Replying to Nameless Kiwis

I just found this on cbc.ca, it's kinda funny.

New Zealand loses its name to Internet
Last Updated Fri, 20 Dec 2002 16:08:35
GENEVA - New Zealand has lost its name and all the queen's horses and all the queen's men can do nothing about it.

As far as the Internet is concerned, the domain name 'newzealand.com' is owned by an American operation called Virtual Countries, based in Seattle. Virtual Countries runs an operation offering advice for tourists and immigrants.

New Zealand tried its best to wrest control of its own name from Virtual Countries. They even enlisted the help of Queen Elizabeth II, who filed a case against Virtual Countries, acting as New Zealand's trustee.

Alas, no dice.

The World Intellectual Property Organization ruled Friday that Virtual Countries has the exclusive right to use 'newzealand.com.' New Zealand lost out on its own name because it failed to register it as a trademark.

New Zealand has 10 days to appeal the decision.



Written by CBC News Online staff


'we need lectures from people, not from soviet canuckistan'-american 'intellect'