Well, the pertinent points would seem to be this.

i) he sold out
ii) He didn't come here and say "look guys, I think the ntlcommunity domain name is on shaky ground, I am gonna let NTL have it and open a new one...
iii) he didn't come here and say "the ntlcommunity domain has been sold, can't say how much for, but its no longer mine"
iv) We only found out by doing a DNS lookup etc and checking
v) he couldn't explain why, and when we asked him about it he deleted his posts and left
vi) If, as he originally said he wanted it to be independent, and he was looking at legal action, why not let Andre take it (for a fee)

He was underhanded about the transaction and didn't even have the courtesy to tell people who moderated the site, or helped him set it up.

Perhaps the most accurate description of the matter so far IMO.

All we can offer you on this is our word for what it means to you. I think it's fair to say that I have never let anyone down on here or .com so please take that in to consideration.

OK... lets say I buy the domail www.thentlcommunitysite.com.
I set up a vBulletin forum to discuss / slate nlt.

If I have a nice big visible disclaimer explaining CLEARLY that this site is neither indorsed by or anything to do with ntl, and provide a link to the genuine ntlcommuniuty site, what's the problem?

I can only see it as a problem if a user could percieve that they are at a genuine ntl site and not be corrected.

Now... someones example... Lets say Asda anounce home shopping. I register the domain www.asdahomeshopping.com.
If I just leave the domain parked but do nothing else, this is naughty. If however, I immediatly launch the site with the nice big "we are NOT asda" notice and have a forum dedicated to the discussion of the pros and cons of Asda stepping in to the home shopping market, that is fine.

All I need to do is make it very clear that my sitre is nothing to do with Asda / ntl / whoever and prvide a link to the 'propper' site.

I'd be prepared to take on *any* big company's legal team on this one.

[User Addition] I wouldn't be scared off by 'official' letters from big wig solicitors. I know my rights.

Might be a drop in the ocean, but at a time that NTL is using lack of money to defend why it is not improving certain parts of their network - it is a little insulting to those customers that they feel the need to spend the money (regardless of how little) on this.

Yes, but the new European laws say that you're not allowed to use trademarks in domain names, and that if you do, then the owner of the trademark is entitled to come and bitch-slap you.

In any case, the example I gave was a little wide of the mark. Lets say instead that Asda announced a home shopping service that there were going to call "Asda 2 You". If I went and registered asda2you.com after this announcement, then I wouldn't be entitled to the domain, regardless of the content.

Are you really saying you would have allowed NTL to take you to court? Why such a fuss over what was effectively a dead domain anyway?

so I'd go for www.nthellcommunitly.com

Fair enough, but community.ntl.com is a different address to www.ntlcommunity.com

Kind of, I'm saying if I had the domain, I'd have used it to help customers. Whenever ntl want to close / buy me out I'd fight with every last penny. I'd also see that it got maximum publicity.

Only problem with this is that NTL aren't the only ones to use the name NTL - there is also the NTL Institute established 1947 (www.ntl.org).

Besides if ntlcommunity.com can be proven to be a forum for the use of NTL customers (therefore a community site and a valid use of the name) NTL (the cable company) would not have automatic rights to the domain. Also if the domain in question is not commercial then it becomes even more difficult. Cybersquatting only really applies where there the domain was bought in bad faith - for example if the owner was then going to try and sell it back to the company.

I certainly don't think Matty is a sellout. Afterall he is an NTL employee. Did he appreciate the concerns of genuine customers? Of course not. So on that basis alone he is not a sellout.

There are no websites where genuine customers can discuss NTL without attack from the proNTL mob. Certain threads have become an embarrassment such as "On topic London broadband" where it is largely posted by proNTL mob (mainly employees).

Ever since Frank has sold out to NTL, there have not been an adequate replacement which meets the needs of genuine customers. In my view, it is Frank that has sold out. I don't hold anything against him.

You always manage to go off topic and drag in your own particular beef with NTL in every thread I've ever seen you post.You are very good at sticking the knife into people that the thread isn't even about as well.:(

Incog about to unsubscribe before she starts the troll like behaviour.

Same thing happened with ntlhome.com (jammy git, why didn't I think of that? :D )
An employee got wind, bought the domain, and sold it to NTL

But it costs millions to improve their network, buying the site cost them a few thousand. They probably spend more on pens every year. It's small change to them. They could buy thousands of sites like that and still not make an impact on the funding needed to upgrade.

Suggest you get your facts rights there.

Matty is not as far as I know an NTL Employee unless he has had a job thrown into the buyout deal.

:)

Ramrod,

it costs less to perform routing maintenance during slack system hours than to pay an engineer to do an emergency repair during peak hours and then compensate the people who complain about loss of service.

This would be a more valid expenditure of funds....


Buying another site which is against them is a waste of funds, makes more sense to start to rectify the problems...

I am sure even Andre would agree that the best possible result would be to see this site, and the other sites rendered redundant by NTL actually getting things sorted out.

I totally agree. My only point was that it is a drop in the ocean for them.

Sorry to bring this topic up again but.....


Website Title: ntl community
Server Type: Apache/1.3.27 (Unix) PHP/4.2.3 (Spry.com also uses Apache)
Website Status: Active
Reverse IP: Web server hosts 5 websites (reverse ip tool requires free login)
IP Address: 207.44.194.150 (ARIN & RIPE IP search)
IP Location: United States - California - San Francisco - Everyones Internet Inc
Visit Website: www.ntlcommunity.com
Record Type: Domain Name


The interesting part is...


Status: PROTECTED
Note: To help prevent malicious domain hijacking and domain
transfer errors, the registrar has protected the registrant
of this domain name registrant by locking it. Any attempted
transfers will be denied at the registry until the registrant
requests otherwise. The registrant for the name may unlock
the name at any time at the current registrar in order for
a transfer initiation to succeed

Matty has protected the domain name, thus making it non transferable at this time.....

:confused: