12-15-2004, 07:46 PM
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Bland for life
Industry Role:
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 10,468
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Quote:
Originally posted by sean416
I never heard of that before? what happened?
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Quote:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/01/19/offbeat.mike.rowe.soft.ap
Microsoft takes on teen's site MikeRoweSoft.com
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) --It's Microsoft versus Mike Rowe-soft.
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.
Microsoft, however, is not amused.
It has demanded that he give up his domain name. In November, Rowe received a letter from Microsoft's Canadian lawyers informing him he was committing copyright infringement.
"I didn't think they would get all their high-priced lawyers to come after me," Rowe said.
He wrote back asking to be compensated for giving up his name. Microsoft's lawyers offered him $10 in U.S. funds. Then he asked for $10,000.
On Thursday, he received a 25-page letter accusing him of trying to force Microsoft into giving him a large settlement.
"I never even thought of getting anything out of them," he said, adding that he only asked for the $10,000 because he was "sort of mad at them for only offering 10 bucks."
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."
Rowe is keeping his sense of humor.
"It's not their name. It's my name. I just think it's kind of funny that they'd go after a 17-year-old," Rowe said.
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Microsoft first unleashed the pit bulls on him, but as soon as the media got wind they calmed down and eventually settled. In later articles they claimed Microsoft took control of the domain name in exchange for a new domain name, some traffic, a computer, software, and trip to headquarters but that doesn't look to be true juding by whats up there now. |
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