (or am I?).
Apple's home address (the real one)...
I wish i had that street address... way too cool.
It's their software product and they can set up any sort of quasi name servers to do whatever they want. No one forces you use their browser and Navigator is not gov't funded either (like NSI is). It's just like when you ask for Coca-Cola at Taco Bell, they will point you toward Pepsi. How is what smart browsing does any more or less "legal"?
hehe yeah no kidding... somebody should e-mail the contact listed under arnets "copyright infringement" link on their main page
Anybody save it?
I am so sick of reading shyte like this here. You Linux digitheads are almost as bad as the Mac folks (who by the way are usually doing realworld work and getting things done just fine). "Wahhh! Everything must be open. Wahhh! Is it open? Wahhh! If it's not open it represents corporate greed." Goddamn sissy-bitch crybabies. Why doesn't everybody just shut their bleeding holes and do their work?! Arg! I'm so sick of it all.
Why don't you go throw some eggs at cars?
It's funny to watch all the Apple zealots come out and bash slashdot.
Read the interview with the kid. It's not joke or hobby site; he said he took out the domain name to make money. Just another cybersquater; they'll have a corner in hell all to themselves just like the spammers and Republicans.
...have a lot to learn :\
Sometimes I need to keep my mouth shut, but the older I get the more stubborn I get. I stand corrected.
Mr2
First you need to explain what you mean by annoying.
If you mean it as their marketing and such is annoying, I agree. But that is how they get new customers, and try to sell their new products.
It seems to me that Apple's owns trademarks on both "iMac" and "Apple". Using these words by themselves is clearly infringement on Trademark laws; it would seem likely that using the two words together would also qualify as Trademark infringement - especially when you consider the kids' reasons for doing so: They Wanted To Get Attention To Their Business.
In other words, the kids used these words and these words alone to make a buck. Doesn't sound very legal to me.
If these people were 25 years old, no doubt people would look at them as if they overstepped the law. Apparently the "kid" factor has made some people blind or stupid.
I can only blame them because i am a part of so many communities.
I have my laptop running NT5, an SGI Indigo2 Max impact under my desk, A dual p2-450 running beos under their too (They both share the same monitor. God i love this monitor), and a PPC running linux.
I guess some people just can't feel okay unless they have something like a hardware platform to hold onto and defend
result in the kind of doamin regisrtation like that reported over at macosrumors.com ... all other variations of "Apple", "Imac" and "Computer" have been registered by apple as a preemptive strike against more cyberquatting..
.com, .org, .net, and .int (along with all the other ones that come down the pipe)?
Next time I register a domain name, am I gonna have to buy
Isn't it funny that slashdot is published by Black Light Media, who also happens to publish another site called MacOSRumors?
You're joking...right? Tell me you're being sarcastic.
If you look at the Internic's registration for "TRAYA.NET", the supposed company called "Apple Copmuter, Inc." has the following mailing address:
....freaking nitwit kids....
Apple Computer, Inc.
PO Box 1816
Issaquah, WA 98027
Folks, that address is not the "Apple Computer, Inc." in Cupertino California. In fact, according to Issaquah Chamber of Commerece, there is no "Apple Computer, Inc." company in Issaquah.
Those kids obviously thought that if they *looked* like Apple Inc., nobody would ask questions....
Did anyone check this neat little feature out? For quite some time www.mammals.org just redirected you to the apple mainpage. Uh, that makes sense. Try reptiles.org, you might just get MS.
As of 6:54 PM CST Friday, http:/appleimac.com reads:
Welcome To Abdul's very own home page.
My name is Abdul Traya. From Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I am 16 and in grade 11. I enjoy fishing, horseback ridding, tennis and hanging around with my buddies. I like talking on the phone with my friends Peter, Resse, Stan, Leo, and Jason. I am not good at making home pages and this is like my first good one. All most every warm morning I walk my dog Goody. My dog is the best. When I grow up I want to be an F.B.I. agent or a judge. I really hate computers because they are so hard to use. But I am saving up for an IMAC. I even dream about owning one.. I also like volunteering my time to any one, and I have many friends who admire me. Some of my friends think I look like Mr. Bean. I go to Crescent Heights High School and I love it there. I just can't seem to get enough of learning. I also like Skiing and Hiking at Lake Louise and Canadian Olympic Park. My favorite singers are, Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Garth Brooks, Paul Brandt and a few more. I want to be just like Paul Brandt I am still learning how to make web pages more better. Because I really have no or little interests in computers.
This computer is really slow, once I save up for my new imac computer. I will post some pictures of me and my buddies from everywhere.
[snip]
This is my dog named Goody. I've have had him since grade 8.
---
"This is my dog named Goody. I've have had him since grade 8."
