General Chat / MikeRoweSoft.com vs Microsoft

Apparantly Microsoft is suing this 17-year old kid by the name of Mike Rowe, who owns a website called MikeRoweSoft.com, and Microsoft is saying it's copyright infringement, which is typical of someone like them. Anywho, I saw it on CNN earlier today and just checked out the site. Nothing wrong at all, lol.

http://www.mikerowesoft.com/

http://www.cnn.com/2...t.ap/index.html

Well, times must be pretty bad for Microsoft to be going after a kid who's name happens to sound like "micro." This is a pretty frivolous lawsuit IMO. After all, it's not like someone will accidentally type in his name to find microsoft's web site.

Idiots. I thought only the WWF/E did stuff like this. Oh well.

Old news:
The domain? MikeRoweSoft.com. No, seriously.
Victoria-based Mike is currently studying maths and chemistry and plans to study computer science at Victoria University next year. He registered the domain in August because he thought it would be cool to have a site that sounded like the famous company to show his Web designing skills.
The Beast of Redmond however reckons that the phonetic domain infringes its copyright and insists Mike hand it over or face the consequences.
Mike told us that when an email from Microsoft’s Canadian lawyers Smart & Biggar arrived on 19 November laying out its complaint, he was “amazed and appalled”. He replied saying he didn’t want to hand over the domain and didn’t feel there was any risk it would damage Microsoft’s name.
He then got another email. “They responded to this email by offering to give me all of my out-of-pocket expenses in return for the domain name. This came out to be $10; the amount I paid for the domain. This made me feel insulted. I had spent a lot of time building up my site and I had only been offered $10 for my work. I responded by asking for $10,000, which I regret doing now, for my work and domain name.”
As he now knows, Mike had unwittingly slipped into the classic trap set by companies in order to get hold of domain names - the creation of a “bad faith” use of the domain. By offering to sell the domain for profit (even if sparked by the offer of payment by the other party), according to the bent logic of domain dispute arbitrators, it shows the owner had no legitimate interest in the domain and so it should be handed over.
Microsoft, with its case bolstered, declined and Mike heard no more until 14 January when a 25-page letter and book were Fed-Ex’ed to his house explaining why he would have to hand over the domain, stating he had intended all along to sell the domain for profit and that his domain would confuse Microsoft customers.

This is too funny!

hilarious.

Twisted, no wonder kids carry guns - a possible silver lining, Mike Rowe's resentment may inspire a corporation that publishs good software at a good price.

Is anyone else minds racing for domain names to register?

Hehe, I'll piss them off for sure.

this is really pathetic on Microsoft's part in i think.

What is Bill Gates doing? He's one of the richest men in the world. Doesnt need to work. Doesnt need to breathe, Windows XP can do that all for him, or so he says. Why bother a harmless kid? He hasnt done anything wrong. If anyone should be sued it should be Gates or Microsoft. This is Corperation control and its wrong.

And I quote from the hallowed words of South Park...

Simpsons did it!

What is Bill Gates doing?

Bill Gates isn't doing anything, the company he founded is doing it. Bill Gates has little actual control of the company at the present, from my understanding. Its like blaming Walt Disney for all the things Michael Eisner has done to the company, it just doesn't work.

Besides, Bill Gates is going to be broke in a few years, considering the rate he's losing (or rather, giving away) money is far exceding the rate he's making it.

As for the case, both parties are really pushing it. Mike Rowe shouldn't have put the 'soft' after his name, nor demanded $10,000 and Microsoft shouldn't have sued him. Hopefully, it will be thrown out by the judge (as it rightfully should be).

PS: I heard Bill Gates thinks Microsoft is wrong on this one, although he is glad there are people working as hard as this to defend the Microsoft brand name.

hmph.

Well I thought I would post an update on this story,

Mikerowesoft

Apparely Mike Rowe won and microsoft gave him Many benefits to give up his website,

Microsoft will pay for Rowe's expenses, the cost of switching over to a new site, provide training for certification on Microsoft's products, a subscription to Microsoft's developer program Web site, and an Xbox video game console with games, as well as an invitation to bring his parents along for a visit to Microsoft's Redmond, Washington, headquarters for an annual technology fair.

All I can say is Lucky Kid! Wish I thought of that before!!