freecad.org domain

[jmaustpc]

Also we should have been discussing this privately, not on the public forum where a simple Google search can find this conversation and hence tell them that we may possibly pay for something that we possibly could (and probably should) be getting for free.

[yorik]

Also we should have been discussing this privately

Yes but with who? Everybody is entitled to give an opinion, and I think this is best treated with transparency...

In any case, it is obvious by reading all the comments here that nobody wants to enter a price race. I think we should define what money we are willing, as a community, to put into buying that domain, and if they don't like it, they will keep their domain and good luck to sell it to anybody else. It would even be a hassle for someone else to own that domain, they would be quickly flooded with "where can I download FreeCAD?" requests

I think by reading all your comments, US$100 would be a good offer to do, right? It is true that there might be a legal way to get it for free, but who is going to launch a legal battle for it? How could we prove that we are entitled to it? And if you think of it, Free and CAD are generic, public words and not a trademark or anything...

Or we can just do nothing and forget about the whole thing. But personally I'd be willing to put a couple of bucks to reach something like US$100.

[jmaustpc]

Also we should have been discussing this privately

Yes but with who? Everybody is entitled to give an opinion, and I think this is best treated with transparency...

In any case, it is obvious by reading all the comments here that nobody wants to enter a price race. I think we should define what money we are willing, as a community, to put into buying that domain, and if they don't like it, they will keep their domain and good luck to sell it to anybody else. It would even be a hassle for someone else to own that domain, they would be quickly flooded with "where can I download FreeCAD?" requests

I think by reading all your comments, US$100 would be a good offer to do, right? It is true that there might be a legal way to get it for free, but who is going to launch a legal battle for it? How could we prove that we are entitled to it? And if you think of it, Free and CAD are generic, public words and not a trademark or anything...

Or we can just do nothing and forget about the whole thing. But personally I'd be willing to put a couple of bucks to reach something like US$100.

I think you should start by asking for it for free and then, if you want to, negotiate upwards from there if they do not accept the lower request/offer.

My point about the public discussion is that by making this public you are telling them what our top negotiating point is hence they can easily just insist on us paying what we have publicly stated is our maximum negotiation point. Very bad from a negotiating point of view.......

The owner will be paying something for the maintenance of this domain for apparently little advantage, so they may well be happy to donate it to our "worthy cause" since we are an open source project.

[bejant]

Instead of buying something like that domain name I think money would be better spent by trademarking the FreeCAD name and logo to one of the 3 main devs, or to the FreeCAD community. After that has been done I'd suggest reporting this cybersquatting of the FreeCAD name to the registrar:

Dispute proceedings arising from alleged abusive registrations of domain names (for example, cybersquatting) may be initiated by a holder of trademark rights.

[jmaustpc]

out of curiosity I just tried searching FreeCAD in the Australian Business names registry and the Australian IP registry (for trade marks), they both find none which means "FreeCAD" is likely available as a business name or trademark in Australia.

https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/Regis ... 9w8w763k_4

https://search.ipaustralia.gov.au/trade ... ?q=freecad

but you do have to be a legal entity to apply for them, e.g. company, individual, not-for-profit, club, etc.

[easyw-fc]

Instead of buying something like that domain name I think money would be better spent by trademarking the FreeCAD name and logo to one of the 3 main devs, or to the FreeCAD community. After that has been done I'd suggest reporting this cybersquatting of the FreeCAD name to the registrar:

I don't think it would be possible to act against a registered domain, where the domain was registered before that the trade mark has been registered...
Searching the web for FreeCad is pointing to the right web site anyway, so I think the domain is something not valuable atm anyway

[chrisb]

but you do have to be a legal entity to apply for them, e.g. company, individual, not-for-profit, club, etc.

You are the Australien individual, you are in good company of developers and helpers who do it not-for-profit. Why not have an Australien FreeCAD? If someone denies it he'll get clubbered.

[saso]

I don't think it would be possible to act against a registered domain, where the domain was registered before that the trade mark has been registered...

I also think so... Besides, I don't think getting an trademark is easy or cheap

[PrzemoF]

I don't think it would be possible to act against a registered domain, where the domain was registered before that the trade mark has been registered...

I also think so... Besides, I don't think getting an trademark is easy or cheap

https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/apply-now
https://euipo.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/fees-and-payments

Looks like it's in a range of 850 euro for 10 years (I didn't read it all). I'm ready to throw some cash behind it if the application goes ahead.

[pablogil]

Honestly I think you guys are crazy to "start" with offering any amount. I would just ask them to donate it, as FreeCAD is open source. They don't appear to be using it for anything, it just redirects so some seemingly useless search site "www.searchstarters.com", whatever that is.

It's not bad idea, hehehe, the "starting price" could be "donation"