Author	Message
bobbber	Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:41 am    Post subject: This is a long term project John... don't expect to see it very soon. I purchased the URL a while ago... and didn't think about it until now. Bob
john 33_16v	Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:09 am    Post subject: bobbber wrote: Oh balls : http://www.alfa33parts.co.uk Will my new project cause problems too? Bob You could argue that your site is for selling very cheap paintings. All for 33p arts! Someone went as far as court with google when they had registered 'google' with a funny extension or something. They argued that they were going to do an adult site called 'go ogle'! Google won! justsuds - specialists in washing powder! How long 'til alfa33parts.co.uk ready bobbber? What's the plan, selling new /used parts yourself? Cheers, John
bobbber	Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:23 am    Post subject: They are not the makers of our 33s... they are FIAT!
BigAl	Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:49 pm    Post subject: John 33_16v How the heck can they say or do that as Quote: I actually registered alfa147.co.uk, about a year before the 147 came out so in fact one could argue that they were in breach of trademark towards you! They should have kindly asked you to offer it to them or to buy it off you. Are you sure they weren’t bluffing, I heard that Microsoft forgot to renew their uk domain one year, someone bought it, then reminded the hotmail people on several occasions and then they finally asked him for the domain. That person could have sold it to them for a lot, but didn’t. I am no lawyer but that bullying attitude sucks, especially from makers of our beloved 33’s Many people register domain names based solely on them being used in the future by companies and they then sell them onto them, if they choose to do so.
bobbber	Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 6:18 pm    Post subject: Oh balls : http://www.alfa33parts.co.uk Will my new project cause problems too? Bob
john 33_16v	Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:07 pm    Post subject: Hi, That exhaust reminds me of the film 'the odessa file'. Film buffs will know what i mean- it's not nice. Bobbber, google are a law unto themselves with adwords, i've had a few pulled, though not for trademark issues. Chances are some sad case actually reported you to google for it. I actually registered alfa147.co.uk, about a year before the 147 came out, don't know why, it was just available, i think. Anyway when alfa were about to launch in the uk, i got one of the most threatening letters i've ever had from a big London Law firm representing Fiat. To cut a long story short, i was in breach of their trademark, and gave up the domain, which they went on to use in all their ads. The whizz kid solicitor had been having a good sniff about, and realised that i also had a bunch of other domains like alfasales.com and alfaparts.co.uk (COMING SOON PERHAPS!). These didn't breach trademark so they couldn't do anything as long as i didn't 'pass off' any website as being connected to AR. 'Alfa' it self isn't a trademark as far as i know, else businesses such as alfashop would have been in hot water years ago. I think i heared that BMW went after 'minispares' before the bmw mini was launched, but failed. Minispares had been trading for decades before the germans asset stripped Austin Rover. John
bobbber	Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:20 pm    Post subject: I'm a little confused at the moment with it anyhow. It's not Alfa having the problem... it's Google. The interesting question is "how can I advertise it without using the trademark, when that's what it is"????? What about selling my GTV??? Can I not say on that advert that it's an Alfa Romeo? Bob
gritsop	Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:34 am    Post subject: If we were at the 70s we would have been honored by Alfa. Nowdays marketing people have taken over and they simply enforce the law of copyright. I am sure that they would not know the existance of boxer Alfas Regards,
Ben_nz	Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:37 am    Post subject: What? Unauthorised use of the trademark for the devious purpose of facilitating Alfa Romeo ownership and encouraging enthusiasm for the brand?
bobbber	Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:33 am    Post subject: Nice one Rich! I *LOVE* the custom exhaust mounting in the third photo! Talking about Alfa Restoration... I pay Google a packet of my own money each month to promote my site - I get nothing back for this. Guess what?!??! My account's been suspended for "unauthorized use of the Alfa Romeo Trademark" !!!!! Seems strange.... Might chase Alfa and see if they will give me the rights to use it. Poo. Bob
Rich B	Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:54 pm    Post subject: restoration of 33 found this link, worth a look.... http://www.twthieme.nl/Alfa-Romeo-Restoration-33-Red.html