Slashdot Mirror
Slashback: MyCrowzOft, Inundation, Taxation
You have until April 15 ... quickenman writes "I used TurboTax for many years but used TaxCut last year (2002) after they Put C-Dilla spyware into the program. TaxCut worked well (it lacked 1 form I needed) but TurboTax seemed to be a little more user friendly. I publish several free internet newsletters, "Dr M's Computer Tip List" and also "Dr M's Computer Tips"and have told my subscribers that the link to eliminate that C-Dilla spyware is still available even though Intuit no longer lists it on their web site. Go to: support.turbotax.com/kb/ViewDocument.asp?do cumentId=491&categoryId=80068"
All publicity is probably good publicity ... for Mike Rowe. bwhaley writes "Microsoft has eased is reins after the an unexpected battle from teenager Mike Rowe in defense of his "trademark infringing" domain, mikerowesoft.com. According to a Reuters article, 'Microsoft has indicated it may have overreacted to the Web site' run by Microsoft's namesake. Thanks to this Slashdot story and lots of others like it, Mike Rowe may be able to keep his domain after all."
I doubt that Mike Rowe is Microsoft's namesake ;)
Niue free wi-fi is not gone freitasm writes "In a previous Slashdot article the author said "The world's first free national wireless grid is no longer with us, after waves from Cyclone Heta swept over Niue's thirty metre cliffs, destroying everything." This turned now not to be what actually happened there. It is now known that the The Niue Internet Users Society stored everything in water proof containers before the cyclone hit the island" "Most of the equipment survived," said IUS-N technical manager, Richard St. Clair. "That's because we stored it all in a water-tight metal shipping container before the cyclone hit." "Some WiFi antennas were lost," said Emani Lui, who originally installed and tuned the antennas for the WiFi service. "But many have now been repaired or replaced and are functioning normally." Since then Telecom New Zealand has restored communications with the island."
CosmacVIP writes "The .nu domain manager says anyone who wants to help should make donations to the New Zealand Red Cross's Pacific Cyclone Relief Fund (www.redcross.org.nz), instead of registering .nu domain names, so the aid will go directly to those who need it most."
All depends on whom you ask. Greedo writes "This article at Wired contradicts earlier news that HP was working on getting WMA support built into their branded iPod. "We're not going to be supporting WMA for now," said Muffi Ghadiali, product marketing manager for HP's digital entertainment products group. However, one analyst said that between now and summer, HP may come up with a way to convert WMA to AAC, or an equivalent technical fix. I guess we wait and see."
After that, if it breaks, you get both pieces. Ieshan writes "Microsoft has just decided to resume support for Windows 98 and apparently other product lines, as mentioned in this CNN article. Well, I guess it didn't die for long. They say customers in developing countries weren't made aware of the changes. I say they probably realized that people in developing countries couldn't afford to upgrade entire networks, and might pursue alternatives."
Assuming that this isn't a troll... Slashback, by definition, is a bunch of updates on earlier stories...
"Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
Not sure where you heard that but according to MikeRoweSoft.com the site is staying up due to the kind offer of hosting from Deafening-Urge.net. So slashdot publicity helped the guy get new hosting after slashdot publicity caused him to lose his host. It all balances out in the end.
Thats why they call it Karma
If Microsoft enforcing its trademark against MikeRoweSoft is an evil-empire action, what kind of precedent are we setting for other companies? I'm just going to start companies called Banc ov Amerika, Koka-Kola, Jonsen and Jonsen, Redd Hat Linucks, and Appul.
This guy said himself that he intentionally made a homophone of Microsoft just to mess with them. It's a clear-cut case of trademark infringement. I don't see the problem here.
<IANAL>
If you started a company called Appul that sold microcomputers and related software, then Apple might have a case.. but if your Appul company sold fertilizer or hand-tools, they'd have nothing. Likewise for Jonsen and Jonsen... do that and sell barbed-wire or plastic soda bottles, and you're not infringing anything.
In Mike Rowe's case, he's not selling personal computer operating systems and productivity software, and it's just weird that his name, said real fast, sounds like half of Microsoft.
In the case of your fictional Banc of Amerika, or Redd Hat Linucks, I think you might get in trouble, because they're still the exact same words as the name of the "real" company, just spelled different... and the made up versions don't have any real meaning, unlike "Mike Rowe" which is somebody's name.
</IANAL>
// TODO: Insert Cool Sig
www.mightgrowsoft.com/
This domain's been around since 1997, and their site layout is strangely familiar. Not to bring any heat on them- this must be protected parody, or IP law is seriously broken.
Or I am crazy. Help me figure this one out.
Big Daddy, Johnny, Burp, Aunt Zelda, Scott, Slurp, Big Momma
So says this PC World article
Which is good, because (as I whinged in another comment) I had a horrible experience with TaxCut last year.
Evidently it has been a while, but according to The Register there has been a dispute with an Australian maker of synthetic pillows and duvets. One of their products is also called "Microsoft".
SIGBUS @ NO-07.308