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Once a domain is registered by one of these hijackers, it is difficult to prevail in a dispute rather than pay the "ransom." They fight back hard. If you want to see how difficult it is to prevail against one of these guys at ICANN, take a look at this http://www.arb-forum.com/domains/decisions/330494.htm This is a dispute at ICANN brought against COMPANA, LLC, President Jeff Baron. This is the same outfit that currently owns britishmuseum.com. COMPANA registered docfind.com right after the domain expired. The name DOCFIND had been a registered trademark for 7 years! The trademark owner of DOCFIND filed a dispute with ICANN for transfer of the name. It is scary to see the hoops and the documentation the DOCFIND owner was required to present and the strength of the rebuttal from COMPANA. In this case, DOCFIND prevailed. But, in many cases, it doesn't turn out that way. The hurdle is very high to get ICANN to force a domain transfer. Chuck -----Original Message----- From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Matthew Cock Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 12:41 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: In my 'umble view, web-names ARE all-important .... Align all brand-names. RE: The use of .com domain for UK museums We are in the process of trying to acquire .com, but it is not proving simple. - can't go into details on list, as it involves lawyers... We recently changed from .ac.uk to .org, and got rid of a redundant 'the'. We're recovering from the google dip, and that only occurred because our new domain name had been used by a previous owner as a spam site. Best. Matthew Head of Web | Department of Learning and Audiences | The British Museum | britishmuseum.org sent from blackberry: 07971 433841 -----Original Message----- From: Museums Computer Group <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tue Nov 27 16:28:48 2007 Subject: Re: In my 'umble view, web-names ARE all-important .... Align all brand-names. RE: The use of .com domain for UK museums Hi folks We did the "multibuy" of .com .co.uk .org.uk under our old domain and as far as I know this *is* continuing with the new one. I've seen multiple domains being used to catch people who are then redirected to an actual web site. Interestingly, I found that even though britishmuseum.org and britishmuseum.co.uk are registered by the British Museum, britishmuseum.com isn't! Michael > -----Original Message----- > From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of Mike Ellis > Sent: 27 November 2007 15:53 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: In my 'umble view, web-names ARE all-important > .... Align all brand-names. RE: The use of .com domain for UK museums > > I couldn't agree more about buying all possible permutations > of your domain name, but it's vital to only use one - > consistently - in any of your marketing. > > Keeping domain names short and memorable is also a good > thing, and helps reinforce brand identity, but I'd argue that > Google findability is way more crucial and will ultimately > get your site more traffic... > > Cheers > > Mike > > ________________________________ > > Mike Ellis > Solutions Architect > > Eduserv > [log in to unmask] > tel: 01225 474300 > fax: 01225 474301 > www.eduserv.org.uk > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > John Bibby > Sent: 27 November 2007 15:45 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: In my 'umble view, web-names ARE all-important .... Align all > brand-names. RE: The use of .com domain for UK museums > > My 'umble view is that web-names are all-important. > > It is important to align your web-name with your brand name. > e.g. if you > are > Xtown museums then stick to this - or if you use something more snazzy > e.g. > Xmus.com, then make sure you also register the other names that people > might > use. > > The costs of registering domain names is very small - about > 5p per day. > So I > would keep all possible aliases (including earlier URLs) and provide > automatic links to the correct URL (giving automatic reminders asking > users > to update). > > Should you book .com ? > I would say definitely YES - even if it is not your main site. > If you do not, somebody else (one of your competitors?) might use it. > > What would you give for M&S.com ? My kids Matthew and Shirley hope to > get > there before you! :) > > JOHN BIBBY > > -----Original Message----- > From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of > Michael Comiskey > Sent: 27 November 2007 14:40 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: The use of .com domain for UK museums > > Hi Mike > > I don't have anything to do with this. > > I was informed of the decision today by our ICT Manager who > presented it > as something he had been told to implement. > > I'm not sure it is a good idea myself, but it is out of my hands. > > Michael > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > > Behalf Of Mike Ellis > > Sent: 27 Novembr 2007 14:25 > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: The use of .com domain for UK museums > > > > Hi Michael > > > > I don't think there's any difference at all between .com and > > .org.uk, and certainly not in wider public perception (which > > is the important thing...). You'll probably hear some noise > > around the fact that .com is considered US or commerce based, > > but I think that's legacy noise rather than anything with any > > real bearing to where we are today. The "uk" bit of your > > domain may still be considered important, though, but again > > that's really personal preference rather than anything else. > > As someone who does this stuff all day I do have a tendency > > to look at a domain and say "ooh, a UK based company" but to > > be honest 1) having that domain doesn't mean it's true and 2) > > Most people won't even look at the address bar - they'll just > > go for the first result in Google... > > > > At the end of the day, the SEO and findability of your site > > is way, way more important than the domain name, and that's > > where your question raises some danger flags. Moving a domain > > name is a dangerous business if you've already established a > > good page rank and SEO. At the end of the day if the only > > thing you're changing is the TLD (the .com / .org.uk bit of > > your domain) then the question really is - if it ain't broke, > > why fix it? > > > > If instead the change is universal - as your email suggests - > > and you're actually renaming the whole brand, then my vote is > > that it doesn't make any difference at all - go with > > something short and memorable before the TLD and whichever > > your preference after it. Make sure you have a sensible > > procedure for managing the change, though - redirects, > > communicating the change, only marketing one url, etc etc... > > > > Cheers > > > > Mike > > > > Ps. It'll cost you a little more each year for .com. May or > > may not be a consideration :-) > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > Mike Ellis > > Solutions Architect > > > > Eduserv > > [log in to unmask] > > tel: 01225 474300 > > fax: 01225 474301 > > www.eduserv.org.uk > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of > > Michael Comiskey > > Sent: 27 November 2007 14:15 > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: The use of .com domain for UK museums > > > > Hi all > > > > I have an enquiry about how .com addresses are regarded by museum > > professionals and the general public. > > > > I have heard that my organisation is moving to the use of a > > .com suffix > > (away from org.uk)as part of an overall name change. > > > > Are there any UK museums using .com as part of their main > > organisational > > web address or for email addresses (as opposed to trading > companies or > > shops)? > > > > If so, why was a .com chosen? > > > > Michael > > > > ************************************************************** > > ********** > > > > > > National Museums Northern Ireland comprises the Ulster > Museum, Ulster > > Folk and Transport Museum, Ulster American Folk Park, Armagh County > > Museum and W5. > > > > The Ulster Museum is currently closed for major > > redevelopment. Details > > of the museum's programme of outreach activities during > closure can be > > found at www.ulstermuseum.org.uk. > > > > All our other sites are open as normal. > > > > > > Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not > necessarily > > those of the National Museums Northern Ireland. This email > > and any files > > transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the > > individual or > > entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received > this email in > > error please notify the sender immediately by using the > reply facility > > in your email software. > > > > All emails are swept for the presence of viruses. > > > > ************************************************************** > > ********** > > > > ************************************************** > > For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the > list, visit > > the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk > > ************************************************** > > > > > > > > Unless otherwise agreed expressly in writing by a senior manager of > > Eduserv, this communication is to be treated as confidential and the > > information in it may not be used or disclosed except for > the purpose > > for which it has been sent. > > If you have reason to believe that you are not the intended > recipient > > of this communication, please contact the sender immediately. > > No employee or agent is authorised to enter into any > binding agreement > > or contract on behalf of Eduserv or Eduserv Technologies > Ltd., unless > > that agreement is subsequently confirmed by the conclusion of > > a written > > contract or the issue of a purchase order. > > Eduserv (Limited by Guarantee) - company number 3763109 - and > > Eduserv Technologies Ltd - company number - 4256630 - are both > > companies incorporated in England and Wales and have their > registered > > offices at Queen Anne House, 11 Charlotte Street, Bath, BA1 2NE. > > > > > > ************************************************** > > For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the > > list, visit the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk > > ************************************************** > > > > ************************************************************** > ********** > > National Museums Northern Ireland comprises the Ulster Museum, Ulster > Folk > and Transport Museum, Ulster American Folk Park, Armagh County Museum > and > W5. > > The Ulster Museum is currently closed for major > redevelopment. Details > of > the museum's programme of outreach activities during closure can be > found at > www.ulstermuseum.org.uk. > > All our other sites are open as normal. > > > Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily > those > of the National Museums Northern Ireland. This email and any files > transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the > individual or > entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in > error > please notify the sender immediately by using the reply > facility in your > email software. > > All emails are swept for the presence of viruses. > > ************************************************************** > ********** > > ************************************************** > For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit > the > website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk > ************************************************** > > ************************************************** > For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit > the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk > ************************************************** > > > > Unless otherwise agreed expressly in writing by a senior manager of > Eduserv, this communication is to be treated as confidential and the > information in it may not be used or disclosed except for the purpose > for which it has been sent. > If you have reason to believe that you are not the intended recipient > of this communication, please contact the sender immediately. > No employee or agent is authorised to enter into any binding agreement > or contract on behalf of Eduserv or Eduserv Technologies Ltd., unless > that agreement is subsequently confirmed by the conclusion of > a written > contract or the issue of a purchase order. > Eduserv (Limited by Guarantee) - company number 3763109 - and > Eduserv Technologies Ltd - company number - 4256630 - are both > companies incorporated in England and Wales and have their registered > offices at Queen Anne House, 11 Charlotte Street, Bath, BA1 2NE. > > > ************************************************** > For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the > list, visit the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk > ************************************************** > ************************************************************************ National Museums Northern Ireland comprises the Ulster Museum, Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Ulster American Folk Park, Armagh County Museum and W5. The Ulster Museum is currently closed for major redevelopment. Details of the museum's programme of outreach activities during closure can be found at www.ulstermuseum.org.uk. All our other sites are open as normal. Any views expressed by the sender of this message are not necessarily those of the National Museums Northern Ireland. This email and any files transmitted with it are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the sender immediately by using the reply facility in your email software. All emails are swept for the presence of viruses. ************************************************************************ ************************************************** For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk ************************************************** The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army Until 6 April 2008 BOOK TICKETS +44 (0)20 7323 8181 www.britishmuseum.org ************************************************** For mcg information and to manage your subscription to the list, visit the website at http://www.museumscomputergroup.org.uk **************************************************