Microsoft takes on teen's site MikeRoweSoft.com

CNN.Com / Technology ^ | Monday, January 19, 2004 Posted: 9:25 AM EST (1425 GMT) | Associated Press

[Bobby777]

Rowe, a 17-year-old high school senior and Web designer from Victoria, has angered the software giant by registering an Internet site with the address www.MikeRoweSoft.com.

"Since my name is Mike Rowe, I thought it would be funny to add 'soft' to the end of it," said Rowe.

[Tank-FL]

Nothing Personal Mr. Rowe - just business

[observer5]

This typical! This is supposed to be a multi-billion dollar company and they are worried about some kid registering this domain.

What a bunch of idiots, morons, jack-a**es.

Micheal-Gates-from-hell.com

[observer5]

Microsoftware-from-hell.com

gates-to-hell.com

microjerksoft.com

Just a few ideas.

[observer5]

"Microsoft company spokesman Jim Desler said Sunday, "Microsoft has been in communication with Mr. Rowe in a good faith effort to reach a mutually agreeable resolution."

hey, Jim Desler het a life you jerk!

Maybe Adolf Hitler can give you hand?

[metesky]

WWW.MikeRoweImpotent.com

[jjm2111]

See if Bill Gates had a sense of humor, MS would have paid the kid $100 or so a month to include the MS logo and a link with a little "Sponsored by Microsoft".

Except they use Gestapo tactics.

No wonder the dems hate corporations.

[smith288]

Check out Nissan.com

Same sorta story only Mr Nissan refuses to give up the name and uses it for non-profit use.

http://www.nissan.com

[Rebelbase]

Sadly the big companies have deep pockets and no morals.

In Thomasville, NC there was a mom and pop company that operated for 40 years as "Thomasville Cabinets".

About 10 years ago, Thomasville Furniture decided it didn't like a company making cabinets sharing the Thomasville name and sued.

Thomasville Cabinet company folded up within a year.

[OneTimeLurker]

Some might say, that's capitalism at work.

[demlosers]

Stick to your guns and fight Microsoft. They lost a similiar case recently and they'll lose this one too.

I'm surprise Microsoft hasn't gone after these guys yet? f***microsoft.com. They use all of the company name and insult it.

[muawiyah]

NO sense of humor.

Who has "My Crow's Oft"?

[Bobby777]

there was a similar one between Mattel (?) and a girl who operated LatinaBarbie.Com ...

[Incorrigible]

Tank-FL is right.  You other guys need to get a clue.

Don't hate Microsoft, hate lawyers.  If Microsoft or any other company allowed this teenager to play off a copyrighted name, that company would have less ground to pursue those that use the company's name for nefarious purposes.

IBM sued BigBlue.com out of business.

If you went to the store thinking you were buying Coca-Cola and wound up with Mecca-Cola because it looked alike, wouldn't you think that Coke would be justified in litigating against the makers of Mecca Cola?  See the picture below (Click for link):

 

[Bobby777]

I was thinking the same thing ... or My Crow Soft ... I shall leave it to those who would pursue ... I'm sure Gates will send the boys on that one too ... LOL

[weegee]

Mike Rowe's name is younger than Microsoft the company. If I name my kid Ko Cacola he can't go bragging to Coca Cola Inc.

[ShandaLear]

Are you saying Microsoft doesn't have the right to protect it's trademarked name?

[weegee]

Kind of odd that a kid would have bragged about it. Must be a metrosexual...

[1L]

I don't think MS has a case (domain registration issues are contractual between the registrar and register, except in certain situations), but in partial defense, they have to try and protect their intellectual property. They want to make sure Microsoft doesn't become a generic term like Coke, Kleenez, Skil, and Xerox, to name a few.

On the other hand, their tactics in this case do seem a bit over the top. There are ways to do this without bullying a 17 year old kid. And they probably would have already filed suit if they expected to win this case in court.

[Bobby777]

I understand it to a degree ... if MikeRoweSoft made an operating system, a word processor, etc. ... perhaps he could go with MikeRoweSoftware and then I say they have no case at all ... in fairness, the phonetic is the same ... but ...

when I look in the phone book and see AAA Glass, AAA Bodywork, AAA Towing ... gotta wonder who the first guy (or gal) was to use AAA?