Talking about Monetize.
Enough is enough. I am really tired of reading about computer guys building websites and getting rich.
On the other side, I’m bored of reading about so-called web 2.0 companies collapsing because they thought they could pay 20,000 employees to keep their blog updated.
It’s time to read something fresh and new: how to lose a kidney with your website.
This is the story of Luca Armani, owner of a rubber stamp store.
In 1997, during Italian internet stone-age (not over yet) he decided to buy a domain name.
You may wonder which one.
armanirubberstamps.com? No…
lucaarmani.com? No…
He bought armani.it that now belongs to Giorgio Armani S.P.A. – the famous Italian fashion company.
Buying the FREE (at that time) armani.it domain put Luca in troubles. When, in 1998, Giorgio Armani s.p.a wanted to buy the same domain and found out Luca already owned the domain, Luca was sued and after some years he lost the cause, the domain and a lot of money… not less than Euro 300,000 according to the judgement.
Anyway money is not everything and Luca decided to sell a kidney to raise funds and continue the battle against the fashion company.
I don’t know whether Luca will sell the kidney or not, but these are my two cents about the whole story:
1) Giorgio Armani company was founded in 1975 according to Wikipedia, so I really can’t understand why someone inside the company did not think “hey… let’s buy our own domain” before 1998. Gianni Versace S.p.A started its journey in 1978 (according to Wikipedia) and registered versace.it in 1996
2) Luca Armani should have bought something like armanirubberstamps.com, knowing that there is already a big fashion company with his same name… Would you ever digit www.armani.it looking for some rubber stamps?
3) Giorgio Armany company made a really cheap action when sued Luca… now it looks like the big multinational company trying to eat the small entrepreneur… something inspiring for next Michael Moore movie… it could just buy another domain name… nike.it hosts a glass bulbs company and as far as I know Nike is not moaning for it.
4) I don’t know the price for a kidney, but a kidney sold to fight for a domain name is priceless. It would be the Holy Grail of this millennium. I want it!
5) Someone registered emanueleferonato.cn and I am about to sell a lung to kick his chinese ass.
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