I don't like to do this, and I'm not even particularly fired up, but I think it needs to be said.
Somebody bought up Twittervlog.com in May - and Twittervlog.net - and Twittervlog.org - anonymously, of course. This was a while after I started Twittervlog at Twittervlog.blogspot.com They correctly predicted that one day I'd want to move to my own domain. In fact, I thought I'd bought Twittervlog.com, but something went wrong with the transaction, and then I forgot to do it again. And then this person pounced. Happily, I much prefer to be at Twittervlog.tv - so it's worked out OK. Oh, except for when my non-tech friends and family get confused and just type in Twittervlog.com and get a Godaddy advertising holding page. I thought MAYBE it was someone who knew my site, or maybe it was just someone random who was buying up domains that began with Twitter - twitterblog, twitterpodcast, etc - but I didn't look into it. Twitter's not my trademark, after all... So anyway, I just typed in the URL of another vlog on this list - and guess what: the same Godaddy page came up. Turns out I'd got the real domain one letter wrong (it was spelt funnily on purpose), so I've gone there now. But the lookalike domain was taken by someone else. Now, I could be wrong, but it occurs to me that there might be someone reading this list who's buying up the domain names of the blogs he or she sees here. Perhaps in the hope that we'll try to buy them back. Perhaps to try and get advertising dollars from those people who enter the domain wrong. Perhaps because they're addicted to a sort of domain-buying goldrush mentality, and they have some money to burn in speculation. If that's the case, then whatever the reason, I think it's shitty behaviour - and it makes me sad. Whoever you are, if you're reading this... you're probably smiling and sneering. I don't really care. I don't expect to appeal to your better nature. But what you're doing is pretty distasteful, and you're probably a pretty unsuccessful and unhappy person. Does this really make you any more successful or happy - or does it just give a short, cheap thrill? Next time you're on Godaddy, stealing someone else's ideas and identity, stop yourself for a second- and then go and spend that money on a session of therapy. Or buy yourself a treat. Rupert http://twittervlog.tv/
