[Wolves] Off topic - travelwm

[Matthew Revell]

Hi Gary,

Firstly, I don't think anyone will disagree with me in saying that this is
an interesting topic to bring up, so don't worry about it not being Linux!

gary at walsall.uk.com said:

> This news was also on heartfm. To update you, I own the domain in question
> and travelwm say they are going to be seeking legal advice regarding this.

If it's true that you're redirecting the visitors to the domain to an
adult site, then I think you need to have a long think about what sort of
person you are. Unless you're of below average intelligence, then I'm sure
you're aware of the consequences of doing that.

> I have done a little research and believe that they have no right to the
> domain or the use of the domain unless I am infringing a registered
> trademark, which travel west midlands don't own. Looking at companies
> house, 'travelwm ltd' is a non-trading company, as they are trading as
> 'travel west midlands ltd'.

That doesn't say whether or not Travel WM is a trademark. In court, they
certainly have an awful lot more right to that name than you do.

> Does anyone have any thoughts on whether their is any loophole in the
> system where they might be able to take the domain from me ??

I'm sorry to sound harsh but it's people like you that make the domain
name system difficult to use for the rest of us. What can you possibly
achieve from holding this domain name? Okay, you can get the odd quid here
or there by sending people to a website they don't want. I'm unsure of the
legalities of what you're doing but morally, I think it's wrong for a
number of reasons:

1. You're misleading people and, if the news story is true, presenting
them with a website that is wholly different to what they are expecting
and, possibly, quite offensive to them.

2. You're effectively stealing revenue from a legitimate company, by
trading on the name that they have worked to build up. Legally, I *think*,
this is known as passing off, but the law isn't my area of expertise.

3. You're needlessly registering a domain name, based on a business name
that you have no right to, and thereby part of a group of people that make
 use of the internet more difficult.

There's plenty more that I could say but I think that's enough for now. If
you're that bothered about holding onto this domain name, why not use some
of the income it's given you to pay for some legal advice?

Matthew.