Jabez Scratch Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 You've probably heard about the 17 yr old in BC, Canada named Mike Rowe who operates his own personal website and registered the domain name: MikeRoweSoft.com. Microsoft has stepped in and demanded that he relinquish the domain name, alleging copyright infringement. I understand that they've settled: MS is getting the domain name and the kid is getting some X-Box gear, a tour, etc. and maybe some nominal money. I can appreciate MS's concern in maintaining the integrity of its proprietary interest in its name. But, going after a 17 yr old kid so aggressively? It's not like the kid is some sleazy cyber squatter who registers domain names en masse and holds them hostage for a sizeable ransom. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 I think the kid got a good deal. His Name is Mike Rowe, not Mike Rowe Soft, so he's obviously playing off Microsoft's name. And when companies have billions of dollars wrapped up in their reputation, it seems reasonable they want to protect it. I don't look at this as aggressive. It isn't like they broke his kneecaps, burned down his house, threw him in jail, etc. etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Microsoft to take over MikeRoweSoft.com Teen settles with tech giant for, among other things, an Xbox Monday, January 26, 2004 Posted: 10:18 AM EST (1518 GMT) Mike Rowe, 17, holds documents he says Microsoft Corp. sent asking him to give up MikeRoweSoft.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Story Tools -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RELATED Microsoft concedes taking Rowe case 'a little too seriously' CNN/Money: Bill Gates to be awarded honorary knighthood Business 2.0: Microsoft's vision thing again YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS Microsoft Corporation Patents, Copyright and Trademarks or Create your own Manage alerts / What is this? SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- A Canadian teenager whose Web site address bothered a certain giant software company will find a new home on the Web, Microsoft Corp. said Friday. Mike Rowe, a 17-year-old resident of Victoria, British Columbia, has agreed to pick a new name for his Web site, currently called www.mikerowesoft.com, said Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler. Mike's father, Kim Rowe, confirmed that his son had struck an agreement with Microsoft. Rowe said his son could not be interviewed Friday because he had to study for final exams. Mike also is working feverishly to put together a new Web site, his father said. Desler said Microsoft would cover Mike's costs of changing to a new Web site and redirecting traffic from the old site. Microsoft also had agreed to help the teen get Microsoft certification training and other gifts, including an Xbox game console, he said, and has invited Mike to a technology festival in March at the corporation's headquarters in suburban Redmond. "We wanted to do this in a way that's going to foster his interest in technology," Desler said. In a posting on his Web site earlier this month, the teen said he received a 25-page letter from Microsoft informing him he was committing copyright infringement, and threatening legal action. Desler said Friday that Microsoft believes it's important to take steps to prevent widespread infringement of its name. But he conceded Microsoft's original approach was "admittedly maybe impersonal." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Professor.Ham.Slap Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Give the kid a break. He's a 17 year old who came up with a spiffy name for his upstarting web design company. It's not like he's going to start marketing operating systems here. And to be honest, the only people that would mistake "mikerowsoft" for the actual company "microsoft" are probably too stupid to own a computer in the first place, so who cares? Besides, all he'd need to do is put a little line at the bottom of his page that says "I am not associated with Microsoft." Problem solved IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Scratch Posted January 26, 2004 Author Share Posted January 26, 2004 ---------------- On 1/26/2004 12:33:49 PM paulparrot wrote: It isn't like they broke his kneecaps, burned down his house, threw him in jail, etc. etc. ---------------- Well, not that we know of ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Poor kid,lets throw tomatos at Bill THE RICH MAN G.,so evil for giving a FREE X-Box to kiddo! INJUSTICE...whatever Lets hope Bill does not take all my subwoofers LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Cute story. Creative Kid. What's right? Who knows. Sounds like MS was at least able to have the good humor to come to a win-win type resolution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98_1LE Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 As stated, the domain name was clearly a play on the Microsoft brand name, and while I am not a huge MS fan, I would have to side with them if I was on the jury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olorin Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 His first name is Mike. His last name is Rowe. He makes software. He has every right to a domain name that incorporates his name and what he does. Could any reasonable person somehow confuse MikeRoweSoft with Microsoft? I guess it all depends on how you define a reasonable person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.