Microsoft: We took MikeRoweSoft too seriously

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More like, they push because they thought they had to ...

/* they push, because they have to...

if they don't attempt to defend their trademark they lose it...
*/

You're right that MS is responsible for protecting its trademarks, as any trademark holder is. However, it only needs to defend against trademark dillution, not against personal names. MS runs a big ship, and simply didn't look into the issue before paying the legal guns.

/* they atleast need to show that they are attemptign to defend their trademark. as long as they don't use legal/fnancial pressure to force anythign on him, i see no bullying.
*/

Look at http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/34955.html for a few details of some legal pressure MS has used.

For those to lazy to click, here's an exerpt:

/* "They responded to this email by offering to give me all of my out-of-pocket expenses in return for the domain name. This came out to be $10; the amount I paid for the domain. This made me feel insulted. I had spent a lot of time building up my site and I had only been offered $10 for my work. I responded by asking for $10,000, which I regret doing now, for my work and domain name."

As he now knows, Mike had unwittingly slipped into the classic trap set by companies in order to get hold of domain names .... By offering to sell the domain for profit (even if sparked by the offer of payment by the other party), according to the bent logic of domain dispute arbitrators, it shows the owner had no legitimate interest in the domain and so it should be handed over.

Microsoft, with its case bolstered, declined and Mike heard no more until 14 January when a 25-page letter and book were Fed-Ex?ed to his house explaining why he would have to hand over the domain, ...
*/

Twenty-five page letter (written by a law firm, BTW) and a book. Looks like legal pressuring here.

Posted by: mlybbert   Posted on: 01/21/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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