Shelby's latest lawsuit, who's next?

[zzmac]

Originally Posted by Don DePontee

Actually the one point that bothers and worries me the most is the point of the Meta Tags. Bill (Mr. Mustang) has explained a few things to me about the use of the Meta Tags and with a quick search on Google it seems very apparent that if Shelby wins on this issue it could set a president that would cripple all of the search engines in the World Wide Web. Think about that one.
Don

Search engines (Google, Yahoo etc...) have not used metatags in their search algorithims for quite some time. Web people still incorporate them in websites "just in case" the search engines decide to use them again in the future, but they are irrelevant. And if they are irrelevant, they shouldn't have a bearing on this case. (Not a lawyer but I watch Judge Judy a lot) :-)

[elmariachi]

There have already been cases where courts ordered that use of metatags constitute infringment and where reparations had to be paid. As I recall, in one case the defendants had to surrender all their profits during the period they were using them.

Here are the current tags on the FFR site:

content="AC,Cobra,Cobra cars,coupe,427,FIA,kit,replica,factory five racing,fiero,mustang,5.0,kit cars,kit car,factory five,performance,racing,parts,automotive,restorati on,GTM,supercar,mid-engine car,corvette"

[Don DePontee]

Wouldn't these types of lawsuits eventual brake down the effectiveness of any search engine to be able to perform it's intended design purpose? Will all search engine go away or become severely limited putting us in a position where rather than having a yellow pages type system which guides you with general words or topics we would have to know the exact name much like dialing 411. I don't know, maybe I'm not grasping the full picture on Meta Tags yet.
Don

[vanoochka]

Originally Posted by Don DePontee

Wouldn't these types of lawsuits eventual brake down the effectiveness of any search engine to be able to perform it's intended design purpose? Will all search engine go away or become severely limited putting us in a position where rather than having a yellow pages type system which guides you with general words or topics we would have to know the exact name much like dialing 411. I don't know, maybe I'm not grasping the full picture on Meta Tags yet.
Don

Actually, meta tags are only one of the many elements that search engines consider and weigh when ranking results. For example, Google considers links to be a very important factor in its ranking algorithm - more so than meta tags. However, if you go out and collect a bunch of links they consider frivolous, it can actually backfire and hurt your ranking. It's all very sophisticated and with enough checks and balances that the result of Mr. Shelby's lawsuit will not affect the effectiveness of any credible search engine.

I could also build a pretty compelling arguement that any judgement resulting in a few hundred dollars of royalties per car to be paid to CS would not cause the collapse of the industry. But, since I don't personally like the fact that he is litigating over this issue, combined with having witnessed the public burning of the heretic elmariachi at the stake, I think I'll save it for another time.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Don DePontee

Wouldn't these types of lawsuits eventual brake down the effectiveness of any search engine to be able to perform it's intended design purpose?

If by some chance this case ends up limiting the effectiveness of search engines (doubtful), states here in the 4th Circuit would gladly welcome Google and others. You learn very quickly not to cite a 9th Circuit case here in the 4th Circuit.

[elmariachi]

You have it right. Yes, it would change what a search engine will find. If the word "Cobra" is not on a site and you search the word Cobra only, it will likely not find that site. Its not disaster, but in the case of this lawsuit, CS must prove that FFR's use of these tags diverted business away from Shelby that otherwise would have been rightfully his. That could be tough to prove where "Daytona Coupe" is concerned. I am no lawyer, but they do have the word Cobra in their current tags. I sure thought the prior judgment said they could never use the "Cobra" trademark again.

[ronwin]

I cannot resist having a quiet giggle when I read all the speculation about what happened between SPF and CS. Stop right there, fella. You
MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by ronwin

I cannot resist having a quiet giggle when I read all the speculation about what happened between SPF and CS. Stop right there, fella. You
MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG

You would Ron, you would, or are you in the thicket with Lance on this one.



Bill S.

[Three Peaks]

Originally Posted by ronwin

I cannot resist having a quiet giggle when I read all the speculation about what happened between SPF and CS. Stop right there, fella. You
MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG MuSt ReSiSt PoStInG

Okay Ron, if you know something pertinent to this thread or my post, put it out there so we can all determine for ourselves what happened between SPF and Shelby. Speculation is the natural course when the "facts" aren't in evidence or readily available.... and yes, I was (and still am) speculating at this point.....

Bob

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Three Peaks

Okay Ron, if you know something pertinent to this thread or my post, put it out there so we can all determine for ourselves what happened between SPF and Shelby. Speculation is the natural course when the "facts" aren't in evidence or readily available.... and yes, I was (and still am) speculating at this point.....

Bob

As he is the retired CEO of SPF he would know .


Bill S.

[ronwin]

Originally Posted by Three Peaks

Okay Ron, if you know something pertinent to this thread or my post, put it out there so we can all determine for ourselves what happened between SPF and Shelby. Speculation is the natural course when the "facts" aren't in evidence or readily available.... and yes, I was (and still am) speculating at this point.....

Bob

No comment, but follow this link to a statement for public reference published in March 2006.

http://superformance.org/supernews/s...rcomments.html

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by ronwin

No comment, but follow this link to a statement for public reference published in March 2006.

http://superformance.org/supernews/s...rcomments.html

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Ronnie.....

Rick

[Don]

A Google search using Cobra returns.

" Web Results 1 - 10 of about 59,200,000. Search took 0.08 seconds "

And, the Government has an interest in the use of COBRA :

" Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
Information on the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) which gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to ... "

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by ronwin

No comment, but follow this link to a statement for public reference published in March 2006. http://superformance.org/supernews/s...rcomments.html

I'll stand by my prior comments that it might be better to deal with CS up front via royalty or consent than wait for him to come calling. SPF seems far better off for having forged an alliance with CS than fighting him. Just my opinion.

