Microsoft sues 17 year old for domain

[Xeen]

In a very similar campaign as MS began a few weeks ago against the owner of www.mikerosoft.ca , Microsoft is now suing a 17-year old owner of another domain.

The owner is another canadian high school student whose name happens to be Mike Rowe. The kid is a web designer, and last year started a site called MikeRoweSoft.com . Well last week Microsoft started informing him that they will sue him unless he gives them the domain name because its phonetically pronounced the same as Microsoft!!!!! The kid said he'd agree for a reasonable settlement amount from MS. M$ replied by offering him - are you ready - 10 dollars!!!!

http://MikeRoweSoft.com/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/34955.html

Someone, somehow must put a stop to this idiotic bullshit.

[ January 19, 2004: Message edited by: xeen ]

[Laukev7]

Just read it in the local newspaper. Bunch of greedy bastards.

[WMD]

lol!     These stories are so full of shit....

"Confuse our customers?"  They're probably talking about the stupid people.  BUT, since stupid people use Windows, I'm sure they know how to spell "Microsoft."

Are we next?  :eek:

[Unforgiven1]

I was just thinking that..is this site next?  lol.

I just read that article like 5 minutes before I came here..bullshit!

[mc0282]

hmm, microsoft sue me for this.... microgreedy, fucking dicks.

[Xeen]

Well it appears that Microsoft has reached a settlement with the kid.

     

quote: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.

Article

Looks like Microsoft not only got themselves the domain, but also promoted the hell out their products and themselves.

I wonder what they'd do if the kid said he'd give up the site if they bought him Linux products.


By the way, in case someone here wants to get into a fight with Microsoft, here are some domains up for sale:

http://www.mykrasoft.com/

micr0s0ft.info and micr0s0ft.ws

MYCROSOFT.BIZ
MYCROSOFT.INFO
MYCROSOFT.WS

MYCRASOFT.US (on sale fo just $4.95)
MYCRASOFT.NET
MYCRASOFT.ORG
MYCRASOFT.BIZ (on sale for just $4.95)
MYCRASOFT.INFO
MYCRASOFT.WS

And last but not least, MICRO-SOFT.WS is available! It'd be cool to buy that and have it redirect either here, or to a Linux site, or better yet to an Apple.com. Someone here with a credit card should really get that domain. Its only 10 bucks a year.

[ January 23, 2004: Message edited by: xeen ]

[Canadian Lover]

quote:
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.

!!! They're bribing the kid!

[mobrien_12]

I think MS has a point here, but their demands are ridiculous.  The mikerosoft.com guy was willing to put a disclaimer on his site saying that the site had nothing to do with MS, but that wasn't good enough and the site is down.

[restin256]

Ha, I thought you were talking about MikeRowesoft. </idiot>

If I were him I wouldn't have responded to the emails, or have just replied saying "Fuck off". I bet this opinion's useless and he was probably thinking the same thing, though.