Microsoft sues 17yo over domain name.

jimnms · 01-19-2004, 06:01 PM

Full Story

In what could easily be mistaken for an Onion story, Microsoft has unleashed the full fury of its lawyers on 17-year-old Canadian high-school student, Mike Rowe, demanding the handover of his Internet domain.

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.

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

alan · 01-19-2004, 06:16 PM

No surprise that Monopolysoft would do this.

Alan

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"

PN · 01-19-2004, 07:25 PM

A long time ago, a good friend of mine was President of General Modors. He designed and sold T-shirts throughout Los Angeles. His business cards at the bottom, read "We Walk to Work." He was never contacted by General Motors regarding the name of his business.

PN

KLD · 01-19-2004, 09:17 PM

We used to have a cute little re-sale dress shop here called "Sacks 5th Avenue" (it was on 5th avenue in our city). They were successfully sued by Saks Fifth Avenue and had to change their name. They then went out of business.

The rehab center I used to work at had an annual wheelchair sports event. They called it the "Rehab Olympiad" for 3 years until contacted by the attorney for the Olympic Games, which made them change the name to Rehab Sports Day. It also has disappeared.

mattblan · 01-19-2004, 11:57 PM

"It would seem Microsoft has no choice but to back down as, legally, it doesn't have a hope in hell of winning and there are plenty of lawyers out there who would love to get a win against Microsoft under their belt."

My thoughts, exactly.

jimnms · 01-20-2004, 12:02 AM

After he wins the lawsuit from Microsoft, he should write his own operating system and call it Wind O's.

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

jimnms · 01-21-2004, 06:32 PM

Microsoft says it may have been overaggressive in threatening Web entrepreneur Mike Rowe over the name of his Web site, Mikerowesoft.com.

Full Story

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

PN · 01-21-2004, 07:19 PM

Thanks Jim.

PN

http://www.mikerowesoft.com/

jimnms · 01-22-2004, 10:39 AM

Mikerosoft.ca magnifies Microsoft's PR nightmare

A new Mike joins Mike Rowe in Microsoft's legal crosshairs

Microsoft showed its human side on Tuesday when the company admitted to overreacting by allowing its lawyers to threaten Mike Rowe over his MikeRoweSoft.com Web site. However, the company is unlikely to be so kind to another Mike, also from Canada, who is embroiled in a similar trademark battle with the software giant over his domain.

Mike Morris, who has been using the mikerosoft.ca domain for two years to front his non-commercial Web site, received a letter from Microsoft's Canadian lawyers, Smart & Biggar, in early January. He too was asked to transfer his domain to Microsoft, who offered to reimburse his registration fee and domain-transfer costs (after originally demanding that Morris bear these costs himself).

_____
Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

PN · 01-26-2004, 11:22 PM

Mike Rowe goes soft, hands over PR victory
By Kieren McCarthy
Posted: 26/01/2004 at 13:27 GMT

Microsoft has done it again - looked for all the world like it is going to get a bloody nose, and come out smelling of roses.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/35113.html

PN

01-19-2004, 06:01 PM	#1
jimnms Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,673	Microsoft sues 17yo over domain name. Full Story In what could easily be mistaken for an Onion story, Microsoft has unleashed the full fury of its lawyers on 17-year-old Canadian high-school student, Mike Rowe, demanding the handover of his Internet domain. 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. _____ Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

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01-19-2004, 06:16 PM	#2
alan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 5,223	No surprise that Monopolysoft would do this. Alan "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"

01-19-2004, 07:25 PM	#3
PN Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 4,363	A long time ago, a good friend of mine was President of General Modors. He designed and sold T-shirts throughout Los Angeles. His business cards at the bottom, read "We Walk to Work." He was never contacted by General Motors regarding the name of his business. PN

01-19-2004, 09:17 PM	#4
KLD Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: California Posts: 865	We used to have a cute little re-sale dress shop here called "Sacks 5th Avenue" (it was on 5th avenue in our city). They were successfully sued by Saks Fifth Avenue and had to change their name. They then went out of business. The rehab center I used to work at had an annual wheelchair sports event. They called it the "Rehab Olympiad" for 3 years until contacted by the attorney for the Olympic Games, which made them change the name to Rehab Sports Day. It also has disappeared.

01-19-2004, 11:57 PM	#5
mattblan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: N. California Posts: 1,095	"It would seem Microsoft has no choice but to back down as, legally, it doesn't have a hope in hell of winning and there are plenty of lawyers out there who would love to get a win against Microsoft under their belt." My thoughts, exactly.

01-20-2004, 12:02 AM	#6
jimnms Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,673	After he wins the lawsuit from Microsoft, he should write his own operating system and call it Wind O's. _____ Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

01-21-2004, 06:32 PM	#7
jimnms Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,673	Microsoft says it may have been overaggressive in threatening Web entrepreneur Mike Rowe over the name of his Web site, Mikerowesoft.com. Full Story _____ Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

01-21-2004, 07:19 PM	#8
PN Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 4,363	Thanks Jim. PN http://www.mikerowesoft.com/

01-22-2004, 10:39 AM	#9
jimnms Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Mississippi Posts: 2,673	Mikerosoft.ca magnifies Microsoft's PR nightmare A new Mike joins Mike Rowe in Microsoft's legal crosshairs Microsoft showed its human side on Tuesday when the company admitted to overreacting by allowing its lawyers to threaten Mike Rowe over his MikeRoweSoft.com Web site. However, the company is unlikely to be so kind to another Mike, also from Canada, who is embroiled in a similar trademark battle with the software giant over his domain. Mike Morris, who has been using the mikerosoft.ca domain for two years to front his non-commercial Web site, received a letter from Microsoft's Canadian lawyers, Smart & Biggar, in early January. He too was asked to transfer his domain to Microsoft, who offered to reimburse his registration fee and domain-transfer costs (after originally demanding that Morris bear these costs himself). _____ Learn from the mistakes of others, you won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

01-26-2004, 11:22 PM	#10
PN Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Witness Protection Program Posts: 4,363	Mike Rowe goes soft, hands over PR victory By Kieren McCarthy Posted: 26/01/2004 at 13:27 GMT Microsoft has done it again - looked for all the world like it is going to get a bloody nose, and come out smelling of roses. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/35113.html PN