[LINK] Google flexing muscle by intimidation

[Richard Chirgwin]

Jan,

Google will never understand that. It's part of the corporate autism. 
(c.f. Steve Jobs)

RC

Jan Whitaker wrote:
> [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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