Hey Microsoft, back off, eh? tech

I should have, but still couldn't believe the crap I've been reading about MikeRoweSoft.com.

Microsoft is *suing* a high school student because of his domain name, which is also his real name (Mike Rowe). They say:
1) People will get confused if they get to his site...i.e. we're all so stupid we think that the Microsoft we see EVERYWHERE could also be spelled MikeRoweSoft.
2) He uses his site to sell his web design business. So we idiots, having stumbled on the site, will forget that Microsoft doesn't actually create webpages for people. No other communication with Mike Rowe will tip us off that he isn't a huge software monopoly in Washington, and we'll give MikeRoweSoft money unintentionally...money Microsoft, and not a high school senior getting ready for college, surely needs.

And, can you believe it...they offered him $10 for the domain! No shit he was insulted. It costs more to register the damn thing. I would have told them to shove it too (and I would have asked for more money).

Mike Rowe...sorry you have to go through this crap at your age, but hopefully you'll get something out of it.

Posted by Desiree on January 20, 2004 at 02:02 PM | TrackBack


Comments

FYI. Smacks of the RIAA suing teenagers and their grandparents, eh?

Posted by: ColdForged on January 20, 2004 02:37 PM

You should NOT tell them to shove it and ask for more money. You SHOULD say it's not for sale.

That's the problem, they offered to cover his costs (which he said was only $10) and then he asked for $10,000. Now Microsoft will use that to say in court that he never intended to keep the domain in the first place and only registered it to make money off selling it (in otherwords, puts Mike Rowe's intent for the domain in question.) In otherwords, they baited him, and he fell for it.

However, that aside, the fact that Microsoft when after him in the first place is complete donkey dung. I can't imagine any feasible reason for Microsoft to go after that domain unless he had been actively attacking Microsoft on his website, which as far as I know, he hasn't. I mean, if you look, mikerowsoft.com, mikeroesoft.com and mikerosoft.com (just the first 3 I tried) are all registered domains and I don't see Microsoft going after those.

But on the postive side, this case gives a person who would have probably been unheard of his 15 minutes of fame around the world, so if he's smart, he can capitalize on this sudden publicity. I know I would.

Posted by: Mike on January 20, 2004 04:32 PM


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