Sun Microsystems Inc. Sues For "Sun" Domain Names Sun Microsystems is not happy about Domain name scalpers. So much so, they've filed a lawsuit in Paris, France, against the owner of the domain names www.sunhosting.com and www.sunhosting.net, Mr. Alexandre Ouaknine. In the lawsuit, Sun Microsystems lawyers claim that Mr. Ouaknine's web site was an attempt to manipulate Internet surfers into thinking that they were on a web site affiliated to Sun Microsystems. Mr. Ouaknine's web site contained the Sun Microsystems logo and used the term "The Sun Microsystems dedicated server specialist". Sun Microsystems lawyers believe that this constituted fraud and are asking the French court to force Mr. Ouaknine to relinquish the domain names and pay damages in the amount of no less than US$90,000. Sun Microsystems claim to have a registered trademark on the word "sun", making in their opinion the use of the word "sunhosting" a copyright infringement. "This is nonsense and I will fight them (Sun Microsystems Inc.) with my last breath." said Mr. Alexandre Ouaknine, CEO of SunHosting in Canada. "The word "sun" cannot be owned by anybody and thousands of web hosting companies on the Internet use the Sun Microsystems logo on their web site. In theory, they could face a legal battle and potential fines of over US$100,000. Sun Microsystems requested that I cease to use their logo and their name on my web site. Although I was under no obligation to do so, nevertheless I complied immediately. As a result, this lawsuit against me is totally unjustified. I wrote to Mr. Scott McNealy, chairman and CEO of Sun Microsystems and did my best to settle this misunderstanding professionally, but Mr. McNealy has chosen to use the legal system in an attempt to crush a small entrepreneur like myself. He never even considered meeting me and settling his problems reasonably." According to Richard Holden Q.C., legal counsel for Mr. Alexandre Ouaknine, "This is the new millennium version of the classic David vs. Goliath struggle. If not for those domain names, Sun Microsystems would have never bothered with my client Mr. Ouaknine. I suspect that Sun Microsystems might want to enter the web hosting business and these domain names would be a perfect fit for their new business." http://www.sunhosting.org. Sun Hosting Web Design, Business, Internet, Web, ISP, graphics utilities, html, - (11/28/99) Back to the Topic Index