Vie
Well-Known Member
Remember there was that MXIT case a little while ago, where mixit.co.za was forced to change their name. mixit.co.za had registered before mxit, but were still found to be in error. I reckon this will go the same way.
-
Join the MyBroadband community
South Africa’s biggest forum. Discuss, discover, and connect with thousands of members.
-
Question of the Day: Have you ever ordered a product online and received a fake knock-off?
SA companies launch rival GMail.co.za
- Thread starter rpm
- Start date
Ant_Brooks
Well-Known Member
UniForum SA don't adjudicate CO.ZA domain name disputes. Those are governed by the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) regulations, and handled by one of two accredited ADR providers (Arbitration Foundation of SA and SAIIPL).
The regulations include the following as a factor indicating an abusive registration: "circumstances indicating that the registrant is using, or has registered, the domain name in a way that leads people or businesses to believe that the domain name is registered to, operated or authorised by, or otherwise connected with the complainant".
Vie mentioned the MXIT case, and that's definitely relevant. If gmail.co.za had been providing webmail services before Gmail launched, then they would have a solid defense. But launching a Gmail-like service using the gmail.co.za domain after Google took Gmail live is very likely to be viewed as abusive use of the domain, even if the domain itself was registered long before Gmail launched.
Aaaaahhhh - this is Webmail.co.za all over again
The worst part is that they disable your account after about 3 months and then force you to "update" those 3 pages of register info again !!
This service is a no starter - Gardale Solutions get out while you can
The worst part is that they disable your account after about 3 months and then force you to "update" those 3 pages of register info again !!
This service is a no starter - Gardale Solutions get out while you can
vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
Agree, they really don't have any chance of pulling this off. All this gives is a nice opportunity for the Google lawyers to justify their retainers.
Last edited:
rwenzori
Honorary Master
Yes - of course you are right about the dispute. I see co.za is now returning whois on the domain - first registration 2003-07-28. The privatesale.co.za dispute might also be relevant, depending on how one reads "gmail".
Thanks Ant_Brooks!
rwenzori
Honorary Master
But you ARE a 17-year old techy-teen.
I am too, hey!
At least registering as "under-age" cut a lot of the insidious questions it seems LOL!
Chris_H
Expert Member
Basjohn
Expert Member
I work for Gardale myself (but in no way do my views represent theirs and should not be quoted as if they do bla bla bla other stuff to not get me fired goes here) and when I first heard about this quite some time ago I was told that the company actually had the domain since before Gmail itself was running.
True? Not True? I'll be damned if I know but if it is they're pretty damn safe legally speaking.
True? Not True? I'll be damned if I know but if it is they're pretty damn safe legally speaking.
Last edited:
That might be the case, but it is still unethical to now start a similar "service" with the same name. You are still riding on the success of Google's Gmail service.
Basjohn
Expert Member
Ah well the only thing I can say about that is that Gardale has a history of the G-brand itself. Gdevelop, Gsolutions, Gsupport, Gbackup and so on so I *assume* Gmail was simply following those lines.
Of course I'm about as far from the PR department as one can be so I really can't console the masses about the company's reasoning for this, just letting people have a bit more of an insiders view.
Of course I'm about as far from the PR department as one can be so I really can't console the masses about the company's reasoning for this, just letting people have a bit more of an insiders view.
medicnick83
Paramedic
This whole Gmail.co.za is just Webmail.co.za again.
I wonder what Google will have to say about this!
I wonder what Google will have to say about this!
vodacom3g
Vodacom Representative
Actually not.
Registering a domain without actually running a service on it is called parking and was very popular a few years ago. You register the domain, park it and hope to sell it later on. Nowadays this won't fly.
Running a similar service using a similar domain name can be seen as 'passing off' and again nowadays won't fly legally. The mxit case, for example.
If these guys registered the domain in 2003 (which seems to be the case) and have been running a commercial webmail service on it since then, they would have had a very strong case. (And they could take Google on for passing off!)
But to only now launch the service on that domain name after Google's offering became so well know, is going to be difficult to prove no intent on riding on Google Mail's hype.
bekdik
Honorary Master
The site gets very unhappy ifyou don't give them a cell number and equally upset if you don't choose a product category. So I'm guessing that if you sign up, not only are you going to get email spam, your cell's inbox will also be filled to overflowing.