[jmimac351]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

I'll stand by my prior comments that it might be better to deal with CS up front via royalty or consent than wait for him to come calling. SPF seems far better off for having forged an alliance with CS than fighting him. Just my opinion.

Some people advocate the same thought process with Hamas, Chavez, Iran, Castro, Ohio State Buckeyes, etc.

[jmimac351]

Originally Posted by ronwin

No comment, but follow this link to a statement for public reference published in March 2006.

http://superformance.org/supernews/s...rcomments.html

Ron, I read through that link, thanks for sharing. Apart from some picking of nits with who was / wasn't a party to appeal of what / whether I don't see what the point of it was as it relates to this matter. You're nuts to even be posting about this and I can't believe you stand anything to gain but questions about things you obviously don't / can't talk about. Or, feel free to share...

"As far as our contractual arrangement with the Shelby organization is concerned, as a private (Inc) company it is nobody's business but our own why we enter into strategic alliances with any company. We use our own resources, not those of other shareholders."

[JKleiner]

Curious and completely ignorant re: metatags. How are the terms to be used as tags determined? Is it by the site owner; say XYZ widget & nutcracker emporium.com has tags of widgets, nutcracker, walnut. Were those tags decided upon and "connected to" the site by XYZ Inc., the search engine or ???
Are the terms elmariachi posted all of the tags for FFR? If so, where do grounds for a matatag suit come from? I don't see "shelby"; "cobra" is actually Ford property.
Educate me please.

Jeff

Jeff

[vanoochka]

Originally Posted by JKleiner

Curious and completely ignorant re: metatags. How are the terms to be used as tags determined? Is it by the site owner; say XYZ widget & nutcracker emporium.com has tags of widgets, nutcracker, walnut. Were those tags decided upon and "connected to" the site by XYZ Inc., the search engine or ???
Are the terms elmariachi posted all of the tags for FFR? If so, where do grounds for a matatag suit come from? I don't see "shelby"; "cobra" is actually Ford property.
Educate me please.

Jeff

Jeff

Meta tags are included in the pages of a website and determined by the owner/contoller of the site. If you're curious, just select "Source" under the "View" pull-down on your browser's tool bar when on any website and look for a line of code that looks like the one in bold, below.

Sticking to your example, I pulled the tags from a site that sells a Hillary Clinton nutcracker: <meta name="keywords" content="nutcracker, Hillary Clinton, Hillary, hilary, nutcraker, democratic, hillary nuts, political, novelty, walnut, cracker, Fun With Nuts, Hillary Nutcracker, Clinton Nutcracker, Ann Coulter, nuts, political gift">

From the inclusion of "Ann Coulter", I'm guessing that the owner of this site believes that people interested in Ann Coulter would be likely to buy a Hillary nutcracker. To illustrate how little meta tags alone influence search results, I typed "Ann Coulter" into three different search engines. The Hillary nutcracker site didn't rank within the first five pages on any of the results. Who normally searches deeper than five pages?

In the early days of the web, meta tags were extremely influential in web page rankings. The search engines quickly adjusted to a ranking system based on other factors, more difficult for a website owner to manipulate.

[vanoochka]

Originally Posted by JKleiner

Curious and completely ignorant re: metatags. How are the terms to be used as tags determined? Is it by the site owner; say XYZ widget & nutcracker emporium.com has tags of widgets, nutcracker, walnut. Were those tags decided upon and "connected to" the site by XYZ Inc., the search engine or ???
Are the terms elmariachi posted all of the tags for FFR? If so, where do grounds for a matatag suit come from? I don't see "shelby"; "cobra" is actually Ford property.
Educate me please.

Jeff

Jeff

Meta tags are included in the pages of a website and determined by the owner/contoller of the site. If you're curious, just select "Source" under the "View" pull-down on your browser's tool bar when on any website and look for a line of code that looks like the one in bold, below.

Sticking to your example, I pulled the tags from a site that sells a Hillary Clinton nutcracker: <meta name="keywords" content="nutcracker, Hillary Clinton, Hillary, hilary, nutcraker, democratic, hillary nuts, political, novelty, walnut, cracker, Fun With Nuts, Hillary Nutcracker, Clinton Nutcracker, Ann Coulter, nuts, political gift">

From the inclusion of "Ann Coulter", I'm guessing that the owner of this site believes that people interested in Ann Coulter would be likely to buy a Hillary nutcracker. To illustrate how little meta tags alone influence search results, I typed "Ann Coulter" into three different search engines. The Hillary nutcracker site didn't rank within the first five pages on any of the results. Who normally searches deeper than five pages?

In the early days of the web, meta tags were extremely influential in web page rankings and website owners loaded their pages with as many tags as they could come up with to rank higher in search results. The search engines quickly adjusted by devising ranking systems that more heavily weigh other factors that are more difficult for website owners to manipulate. In fact, most engines now penalize sites that overload their tags.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by zzmac

And if they are irrelevant, they shouldn't have a bearing on this case. (Not a lawyer but I watch Judge Judy a lot) :-)

Fair point. This is a weak contention where the suit is concerned, IMO.

Originally Posted by JKleiner

Are the terms elmariachi posted all of the tags for FFR? If so, where do grounds for a matatag suit come from? I don't see "shelby"; "cobra" is actually Ford property.
Educate me please.Jeff

I pulled those tags from the FFR site last night when I posted them. Meta tags and keywords are determined by the site owners based on their SEO strategy. For those who want to understand the incredibly boring history of meta tags and search engine optimization, go here.

While Cobra is Ford property, Shelby has an exclusive license to its use in conjunction with his own brands. So, he can certainly make a claim via the lawsuit, though it may not hold water.