RE: Search400 blackmail?

[Eric Kempter <eric.kempter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One would think that would be trademark infringement.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tim McCarthy [SMTP:TimM@softwarejungle.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 2:17 PM
> To:   'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
> Subject:      RE: Search400 blackmail?
> 
> Brad I'm not talking about ordinary banner linked keywords. The threat
> is that they'll sell OUR company name and OUR product names to a
> competitor as a banner. If one of our names gets keyed in a search then
> competitor's ad gets displayed...unless of course we pay them money to
> reserve our own trademarks as protected keywords. There are a number of
> lawsuits pending in this area so this is a contentious issue but what
> frosts me is that we're already a customer and we already pay for
> generic application keywords. 
> 
> TrailBlazer Systems, Inc.
> http://www.as400ftp.com
> AS/400 Communications & E-Commerce Solutions
> 
> Chaos, panic, & disorder - my work here is done.
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:       Stone, Brad V (TC) [SMTP:bvstone@taylorcorp.com]
> > Sent:       Wednesday, December 15, 1999 12:41 PM
> > To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
> > Subject:    RE: Search400 blackmail?
> > 
> > Blackmail?  No... it sounds like what everyone else is doing.  Even
> > Deja.com.  If you are searching comp.sys.ibm.as400.misc, you get
> > AS/400
> > banner ads on the page.
> > 
> > Unless they have already sold you a contract to have your banner ads
> > on
> > specific pages, then I'd say it's a new opportunity.  
> > 
> > One could argue, of course, that each new screen that displays search
> > results is a unique page, therefore they are not obligated to use your
> > banner on these pages if only specific pages were mentioned in the
> > contract.
> > 
> > Personally, I think banner ads are a waste of time.  Second,
> > Search400's
> > engine blows.  Search for one word, like IPDS, and you get hundreds of
> > hits,
> > when only the first couple may relate, and the rest just happen to
> > have
> > "AS/400" in them.
> > 
> > Save your money.  Advertise where you see the most revenue coming in
> > from.
> > I would rather buy this type of banner add on Deja.com or the new
> > newsgroup
> > search engine (the name slips my mind).  No one can match the info
> > provided
> > at Deja or the Midrange-L archives.
> > 
> > Bradley V. Stone
> > BVS/Tools - www.bvstools.com
> > Netshare400 - www.netshare400.com
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Tim McCarthy [mailto:TimM@softwarejungle.com]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999 2:11 PM
> > > To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
> > > Subject: Search400 blackmail?
> > > 
> > > 
> > > I'd be interested in any other software vendors opinion of this item
> > > received from Search400. Bear in mind that our company is a
> > search400
> > > customer - we place banner ads with them. Does this not sound like a
> > > form of blackmail?
> > > 
> > > >Search400.com has had vendors approach us about buying 
> > > search keywords
> > > >that are their competitors' company name or product name.  Here's a
> > > >fictional example --  Microsoft might buy the keywords "IBM" and
> > > >"AS/400" so that all user searches on these terms will result in a
> > > >Microsoft banner above Web results relevant to IBM and AS/400. 
> > > 
> > > >This is not an uncommon occurrance on other search engines.  For
> > > >example, Yahoo regularly sells keyword banners associated 
> > > with company
> > > >names to either the company or their competitors.
> > > 
> > > >Before we begin to accept these orders, we want to offer you the
> > > >opportunity to lock up the keywords for the name of your company
> > and
> > > >products.  We've developed a special vendor keyword package where
> > you
> > > >can buy your company name and three of your company's 
> > > product names for
> > > >only $250 per month. This special is effective until December 31st.
> > 
> > > 
> > > >If you're interested in taking advantage of this special offer> 
> > please
> > > >call me or reply to this email.  We will not accept any insertion
> > > >orders for competitive "keyword" names until January.
> > >   
> > > 
> > > TrailBlazer Systems, Inc.
> > > http://www.as400ftp.com
> > > AS/400 Communications & E-Commerce Solutions
> > > 
> > > Chaos, panic, & disorder - my work here is done.
> > > 
> > > 
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