HardwareZone
Encyclopedia
HardwareZone is an IT
-oriented Internet portal based in Singapore
. It is operated by Hardware Zone Private Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings
(SPH). Some features of the portal are: IT price lists for several countries, product reviews, feature articles on technology and forums
on a variety of topics.
: Lee Choon Yau, Eugene Low, Poh Swee Hong, Ang Chi Hoe and Jereme Wong. After a year, it had become a popular gathering place for Singapore's computer-savvy to discuss hardware and software news. By 2000, the website was attracting two million page views a month. The founders made plans to turn the website into a full-fledged portal and launch an initial public offering
(IPO) to raise capital. Had the IPO gone ahead, they would have been the first undergraduates in Singapore to launch one. However, as of 2007, the company has not been listed on the Singapore Exchange
yet.
In 2006, HardwareZone was purchased by SPH for S$7.1 million. SPH acquired all the magazine titles published by HardwareZone, which included HardwareMAG (HWM), GameAxis (a computer games magazine), and PHOTOVIDEOi (a digital photography magazine).
One well-known malicious post was that made by polytechnic student Lin Zhenghuang one day after the 7 July 2005 London bombings
, using the online nickname of "krisurf". Titled "Breaking News - Toa Payoh hit by bomb attacks", it claimed that bomb
s had been found at the Toa Payoh
bus interchange. Another forum member was alarmed by the post and reported it to police. Because Lin had made the post while connected to his neighbour's unsecured wireless network
, police initially arrested his neighbour, who was released after further computer forensics
tests exonerated her. It took the police more than a year to find and arrest Lin. In February 2007, he was sentenced to three months' jail and a S$4,000 fine.
, for registering the same domain name
as its own, with the suffix .sg
added. (HardwareZone's domain name is www.hardwarezone.com while Video-Pro had registered www.hardwarezone.com.sg.) In its statement of claim, HardwareZone said that the "hardwarezone" part of its domain name had gained it substantial goodwill in Singapore, and thus Video-Pro was trying to pass itself off as the original website by using the .sg version of the name. Video-Pro counter-sued HardwareZone, alleging that the website offered Video-Pro's price lists for download without the shop's permission and that two statements which defamed the shop had been posted on the HardwareZone website. This was the first legal dispute in Singapore over a domain name. Despite being the first of its kind, no landmark ruling was made in this case because both parties settled the matter out of court just four days later. Video-Pro transferred the hardwarezone.com.sg domain name and paid S$10,000 to HardwareZone. It also withdrew its counter-claims. In return HardwareZone removed the offending statements from its website and agreed to help identify who had made those false statements.
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
-oriented Internet portal based in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. It is operated by Hardware Zone Private Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings
Singapore Press Holdings
Singapore Press Holdings Limited is a media organisation in Singapore with businesses in print, Internet and new media, television and radio, outdoor media, and property. SPH has over 4,000 employees, including a team of approximately 1,000 journalists, including correspondents operating around...
(SPH). Some features of the portal are: IT price lists for several countries, product reviews, feature articles on technology and forums
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
on a variety of topics.
History
HardwareZone was started as an online magazine in August 1998 by five engineering students from the National University of SingaporeNational University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
: Lee Choon Yau, Eugene Low, Poh Swee Hong, Ang Chi Hoe and Jereme Wong. After a year, it had become a popular gathering place for Singapore's computer-savvy to discuss hardware and software news. By 2000, the website was attracting two million page views a month. The founders made plans to turn the website into a full-fledged portal and launch an initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
(IPO) to raise capital. Had the IPO gone ahead, they would have been the first undergraduates in Singapore to launch one. However, as of 2007, the company has not been listed on the Singapore Exchange
Singapore Exchange
Singapore Exchange Limited is an investment holding company located in Singapore and providing different services related to securities and derivatives trading and others. SGX is a member of the World Federation of Exchanges and the Asian and Oceanian Stock Exchanges FederationSingapore Exchange...
yet.
In 2006, HardwareZone was purchased by SPH for S$7.1 million. SPH acquired all the magazine titles published by HardwareZone, which included HardwareMAG (HWM), GameAxis (a computer games magazine), and PHOTOVIDEOi (a digital photography magazine).
Forums
HardwareZone's forums are the most popular in Singapore. They are policed by moderators appointed by the administrator. The official position of the administration is that effective policing of miscreants in this forum requires the active cooperation of all members to report instances of abuse and indiscretion. In particular, hapless victims are left to suffer in silence unless they take pains to lodge a formal report to the moderators. Apparently, there have been many instances where cyberbullies get away with their mischief and become so emboldened that they act with impunity even in the presence of moderators in the thread. Moderators have been known to collude with certain forum members, who become presumptive "lords" over a particular sub-forum, the Health & Fitness Corner.One well-known malicious post was that made by polytechnic student Lin Zhenghuang one day after the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
, using the online nickname of "krisurf". Titled "Breaking News - Toa Payoh hit by bomb attacks", it claimed that bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s had been found at the Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh is a district located in the Central Region of Singapore. It commonly refers to the Housing and Development Board housing estate of Toa Payoh New Town, one of the earliest satellite public housing estates in Singapore....
bus interchange. Another forum member was alarmed by the post and reported it to police. Because Lin had made the post while connected to his neighbour's unsecured wireless network
Wireless network
Wireless network refers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment...
, police initially arrested his neighbour, who was released after further computer forensics
Computer forensics
Computer forensics is a branch of digital forensic science pertaining to legal evidence found in computers and digital storage media...
tests exonerated her. It took the police more than a year to find and arrest Lin. In February 2007, he was sentenced to three months' jail and a S$4,000 fine.
Controversy
The success of HardwareZone has also come with a fair share of controversy. In September 2000, HardwareZone sued Video-Pro, a computer shop in Sim Lim SquareSim Lim Square
Sim Lim Square , commonly referred to as SLS, is an established commercial shopping centre specialising in electronics and IT Products in Singapore,...
, for registering the same domain name
Domain name
A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control in the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System ....
as its own, with the suffix .sg
.sg
.sg is the Internet country code top-level domain for Singapore. It is administered by the Singapore Network Information Centre. Registrations are processed via accredited registrars....
added. (HardwareZone's domain name is www.hardwarezone.com while Video-Pro had registered www.hardwarezone.com.sg.) In its statement of claim, HardwareZone said that the "hardwarezone" part of its domain name had gained it substantial goodwill in Singapore, and thus Video-Pro was trying to pass itself off as the original website by using the .sg version of the name. Video-Pro counter-sued HardwareZone, alleging that the website offered Video-Pro's price lists for download without the shop's permission and that two statements which defamed the shop had been posted on the HardwareZone website. This was the first legal dispute in Singapore over a domain name. Despite being the first of its kind, no landmark ruling was made in this case because both parties settled the matter out of court just four days later. Video-Pro transferred the hardwarezone.com.sg domain name and paid S$10,000 to HardwareZone. It also withdrew its counter-claims. In return HardwareZone removed the offending statements from its website and agreed to help identify who had made those false statements.