Microsoft suing teenager

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Mike Rowe thinks it's funny that his catchy name for a Web site design company sounds a lot like Microsoft.

The software giant, however, is not amused.

"Since my name is Mike Rowe, I thought it would be funny to add 'soft' to the end of it," said Rowe, a 17-year-old computer geek and Grade 12 student in Victoria, British Columbia.

Microsoft Corp. and its attorneys have demanded that he give up his domain name, the Vancouver Province newspaper reported Sunday.

Rowe registered the name in August. In November, he received a letter from Microsoft's Canadian lawyers, Smart & Biggar, informing him he was committing copyright infringement.

He was advised to transfer the name to the Redmond, Wash.-based corporation.

"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."

He said family and friends are backing him and a lawyer has offered to advise him for free.

He's also 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.

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. And we remain hopeful we can resolve this issue to everyone's satisfaction."

See the entire article here:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... _unhappy_1

heh, that's funny

hahah too funny

if i were smarter id use linux but im not so MS is it for me boohoo

i think that's really pathetic that they would waste time and
effort on that...and besides that, they won't win. And I really
hope they don't.

"i was just implying that i was a sensitive guy, that's all "

do u think it will be thrown out of court?

Heh, clever, mikerowesoft.com But seriously, it is his name, they have no right to sue him over it.

Probably. It is actually kind of childish to do that..

Whatever, I have disassociated myself from Mr. Globalism so I am nto to worried.

microsft is worried about giving up $10,000 dollars, they probably paid more for the lawyer's retainers. A multi-billion dollar company would rather spent 1 or two million in court than $10,000 to pay the kid off and keep it out of the press. All I can say is good luck billy gates, taking on a 17 year old kid

Ya wanna put him out of business? IT wouldn't be that hard. Go down to the HQ...sneak past security go into stealth mode and install linux on his computer.

I saw that just a bit ago. I thought the ZDNET article put it in better perspective:

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104_2-5143614.html

Specifically this:

But still, it's the guys name for google's sake.

This is going up on my locker tomorrow *snickers*

*lol --Just stating the facts... will be interesting to hear the response of that on your locker. I can see the headlines now "b_heyer is a communist - Accuses Microsoft of being Evil!"

Microsoft filing charges against b_heyer for being a communist... I can see that happening..

It really seems like BS. i mean, if you have microsoft.ca, and they are microsoft .com, there's a legit reason for concern, they don't want people misdirected. But it <i>is</i> his name, even if the -soft is added. They don't stand to lose anything out of it, there really shouldn't be any legal position for them to come from.