£2m Bill Gates domain sale is off

Online auction house gets all ethical

It looks like one man's dream to make millions out of Bill Gates has come to nothing. Back in December we reported that the domain billgates.co.uk had been registered for Teddington-based businessman, Peter Bohn. Bohn was, apparently, planning to sell the domain for a stonking £2 million. According to The Times, the domain had been offered for sale via a UK domain registrar, Phase 8, but Phase 8's MD, John Sewell, reckons the Bill-based domain has been dropped from the for sale list. And with that, Bohn's plan to make loads of money out of His Billness has failed – which is almost a pity as it's been one-way traffic on that particular street up to now. The Times also carried a remark from Microsoft's lawyers saying they would "object to anyone taking unfair advantage of the goodwill and recognition of Mr Gates's name and reputation." Earlier this week, The Register reported on the valiant efforts of the MS legal eagles to bully MS-friendly Web site Active Windows into changing its name. ® See also: Bill Gates domain 'for sale' at £2m New challenger enters Bill Gates domain sale ring Microsoft bullies IT news site into submission