[LINK] Google flexing muscle by intimidation

[Jan Whitaker]

[When is Google going to understand that pissing people off is 
pushing folks away? I've ditched them entirely from my search engines 
in my browser.]

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/biz-tech/groggle-boggled-by-google-mean-spirit-20100428-trq5.html

An Australian web entrepreneur says draconian legal threats from 
Google could force him to pour two years of work and tens of 
thousands of dollars down the drain.

Cameron Collie, from Brisbane, has spent several years working 
part-time with a mate on <http://www.groggle.com>Groggle, a 
location-based alcohol price comparison website service allowing 
consumers to search for the cheapest price on liquor products in their area.

After obtaining all of the relevant Groggle domain names for each 
country and registering the business, Collie applied to register 
Groggle as a trademark. His site was already in the beta test phase 
and Collie, 36, was planning a formal launch within weeks, as well as 
an accompanying iPhone app.

Cameron Collie.

The trademark application was accepted by IP Australia but, with just 
days left for other companies to launch an objection, Google's 
lawyers sent Collie a cease and desist letter.

The letter, seen by this website, demands that Collie withdraw his 
trademark application, change the company name and transfer all 
domain names to Google.

Google argues that Groggle is "substantially identical with and 
deceptively similar to" its own trademarks.

It said that if Collie did not comply with its demands it would "make 
an urgent application to the court seeking interlocutory injunctions 
restraining Groggle and its directors".

"We don't have the financial backing to fight them on this, we just 
want them to reconsider because it's just crazy," Collie said in a 
phone interview, adding he was "completely shattered" when he 
received the letter..

He said he understood Google was simply trying to protect its brand 
but queries where Google would draw the line, emphasising that 
Groggle is simply a play on the word grog. Collie said he decided on 
the name after finding grogger.com was taken.

"We want Google to reconsider and realise that we're not a threat and 
never will be," said Collie.

"We're certainly not typosquatters - nobody's going to type in 
Groggle thinking they're going to reach Google, that's just insane."

Google Australia declined to comment.



Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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