What the hell? Maybe he's trying to make himself look innocent? Maybe he's a boner? Hell, this guy is such a loser. As a self proclaimed Mac-Bogit (And dyslexic, dammit) I must say that I'm ashamed. I'd be running Linux on this old box next to me right now except that I lent out my CD's and the guy moved. And I can't drive, I'm only 14. Ehh. But damn this guy pisses me off... "But I am saving up for an IMAC. I even dream about owning one.. I also like volunteering my time to any one, and I have many friends who admire me. Some of my friends think I look like Mr. Bean," Well that's great, Bean, but I must say, you're such a saint, how can those heartless corporate bastards want to take away your domain? You LOVE their product. And you help anyone who needs help. Fuck!
Cool.
Why is this relevant?
oh yeah, well i was coding in c when i was 5. hahahahahaha.
Hello!
I asked them and they didnt design it, someone on the internet designed or stole it. They said the guy you made the webpages made the logo from a web design company.
:)
- A.P.
--
"One World, One Web, One Program" - Microsoft Promotional Ad
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
What are you talking about? I thought it was funny (and Rob mentioned that he did, too), and, if it had been true, it would have earned new respect for Apple from me. I think it's a much better way to deal with a domain dispute than calling in the lawyers. I don't see anything anti-{Apple,iMac,Macintosh} about it...
That said, I think you Mac users would catch a lot less anti-Mac flak if you'd get over the persecution complex. Nobody's out to get you. Nobody cares enough about you to be out to get you. It's just that every time you start up with your "Wintel sucks and we're the best OS in the world and nothing can be any better because Steve Jobs is God and the fact that we're a failure in the market is because of (pull reason out of ass) and not because our OS is still stuck in the mid-80s" crap, we "Wintel"* users have to defend ourselves.
There. There's some anti-Macintosh attitude to feed your complex. You happy now?
* For the record, my "Wintel" machine is a Cyrix 6x86MX-233+ on a VIA VP3 motherboard running Linux 2.2.2. Not a speck of Windows or Intel in the thing, but Mac weenies** call it "Wintel" anyway. Go figure.
** As opposed to sensible Mac users, of which I know a few. They unfortunately seem to be in the minority, though. Or maybe it's just like any other advocacy, where the morons are always the most vocal.
Posted by sgupta:
>sensible Mac users, of which I know a few. They
>unfortunately seem to be in the minority, though
So does this mean out of the 25 million Mac users, you've personally met over 12.5 million? That's amazing! How did you find the time?
Look, a few Mac freaks doesn't mean that they're a majority. They just stand out to you, and you probably remember them best.
All the people I've met in person who use Linux are kind of weird, "free software will save the world!" types. Does this mean that *all* Linux users are freaks? Of course not! This means that the I haven't met a wide enough assortment of Linux users.
So, have the courtesy not to generalize.
Posted by sgupta:
Good stunt by the way. I think you did a good job illustrating how "news" propagates across the world wide web. You've exposed a good example of really bad reporting, and CNET should be ashamed.
It's good to see Apple came out of this well by not publically acknowledging the whole sordid mess.
Thank you Apple, for the years of laughs. :)
If you purport to register a trademark that infringes on mine, you can bet that I will force you to disgorge it, immediately. You don't get to hang on to the filing until you misuse it.
hawk, esq.
The person who wrote the article for news.com just called and said that the article has been retracted. It is no longer linked from news.com, but Rob has had it linked directly, bypassing news's front page. I will more than likely remove the page, change the page, or make a pointer to something else, but the page should soon stop appearing. Please lets give him a break.
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
The article is now about Lycos. He just posted over it! HEHE HAHA, ok Rob, the clock is ticking.......
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
It isn't obvious in the preferences section ..
whois says:
Registrant:
CKS Partners (THINKDIFFERENT-DOM)
345 Spear Street
Suite 500
San Francisco, ca 94105
US
Domain Name: THINKDIFFERENT.COM
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Loncar, Mark (ML247) lucky@CKS.COM
408) 366-5100
Billing Contact:
Loncar, Mark (ML247) lucky@CKS.COM
408) 366-5100
Record last updated on 29-Aug-97.
Database last updated on 25-Feb-99 07:39:56 EST.
Domain servers in listed order:
NS.CKS.COM 209.116.205.253
NS2.CKS.COM 209.116.205.254
What a bunch of garbage. The anti-Apple, anti-iMac, anti-Macintosh attitude of this site is getting really old. Apple and the Mac do have problems, but is posting false info really gonna change an intelligent Mac users opinion about them?
