[Webdev] NET FLOTSAM (fwd)

[adam beecher]

It was forwarded to me through multiple mailboxes - it *must* be true... :)


Mr. Jeff Bezos
President and Chief Executive Officer
Amazon.com, inc.
P.O. Box 81226
Seattle, WA 98108-1226

Subject: Application for Renewel of
amazon.com domain name

Dear Mr. Bezos:

We recently received your application for
renewal of the "amazon.com" domain name
for your company, Amazon.com, inc.
Unfortunately, we must reject your
application, and assign you an alternate
domain name instead; for the reasons
outlined below.

As you are no doubt aware, the .com
top-level domain is intended for use by
for-profit corporations. Many such
corporations are registered with Network
Solutions, and this policy is unchanged.

However, it has come to our attention, as
evidenced by recent SEC filings on behalf
of Amazon.com, inc., that your company
has yet to turn a profit. As such,
Amazon.com, inc. no longer qualifies for a
domain name in the ".com" hierarchy.
However, based on your financial
performance, you do qualify for
membership in the ".org" domain; which is
intended for non-profit organizations.
Unless there are any objections from you or
your representative, Network Solutions will
assign Amazon.com, inc. the new domain
name "amazon.com.org". (We would have
assigned the shorter "amazon.org" domain,
but that domain is currently assigned to a
website for the San Fransisco lesbian
community.)

To be frank; we were gravely concerned
about the amount of money that
amazon.com, inc. has been losing. We were
seriously considering assigning a name in the
".gov" domain based on the current rate that
your corporation is losing money. However,
as Amazon.com, inc. is a publicly-traded
corporation, and policy reserves the .gov
domain for organizations that are in fact
governmental agencies, it was felt that this
would not be appropriate.

This change in your domain name
registration only affects your Internet
domain name as assigned by Network
Solutions; and no way impairs your right to
continue to do business under the trademark
of "Amazon.com". If and when
Amazon.com, inc. becomes a profitable
enterprise; we will be happy to reconsider
granting you once again the domain name
"amazon.com", assuming it is still available.

This change shall take effect within the next
thirty (30) days, at which point the
"amazon.com" name will be decomissioned.
You have until then to notify customers and
business partners. Effective immediately,
and for the length of the thirty-day transition
period; both names wlll be registered to
Amazon.com, inc.

If you have any questions or concerns,
please feel free to contact our customer
service department.

Sincerely,

Jim Rutt
Chief Executive Officer
Network Solutions, Inc.