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Technology Stocks : InfoSpace (INSP): Where GNET went! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: brk who wrote (6424)	5/30/1999 3:44:00 AM
From: B. A. Marlow	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 28311

Glad you caught the "Go" post, brk. Excellent that you had asked Russell directly about "Go." While we can appreciate that GoTo.com is pursuing DIS, the outcome of this litigation won't resolve our claim, if any, to "Go." Assuming GoTo wins decisively (in about 3 years?), where does that leave us vs. GoTo? If GoTo loses or settles, where does that leave us vs. DIS? The issues are simple: 1) Does GNET believe it has a valid claim to the "Go" service mark? --if not, then let's get a protectable name 2) Does GNET believe its claim is senior to DIS'? --if so, then why are we letting GoTo waste our time? 3) Does GNET believe its claim is senior to GoTo's? --if so, then why are we letting GoTo waste our time? 4) How does Paul Allen's relationship with DIS (sold Starwave to DIS) affect our strategy vis a vis DIS, if at all? 5) How does GNET want to see this dispute resolved? 6) What steps does GNET intend to take to resolve it and by when should we expect a resolution? 7) If GNET can't resolve it favorably (presumably, through the retention of exclusive ownership of "Go" or through the sale of its claim, for megabucks, to DIS), then what steps are we taking to secure a new name? --how about giving up our claim to "Go" for $500 million worth of advertising time on ABC?! I'm not sure Russell shared GNET's actual strategy, but we need to follow up. The Go2Net brand is a huge asset in which we're investing a substantial combination of cash and goodwill. What's more, we're building it on Internet time, so every 52 days that this issue remains unresolved is worth a year in brand equity. As GNET is no longer merely a holding company, the Go2Net brand has never been more important or valuable. Then there's the matter of supporting the Street. We cannot ask the press, institutions and individual investors to figure out "who's on first" and which company is which. A great many name/identity errors have already appeared; allowing such confusion to persist is just foolish. And with the pending IPO of GoTo.com (GOTO), the situation becomes untenable. Brokers won't be able to remember the difference, individual investors are guaranteed to become confused, and (perish the thought) people will buy shares of DIS or GOTO thinking they're getting GNET. So, there's much more at stake than collecting random surfing traffic (which, incidentally, cuts both ways). At this point, it has nothing to do with content. It's a matter of corporate identity and the stakes are very high. We need closure on "Go." Thanks for your continuing vigilance. Let us know how it goes. BAM P.S. Can't offer you an ISP in Molokai, but have a nice trip!