Welcome to Canada – we don’t lock our doors eh?
Adam Dicker, owner of popular domain name forum DNForum.com is both an established domain entrepreneur and a Canadian.
For almost a decade, Adam provides thousands of domain owners with the digital arena to exchange ideas and to buy and sell domains.
It came as a big surprise that a former DNForum member and fellow Canadian launched a similar domain forum on DNF.ca
Adam Dicker owns both DNF.com and DNForum.ca along with trademarks for “DNforum.com” and “DNForum.com – The Place to Talk Domains.”
Today, Adam announced that anyone who felt misguided by the resemblance and functionality of the DNF.ca web site is invited to come forward via email:
Confusion between dnf.com and dnf .ca ?
Please email me at [email] if you were at all confused with dnf.com and the domain forum that opened with a similar name and topic at dnf .ca
Confusion would include that you thought we owned it or felt it was part of dnf.com or an extension of dnforum.com
This is for an upcoming court case that has been filed.
Thanks,
Adam
Capitalizing on one’s marks, fame and effort is valid reason for litigation, and Adam Dicker is doing exactly that, in order to protect his brand and business.
Definitely not good news for the other party as the legal proceedings will be held in their native country of Canada.
Good scoop, and great drama.
Drama is the quintessential element of domaining 😀
Looks like dnforum is down now.
Very odd timing.
DNForum’s still down until now. Sheesh.
We can all hang out at DNF.ca – NOT! 😀
DNF.ca can’t handle a man of your stature. Stay where you are.
Samer – Sorry to hear that you’re under Adam’s guns. Best of luck, my stature salutes you.
Thanks for your kind words. Appreciate it.
Samar – We need the scoop: will you settle out of court with Adam? It’s embarrassing to have a civil war among Canadian domainers.
Samer, Pick another domain and be done with this. Build a name for your forum on its own merit not mine. I would even welcome you back into dnforum, do the right thing.
Samar, I am sure Adam is willing to make you a fair offer on your domain, you should take it, and rebrand.
Dear Adam,
Your actions smack of “trademark bullying”.
Forwarding DNF.com to DNforum.com doesn’t
mean you are exclusively entitled to the name “DNF”.
And above all, “DN forum” is merely descriptive of a “domain name forum” which you have no right to monopolize. Even your USPTO has not yet matured into a full TM.
Why didn’t you choose something like “Adam’s List” if you wanted name exclusivity?
Hitting all the articiles are you undcer the same alias…
Same comment for you…..
@Bullywatch:
Typically posting behind and alias, gee I wonder who it is.
I think I’ll let the Supreme Court of Ontario decide rather than you. roflmfao!
Have a great day!
Dear Adam,
Lecturing someone that they should build their reputation on the merit of their own name is far more laughable when the phrase “domain name forum” isn’t yours exclusively to begin with. It belongs equally to everyone in the public domain, and you have no exclusive right to preclude others from referring to their similar business with a purely descriptive name that affords no TM protection.
A lot of others who have discussed your claim privately agree with this assertion and know what the obvious outcome will be.
The fact that you have not refuted any of my points so far and instead focus on irrelevant points speaks volumes to all here who are witnessing your silence.
Sincerely,
BullyWatch
BullyWatch – Following your logic then why is “Minneapolis Plastic Surgery” a registered mark?
Hi Lucius,
Because the USPTO is satisfied that “Minneapolis Plastic Surgery” is used exclusively by them, and it has acquired secondary meaning, unlike the phrase “domain name forum” which is not used exclusively by Adam.
Sincerely,
BullyWatch
BullyWatch – Exclusivity is not necessary to allocate a mark, but rather, consistency of use in commerce and of course timing e.g. who used it first in that context for commercial purposes.
Lucius – Can you give an example where a mark is being shared by multiple entities for the same goods and services?
BullyWatch – I’d rather you gave us an example of use in commerce for Adam’s tm that predates his. Not to mention that DNForum *is* effectively the oldest active “domain name forum” so even the generic use of the terms is owned by DNForum.
Hi Lucius,
Does Adam have an exclusive TM for “domain name forum”?
Please provide evidence of that in the form of links to whatever trademark office website it’s at.
Thank you,
BullyWatch
BullyWatch – I think you need to save the arguments for the court hearing or whoever pays you to post as “devil’s advocate”.