Ok. Let me try like this. It would be irresponsible, especially as a public
company, to comment on rumours that deal with M&A. In my years doing this
there have been, literally, hundreds. To even deny things that had
absolutely no basis could preclude discussions that may be very
advantageous.
Let me give you a real example. Many years ago (in a land far away) when we
were primarily a content company there was a small website that was run by a
couple guys that I was quite friendly with. There was a rumour on a list
frequented by shareware and freeware developers who were/are the biggest
constituency for our software business. The rumour said that we were going
to do a deal with that website. I was both much more naive and a private
company at the time and I leapt in and categorically denied the rumour. Six
months later that website was sold to one of our competitors in a deal that
was not great for the guys running it (who I really liked). When I called
them saying "hey, why didn't you call me if you were looking to do a deal"
they told me that they had read my denial of the rumour and had assumed I
wasn' interested!
The competitor, who was smaller then us at the time, levered that
acquisition in to a large IPO and an even larger sale of the whole company
months later. Lesson learned.
I hope this helps.
Regards
Elliot Noss
Tucows inc.
416-538-5494
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hostmaster [mailto:hostmaster@digital-marketplace.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2003 1:30 PM
> To: Elliot Noss; discuss-list@opensrs.org
> Subject: RE: Register.com buying out Tucows/OpenSRS??!!??
>
>
> Well, that does make sense to me, but it certainly doesn't answer
> my/our question!
>
> Maybe you should 'go a bit deeper on why even commenting is not
> appropriate'.
>
> Perhaps you could answer this: Are you not commenting because you
> are not legally allowed to, or is it simply because you feel the
> rumor is not worthy of a reply? Either way, you should be able to
> answer without 'getting in trouble' with anyone.
>
> Its just that I would rather not base an important business
> decision, switching from OpenSRS to whoever, based on rumor and/or my
> reading between the lines of comments made.
>
> BUT, if the rumor is true, I will in no way get myself or my
> business involved with Register.com! I would also be willing to bet
> money that the majority of your resellers feel as I do in this
> regard. Therefore I feel the need to keep asking...
>
> Nick Swift
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-discuss-list@opensrs.org
> [mailto:owner-discuss-list@opensrs.org]On Behalf Of Elliot Noss
> Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2003 12:43 PM
> To: hostmaster@dmcom.net; George Kirikos; discuss-list@opensrs.org
> Subject: RE: Register.com buying out Tucows/OpenSRS??!!??
>
>
> Just to be clear, it would be extremely inappropriate for me to comment on
> stuff like this, even if it was to categorically deny. I hope that makes
> sense to most of you. If not, I am happy to go a bit deeper on why even
> commenting is not appropriate.
>
> That is the official response. The unofficial response is that if I stick
> around long enough I am sure to be paired with Britney Spears in
> some rumor!
>
> Regards
>
> Elliot Noss
> Tucows inc.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-discuss-list@opensrs.org
> > [mailto:owner-discuss-list@opensrs.org]On Behalf Of Hostmaster
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2003 11:58 AM
> > To: George Kirikos; discuss-list@opensrs.org
> > Subject: RE: Register.com buying out Tucows/OpenSRS??!!??
> >
> >
> > It's been almost a week since this message was posted.
> >
> > Did I miss the 'Official' response from OpenSRS/Tucows?
> >
> > Or has there been NO response?
> >
> > Just wondering...
> >
> > Nick Swift
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-discuss-list@opensrs.org
> > [mailto:owner-discuss-list@opensrs.org]On Behalf Of George Kirikos
> > Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2003 8:08 PM
> > To: discuss-list@opensrs.org
> > Subject: Register.com buying out Tucows/OpenSRS??!!??
> >
> >
> > Hello,
> >
> > FuckedCompany.com is "reporting" rumours that Register.com is buying
> > out Tucows/OpenSRS (ee their front page).
>
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