Comments on: Mannheim City: Threatening to sue to Join Twitter

By: VS

VS — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 22:49:26 +0000

The city certainly has a point. Their approach is childish. They contact and threaten you to give up a Twitter Account name? If it was a generous letter written by an official asking to volunteer and give that name for the sake of the city, I am sure it would have been theirs by now. There is no reason for why you shouldn’t repeal.

By: Péter

Péter — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:42:14 +0000

I think that the best idea would be to cede your twitter account to the city of Mannheim in exchange for a certain amount of money.
We, Mikogo users don’t pay you, so this would be a great chance to support the development of your software. Then, you can open a new account on Twitter under the name of…Mikogo.

By: Kostenfreies Screen Sharing mit Mikogo | Blogpiloten.de - das Beste aus Blogs, Videos, Musik und Web 2.0

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:55:43 +0000

[...] und wartet sogar mit Fernbedienbarkeit des Rechners auf. Im Rahmen der (mittlerweile beigelegten) Auseinandersetzung um den Twitter-Account @mannheim hat Mikogo einige Publicity bekommen. Es wird also Zeit, den Dienst genau unter die Lupe zu nehmen. [...]

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:00:24 +0000

Just tell them that the Twitter name is a direct reference to the band Mannheim Steamroller and that you are a die hard supporter of such band. The fact that your company resides in Mannheim, Germany is beside the point. However, as Paul (Jan 22) mentioned, offer them a deal to buy the Twitter name from you. I think, in the judge’s eyes, it would be an amicable solution, as you’d be calling their bluff. They’re just mad because Mark thought of it first. I’d counter-sue!!!

By: Roger

Roger — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:09:06 +0000

I hope you keep your blog posts up so a year from now when your agreement runs out and they try to sue again, you will have the starting word on big government takeover.

By: Rob Man

Rob Man — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:53:50 +0000

Hey, yeah, Sanjay, because you know that a town is actually a brand name. In fact, just the other day I went to go pick up a bottle of Mannheim at the shop, when I found the weirdest thing! There was a box of soap also called Manheim!!!

You gave up your domain too soon, my friend. If you had waited until this happened to Mikogo, who actually have a healthy pair down there, maybe you would still have it.

And to people who say this isn’t important, of course it is! What if you owned a saurkraut frankfurter shop called Mannheim Frankfuters & Saurkraut, and you wanted to make a website?????

And last, I suggest that everyone in this forum go and make a twitter account called Mannheim_221 etc. That would be a pretty awesome way to shove it in their faces.

By: LadysHoodJournal

LadysHoodJournal — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:41:42 +0000

My name is Ladies’ Hood Journal and fortuantely Ladies’ Home Journal; there is room in the digital world for similarity in usernames. Keep fighting to hold your corner in the sky.
Sincerely,
Ladies’ Hood Journal Reporting from Twitter

By: Tim Jones

Tim Jones — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:44:58 +0000

Sounds like a legal team is trying to justify their existence – ridiculous!

One would rather have hoped that the city fathers would have been glad that someone doing something useful felt positive enough about the city to use it as a handle.

By: Sanjay Sauldie

Sanjay Sauldie — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:58:13 +0000

Dear friends,

a brand name has a worth here in Germany – and the cities have a right for theri brand name, because it is handled here in Germany like that – i had to give up a domain with mannheim in it, because the city wanted it like that – and I am settled in Mannheim!

So, guys, good luck!

By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:01:16 +0000

You should give the name Mannheim back to the city, where it belongs.
I don’t understand the fuss, that YOU are making about this.

Would any of the US guys here be ok, if I created a twitter account “NewYork” or “UnitedStates”? Think about it, this would be weird behaviour!

Change your name to “MarkInMannheim” or anything else, that pleases you.
And stop whining.

By: Ballin

Ballin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:24:58 +0000

Well did they ask mano to use the name to get “Mannenheim” “Home of Manno”? from what i read its sounds like a cool city, bt seriously… I think its a publicity stunt or something. So lil wayne can bring a civil action against me for using “young moola baby” as my user and display name on chat rooms. Thats just crazy.

By: Laurian Gridinoc

Laurian Gridinoc — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:29:00 +0000

Change your username, and have an foreign user, let’s say from Japan register it immediately; see if they will call the Interpol

By: David Belfort

David Belfort — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:57:58 +0000

I have Prepaid Legal Services for this and the same for small business here in America. I understand that the Founder of PPL got the idea for PPL because in some European countries . . . legal insurance . . . is carried by 80% of the citizen’s there. Is that the case with Germany. Sounds like a good time to use their services.

You’ve got the right spirit. We’re behind you.

By: Marc

Marc — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:46:27 +0000

There’s no way the city can win this, it’s first come first serve, they should have started a twitter account first! Don’t understand why they can’t just choose another name.

Also, who would want to follow a city on Twitter?

Mark, you definately doing the right thing, don’t let them push you around!

By: Mike McCague

Mike McCague — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:06:38 +0000

I am sorry to hear that Mannheim has taken the stance they have- a polite call to Mark would have been the way to go to reach an amicable solution. Mikogo is a great tool/product which I use in my work- you guys deserve better than this. It’s easy to say you should pick up and move your company to another town- that would be the ultimate revenge.

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:32:37 +0000

Greetings to the Mikogo Team
My don’t we live in a free world.
I applaud your stand and wish you well.
Love Albert’s idea about each one of us opening an account with a mannheim extension – that would raise the teutonic heckles. Lol.
Obviously their bureaucratic team has little to do to occupy their time or maybe they are just short of cash & see you as a likely target to add to the coffers.
I suggest if all else fails have a street march and bring the people of the town together to show where solidarity lies.
Be kind to your enemies as justice will prevail in the end.
Your service is great & for people involved in smaller businesses and is a great communication tool.
Keep up the great work.
Rob

By: Stever

Stever — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 22:13:17 +0000

Unless the use of a Geographical place is banned in twitter names or you guys planned to use the name of the town with some kind of deception in mind, both of which I think are not the case, then stick to your guns and don’t be bullied. However it is worth contacting the person, and I am sure it is probably one person that is pushing this, and find out what is the real problem. Surely it cannot just be the use of the name? Could it? Settle the dispute and don’t involve extensive expensive legal help to do it. No one wins then either. You might keep the name but you will be a lot poorer for it. Great blog great product. All power to Mikogo.

By: jimkandu

jimkandu — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:47:18 +0000

It does seem to be rather pretentious to assume that a Mannheim resident can virtually appropriate the name of the city for exclusive personal use.

If Microsoft tried do do something like this, the entire net community would all be up in arms about it.

I think the best bet would be to graciously donate the name to the city, and for the city to respond with a mayoral lunch and/or a letter of thanks.

By: Jim Sutton

Jim Sutton — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:02:46 +0000

Vadim Berman on January 23, 2010 at 2:08 am said what I would have said. I am not sure they can look intelligent if they proceed and getting it into the light of day should slow them down.

Jim

By: Todd Wilson

Todd Wilson — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:25:25 +0000

I see the Nazis are alive and kicking in Mannheim!