Sex.com: One Domain, Two Men, Twelve Years and the Brutal Battle for the Jewel in the Internet's Crown - Softcover

McCarthy, Kieren M

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1905204663 ISBN 13: 9781905204663

Publisher: Quercus, 2007

Synopsis

With five million page views every day, sex.com was the most valuable piece of virtual real estate on the planet. But the fact that it didn't physically exist didn't mean that it couldn't be stolen. With an ingenious scam-the full details of which have never been revealed until now-lifelong con man Stephen Cohen was able to snatch the domain name and walk into a life of untold wealth and luxury. But Cohen underestimated the determination of Gary Kremen-sex.com's original owner-to get his property back. It took ten years and millions of dollars, but Kremen eventually saw, and, on occasion, forced Cohen to pay for his crimes. This is the inside story of the extraordinary battle between two extraordinary men: a Stanford scholar with uncanny foresight, and an uneducated, genius con man with an unnatural gift for persuasion. The fight pushed each man to the edge, rewrote the law, and shaped the history and development of the Internet as we know it.

About this title

About the Author:

Kieren McCarthy is a freelance journalist who has been following and reporting on the evolution of the Internet since the late 1990s. He is a specialist in the legally undecided issue of domain names, as well as the complex issues surrounding governance of the Internet. Kieren has written for, among others, The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, New Scientist, The Register, PC Week, Practical Internet, Computeractive and Techworld. Over the course of the past ten years, he has interviewed many of the early pioneers of the Internet as well as more recent figures who have shaped the direction of the Internet. A highly regarded blogger on the Internet's political processes, Kieren is often asked to give his expert opinion to other media, and recently acted as official blog-watcher at the inaugural meeting of the Internet Governance Forum. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and child.

Review:

"A brilliant bit of writing. Read it if you dare" --The Register (added by author)

"Compelling, well-informed and highly readable" --CircleID (added by author)

"A fun read on many levels... it's a great business and legal story" --eWeek (added by author)

"An exhilarating and entertaining read" --Domain Name Wire (added by author)

An interesting story which includes almost every kind of dirty-dealing you could want - Sunday Telegraph

The battle for the domain name sex.com had it all ... a fast-footed account of the trial and its upshot - The Times

Fascinating - Zoo magazine

About this edition

• Publisher: Quercus
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1905204663
• ISBN 13: 9781905204663
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 246