That definitely has a feel of "I know you are but what am I?" Still, it should be noted that this is a pretty straightforward case of cybersquatting - not at all like the pokey.org or veronica.org cases. From the article:
"Cases like...'Appleimac.com' are clearly an attempt to use the trademark owner's registered mark," said Benjamin Kite, founder of the grassroots Domain Defense Advocate. "We are attempting to limit the scope of our defense to domains where ambiguity between a trademark and the domain in question exists," Kite said in an email message to CNET News.com.
What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
It's too, not to. This isn't the first time, either.
If you simply type "appleimac" into Netscape 4.5, it sends you to the Apple Inc. site. In this way, Netscape is acting as a "meta nameserver" in WWW space, and is where the real battle has been won already. I predict a lot of this sort of name redirection will occur, with friends of Netscape and those with deep pockets always getting their say.
Dog is my co-pilot.
The C|net article was posted
on: February 25, 1999, 11:35 a.m. PT
The Slashdot article was posted on:
Thursday February 25, @04:11PM (EST? central?)
The race is on to see who can update sooner!
Place yer bets!
My personal prediction is that C|net deletes
the story and never mentions it again, but
not till after Rob updates this article with
a "whoops".
+=Lungo;
Looks more like Vector Development than Apple Computer to me, homez. News.Com just got bamboozled.
\
This is one of the funniest things I've seen in awhile.
Thanks for reproving that dis-information travels at the speed of light+1. Also know as Douglas Adam's theory of Gossip.
I hope you don't get in trouble for using Apple's name.
USA-Democracy is 270 million YESes and NOes a day, not one every four years.
okay, for starters, i'm a member of the pro-Apple camp. i'll skip over the reasons why, because to the best of my knowledge nobody has ever been convinced one way or the other by that kind of discussion.
now..
i remember having gotten a chuckle or two out of some of the near-miss Microsoft domain names which have been registered over the past couple of years, so i think it's only fair to laugh along when people post stories, even erroneous ones, about Apple doing something dumb as regards a domain name. the hallmark of a good sense of humor is the ability to laugh when you're on the receiving end of the joke.
OTOH, i also remember what *happened* to all those near-miss Microsoft domain names which have been registered over the past couple of years.. the shadow of the MS legal machine fell across them, and they were never again seen by the eyes of mortal man.
i don't see any reason why Apple should have any less right to protect its trademarks.
if the kid had somehow registered APPLEIMAC.COM *before* Apple announced the product to the public, i might have some sympathy for him. as it is, he's sitting on a name composed of two terms which were trademarked long before he got the bright idea to call dibs on the combination.
the thing i find surprising about the whole issue is the idea that anyone thinks the kid is anything *but* an opportunist.. well-meaning or not. even more surprising is the prospect that anyone thinks there's any doubt about the outcome of this scenario. there's a saying which describes his chance of winning if he's silly enough to go to court over the matter.. it involves the words 'snowflake' and 'hell'.
another old saying is, "never argue with a man who buys ink by the barrel".. in this case, the kid's parents are going to get a valuable lesson in what happens when you support of precocious youngster who violates the intellectual property rights of a company with its own legal division. once they see the price tag attached to their son's creativity, i personally think his folks will find this whim of his a lot less endearing.
No, not the kids, not Apple, but the lusers at news.com who think that Apple actually registered traya.net. They should learn to read the whois. ::sigh::
It might be immature, but I think this is pretty neat.. If they're going to play a prank on you, then by all means, apple should have the right to play a prank on them. Just because they're a company doesnt mean they have to be a cold humourless institution. I think it would really have been funny if they'd registered the domains of one of the teen's names (www.bob_newhart.com), and then filled it with pranks, or better yet, porn :)
-Laxitive
Why should this surprise you? Apple has this image of being the peoples computer company, but it's a sham. They are the most proprietary of anybody in the OS game. They are the only major computer company that requires you to buy their hardware if you want to run their OS. They are ten times worse than MS when it comes to the crap that they pull. The world woudl be a much worse place if Apple had the pull that MS has now.
by Mike Buddha -- Someday the mountain might get him, but the law never will.
We have a thing in this country called a trademark. It has been a part of everyday life for some time now. I can understand why Apple might be worried that someone can abuse this. And there is certainly no reason why these kids need this domain. This is not like veronica.(com,org,net), where the name veronica is a questionable trademark. There can be no doubt that when someone says AppleImac, they mean the computer company. What if the kids decide they want to provide a new appleboot disk that installs Linux on the unknowing users' machines, God forbid!
Check out Traya.net aparently someone thought it would be funny to register traya.net under apple.
"However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation."
It's good to occasionally be reminded that you shouldn't always believe what you read ... especially on the web! /. will revise the wording on this story soon ... ?
Hopefully
"Arrr! The laws of science be a harsh mistress." -- Bender
Have we all sent emails to the news.com journalist who reported that 'story'???
