Here is the start of a thread that I found at:
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=89651It is an advert for a Flash
developer for this company.


Academia.edu, currently in beta, is a San Francisco-based social networking
site for academics. The founders are from Oxford and Stanford. Academia.edu
has raised venture funding from some of the leading investors in Europe:

 - Saul Klein (the 'Ron Conway' of Europe)
 - Brent Hoberman (founder of Lastminute.com which was acquired for $1bn)
 - Oxford University
 - NewMedia Spark (UK VC firm)
 - Hugo Burge and David Soskin (founders of Cheapflights.com)

We're planning a really cool Flash application for Academia.edu. Version 1
of the app should take approximately a month. We're looking to hire a Flash
developer to code the app. Initially we are looking to hire on a contract
basis, but if things go well (we hope they will), we'd want to make an offer
for a permanent position.

Candidates must:

 - Have CS background or equivalent experience
 - Have 1 year+ Flash experience
 - Be passionate about developing great products

Academia.edu is in Rails - you'll need to be able to handle the interactions
between Rails and Flash. We'd prefer it if you were in San Francisco, as we
can then discuss the app in person, but we'll definitely consider candidates
outside of San Francisco. We want to work with the best people, wherever
they are.

If you could be interested in building a cool Flash application, send
Richard an email at richard -at- academia.edu

 The reply comes:


QUESTIONER: how did you manage to bend the .edu registration rules?
per http://www.educause.edu/edudomain/eligibility.asp : "Only postsecondary
institutions that are institutionally accredited by an agency on the U.S.
Department of Education's list of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies
(see recognized accrediting bodies) may obtain an Internet name in the .edu
domain."
I am aware that "[a]ll institutions holding names as of October 29, 2001 in
the .edu domain will be allowed to keep them without regard to institutional
eligibility requirements at this time." but am sure that this would not
cover the sale of an .edu domain to a startup company not engaged in
education per se.
Care to clarify?


ACADEMIA ANSWERS: Sure - our company registered the domain before 2001 (in
1999).



QUESTIONER: This cannot be true since your company Academia Inc. was not
incorporated until 11/14/2006.
reply

ACADEMIA ANSWERS: Our organization registered the domain in '99 and
incorporated in '06.
reply

-- 

I feel little put out as I gave up my personal details on the assumption
that this was some kind of academic project (as suggested by the .edu domain
name), rather than a commercial venture.  Why would a business want to
launch under a .edu domain?

I would rather that the Academia corporation had been more direct about its
intention in its email to this list.  Instead of laying out the deal, the
author of the email starts out by laying out his academic credentials.  He
says that he launched the website.  This is a true statement, but he may not
have built it.  Perhaps a Flash 'Rock Star' on $80k, (with stock options)
did.  He has also sent this email from his Oxford University email address.
 Oxford University is a powerful and trusted brand.  What are we to think?
 Is it assumed that we do not think?



David.


--
David Kane
Systems Librarian
Waterford Institute of Technology
http://library.wit.ie/
T: ++353.51302838
M: ++353.876693212