On CBS MoneyWatch: The perfect car for a teenager
BNET Business Network:
BNET
TechRepublic
ZDNet
TalkBack 17 of 53:
Next »
« Previous
well...
Offering a huge settlement to anyone who happens to come up with a similar-sounding domain name is not exactly setting good legal precedent, which is why most large corporations chase down the legal route on this one, rather than just buying it out. There's a lot of existing legalese about this subject, and even the domain registrars have policies about this kind of thing.

That said, this one is a bit more touchy than most, given the kid's name, but his name is not Mike Rowesoft; it is Mike Rowe. It is the Soft part that is getting him in trouble here.

It's a cutesy kind of thing to do, but honestly, I wonder at the business sense of it; with as many people these days who hate/dislike/whatever MS, do you REALLY want your company name to be that similar?

Anyway, I guess it is "news", but not exactly of the monumental variety.

"17-year-old picks a domain name to be cute, steps on legitimate legal toes, MS doesn't handle it the right way at first" - not much new here. 17-year-olds don't always make the best decisions, minor legal issues are always at hand, and MS very rarely handles anything the right way the first time (if at all).
Posted by: pschroeder@...   Posted on: 01/20/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
Reply to Story Reply to Message

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

Amazing, this passes for "news".  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/20/04
Hey it's big new in Canada  George Jay | 01/20/04
they push, because they have to...  ryusen | 01/20/04
More like, they push because they thought they had to ...  mlybbert | 01/21/04
thanks for the info...  ryusen | 01/21/04
It has the same "news" legitimacy as all the Longhorn adverts  SloooeShflu | 01/20/04
Two so far, anyone else?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/20/04
Umm..THREE! You forgot yourself...  SloooeShflu | 01/20/04
Well it seems...  IT_User | 01/20/04
Amazing, this passes for "news".  NoB$ | 01/20/04
Sounds like a market problem to me.  John Le'Brecage | 01/20/04
When Microsoft does something sooo stupid, yes, it is big news.  DonnieBoy | 01/20/04
How is Microsoft doing something stupid even REMOTELY news?  pschroeder@... | 01/20/04
RANT RANT RANT  voska | 01/20/04
best rant ever!  pschroeder@... | 01/20/04
It is news!  JWatson77 | 01/20/04
well...  pschroeder@... | 01/20/04
When a large corporation can...  BitTwiddler | 01/20/04
You can be prevented from using your own name  vferrara | 01/20/04
Well put  IT_User | 01/20/04
I've McDonald's Steak House once on road trip  voska | 01/20/04
Degree of phonetic similarity  Michel Merlin | 01/22/04
What A RipOff  MuffinMan_z | 01/20/04
Turn yourself in  jasonp@... | 01/20/04
watchout - screen names may be next  JWatson77 | 01/20/04
Don't know about Canada...  rtkeeling@... | 01/20/04
or veronica  Hanover Phist | 01/20/04
Whoa!!!  Ployd_Farker | 01/20/04
You are totally correct ...  coffeenite | 01/20/04
hey  JWatson77 | 01/20/04
standard argument  pschroeder@... | 01/20/04
Re: What A RipOff  calewilliam | 01/20/04
Again, Microsoft not thinking. How about dropping the Lindows thing too?  DonnieBoy | 01/20/04
See my previous post...  rtkeeling@... | 01/20/04
Another Reason Never To Buy Microsoft  brenthawkinsmd | 01/20/04
Criminal?  vferrara | 01/20/04
Can you say Fedora???  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/20/04
We all can. Your point was?...  SloooeShflu | 01/20/04
Perhaps if you read...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 01/20/04
Get to the point already...  el1jones | 01/20/04
There is a dispute  IT_User | 01/20/04
RE: There is a dispute  gigglypuff | 01/20/04
Hey, don't pick on me!  IT_User | 01/20/04
Nice try Ax  RedHat9User | 01/20/04
At least they reconsidered  Chad_z | 01/20/04
Now onto SonMikeRowe.com  FilledOut | 01/20/04
Anyone remember the Nissan case?  pschroeder@... | 01/20/04
Mike Rowe is his name.  copygod74 | 01/20/04
and "Mike Rowe Soft" is NOT his name  Michel Merlin | 01/20/04
Two faced Microsoft  jellyclock | 01/21/04
what?  pschroeder@... | 01/21/04
Is full of Buffalo Bagels  Squawkbox | 01/21/04
The law, it's a funny thing when conveyed on sentiment.  ldouglas | 01/21/04

What do you think?

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

advertisement
advertisement

IT Solutions for 2010

  • Get cost-effective strategies and roadmaps on the most important issues facing IT leaders in 2010! Learn how to easily cut costs and deliver greater efficiency starting with your database, IT compliance management and data center. Visit the IT Leaders Dashboard. Visit the IT Leaders Dashboard.
  • Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost effective solutions to real life IT problems. Oracle Topline