"Arrr! The laws of science be a harsh mistress." -- Bender
Maybe the reason that an update hasn't been posted yet is because Rob's not checking the replies every half hour, which i think is understandable. Though it would be interesting to see _how_long_ it takes before it's updated. Anyone been timing this?
webslacker
www.news.com has posted a retraction, they goofed.
-- This sig is only a test. If this were a real sig it would say something witty. --
...why did the Apple spokeswoman decline comment? If you have nothing to hide then why hide it?
/. to deploy their research team (like they have the $ for one, not) on every potential story.
Another thing, wouldn't you agree that the "fact checking" should be done by CNet?!?!?! They have a responsibility for reporting the news accurately ; it is what establishes their credibility; which is why people pay attention to what CNet has to say -> which is how they make money. It's their business.
Back off Taco man. You have no basis in reality if you expect
Mr2
And yes I am the guy that did this. However, I have no clue how CNet picked up the story.
FYI I DO NOT work for or have any affiliation to Apple.
People seem to keep asking so I'll post a top level so it's really easy to find.
You can find the original CNet article and links to various other items at:
http://www.traya.net
So let me get this straight.
The two kids who run TrayaNet registered appleimac.com and thus are supposedly giving Apple a bad name (not just because their site has nothing to do with iMac's, but because Apple is threatening a lawsuit).
Now some OTHER company - vecdev.com - has registered traya.net and SAYING that they are Apple Computer? Thus...giving Apple more of a bad name?
This is nutty.
I really can't blame Apple for their aggressive protection of their corporate identity. Any company having a name that is on its way towards becoming a noun or an adjective must be aggressive. I know from experience (see our company url). I have to spend several days a month tracking down violators of our corporate identities. Patrick L. Reilly, General Manager, IsoQuantic Technologies
-- I fear explanations explanatory of things explained.
The following was up at www.traya.net at 5:15 Eastern Standard time:- -----------------
-----------------------------------------------
Earth to the world this was a joke.
Apple does not own this domain nor did they have anything to do with registering it.
When I heard about the appleimac.com issue with Apple I went to the web site and looked around. The individuals who had registered the domain were using the company "Tray Networks". In looking around I saw a list board and on that list board someone men tioned that they didn't own traya.net. So at this point in time I decided hey wouldn't it be funny to register the name and put Apple's name on it? So I did. At any rate it looks like someone has noticed my joke. I got a call this morning from Apple's lawyers asking me to change the registrant name on the domain. I'll add they asked very nicely.
Can you believe that News.com published this?
I received an email from the reporter that wrote the article a few minutes after the story was published. I thought you were supposed to check your facts before you published.
Slashdot has apparently picked up the story, even though they also have it wrong. *sigh*.
This is what the WHOIS info for TRAYA.NET looks like:
Registrant:
Apple Computer, Inc. (TRAYA6-DOM)
PO Box 1816
Issaquah, WA 98027
US
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Reser, Ben (BR987) breser@VECDEV.COM
(785) 539-6106
Billing Contact:
Reser, Ben (BR987) breser@VECDEV.COM
(785) 539-6106
[snip]
This is what the WHOIS info for any (and all) of Apple's various domain names look like:
Registrant:
Apple Computer, Inc. (APPLE-DOM)
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014
Administrative Contact:
Zimmerman, David Paul (DPZ) dpz@APPLE.COM
+1 (408) 974-2436 (FAX) +1 (408) 974-3103
Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
Eddings, Kenneth (KE557) eddingsk@APPLE.COM
408 974-4286 (FAX) 408 974-3103
Billing Contact:
Zimmerman, David Paul (DPZ) dpz@APPLE.COM
+1 (408) 974-2436 (FAX) +1 (408) 974-3103
[snip]
Sometimes the contact names change (see quicktime.com) but they are always @apple.com email addresses and the postal address never changes. Somebody else took TRAYA.NET and just stuck Apple's name in the box.
-Chris
\//
Not to be overly anal... but since when do you use third party companies to WHOIS a domain?
INTERNIC.COM is another money grubbing "domain registration service" with nothing to do with the even more money grubbing NetSol who runs INTERNIC.NET.
-Adam
I am the author of the CNET News.com story that touched off this entire thread. I apologize for the incorrect information the article contained. News.com pulled the story at 12:45 California time, and now has a correction posted.
Hello, I am Stan Berg, from Traya Net, does anyone have any question. I am here to help and answer your questions:-)
Apple is fully within their rights to reclaim the domain and protect other domains using 'apple' and 'imac', not only for themselves, then for their stockholders. If they don't protect their trademarks and someone uses a domain like appleimac for their own personal use, apple stockholders could possible place a lawsuit against apple. So better safe than sorry in this case.