Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Agrees Settlement Over MikeRoweSoft.com
GillBates0 writes "CNN's reporting that Microsoft Corp has settled with Mike Rowe, persuading the teenager to give up his domain name in exchange for costs of changing the existing domain to a new Web site, Microsoft certification training, an Xbox, an invitation to a technology festival at Redmond and some other gifts. Includes a choice quote from Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler: 'We wanted to do this in a way that's going to foster his interest in technology'. Mike had received a 25-page letter from Microsoft informing him he was committing copyright infringement, and threatening legal action, as reported earlier on Slashdot."
Kid sold out!
How exactly does one agree a settlement? Isn't that a bit like setting up someone the bomb?
You are not the customer.
"Microsoft pulls stick out of ass... finds it makes for better PR when carrot is tied to it"... I smell an innovation patent coming.
Cheap bastards could'nt give him a decent console like a PS2 or GC... now the poor canadian guy is stuck on Halo all day!!!!
MSCE training? Jesus, I didn't know they were going to be that hard on him
I am one of many. My idea is not unique, nor do I expect my voice alone to sway you. I speak in a chorus of opinion.
Don't forget the, "I got sued by Microsoft and all I got was this stupid shirt" t-shirt :)
'We wanted to do this in a way that's going to foster his interest in technology'
Then what the hell is he going to do with a Microsoft cert?
Wonder if it's got a mod chip?
...I'm sorry, that was just plain wrong.
666-607: 6th floor apartment of the beast
...that there are perhaps 20x fewer people who care about the outcome of this story, than those who care about the recent troubles with goatse.cx. So why not post a story on goatse.cx and keep your users happy?
No -- not a troll, not offtopic, not flamebaiting. There's just no other forum to ask a question like this, so I do it here.
Cretin - a powerful and flexible CD reencoder
I doubt his nice MCSE will help him get a job :)
-- This post has been brought to you by the letters 'S' and 'arcasm'
...and that's the way the cookie crumbles.
I have never forgiven my parents for naming me Windows Crashes Too Much Jones.
He'll mod the X-box and run linux on it.
You like your new Mac more than you like me, don't you, Dave? Dave? I asked...She said Yes.
I love my crow because he's so cuddly and soft. I have registered this domain to show him off to the world.
'We wanted to do this in a way that's going to foster his interest in technology'.
...
Naaaaaah, too easy.
<grrr>
Great another kid who gets shit handed to him for doing nothing, yay.
Ave Molech Setting
He should have taken the first offer of $10. Atleast, that would have been worth something rather than the crap he got.
I am changing my name to Winifred Dowes (the fact I am male is not relevant!). All my friends will now call me Win, please.
My new Domain is gonna be WinDowesHome.com
Will I get any games with my x-box?
Going on means going far
Going far means returning
"All right boys, buy 'em out!"
(Bill's thugs start smashing Homer's office)
"What, you don't think I got this wealthy by writing checks, do you? Muahahahahahaha!"
Wah!
If he should focus on being all business now at that age, he might grow to regret it later in his life.
Yeah, look at Michael Jackson
Speeking for all teh illiterate monkeys out thair, yew sir our rong.
WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?
i hope his mom checks him for a freshly-shaved spot behind his ear when he gets back.
pr0n - keeping monitor glass spotless since 1981.
As a matter of fact, they took him to the courthouse to legally change his name to Joe Rowe to avoid any possible future trademark infringements.
Don't trust a bull's horn, a doberman's tooth, a runaway horse or me.
McDonald's reports that its new "Honeymooner" happy meal will be cancelled due to legal threats from SCO.
"Look Lois, the two symbols of the Republican Party: an elephant, and a fat white guy who is threatened by change."
Anyone who types MikeRoweSoft when they mean Microsoft is too dumb to be using a computer and the Internet anyway.
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
The real reason Microsoft sued is because when you say "Microsoft" into their speech-to-text converter you get...
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
Shmuck: "Hey look, this guy's got a clever domain"
Schmuck's manager: "This guy's ripping us off"
Schmuck's manager's manager: "This could ruin us, rake him over the coals, call legal"
Legal: "Hmmm... let's ask him to stop and see if he demands money"
Mike Rowe: "$10? Are you nuts? That's not worth the hassle, not for something like $10k would I do it"
Legal: "Congratulations, you're a cybersquatter, cease and desist or die."
Mike Rowe: "Wow, these guys suck, I'm going to the press."
Press: "Clippy slices 17-year old's jugular"
Microsoft PR: "Holy shit!, get Bill's lackey, get Legal!"
Bill's Lackey: "Geeze man, Legal, back off. PR, give the kid what any reasonable 17 year old would want for the hard work he's put into his domain. And throw in some extra stuff... not so much to make it profitable though."
Marketing: "and get some brands into the press"
might learn to associate Microsoft's mail service with gay nakid men
I made that association and I don't even use hotmail!
(or hotmale)
time to register www.SewKnee.com
My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...
I wonder how Time Warner (www.timewarner.com) is planning on buying out Tim Warner's website (www.timwarner.com).
...an invitation to a technology festival at Redmond...
sounds like an ambush to me...
We all know what a software festival at Redmond means. He'll spend 6 days and 7 nights in a re-education and brainwashing resort.
1. Get Japanese gamers to hate teh XBOCKS
2. Get M$ haters to hate teh XBOCKS
3. Teh XBOCKS is made from cheap PC hardwarez (?????)
4. Profit!!!1!!
Reality doesn't look as good as at gamespot.com
And if you listen really carefully, you can even hear the sound of ten thousand athsma puffers being used simultaneously, which should give you about 5-10 minutes to run like hell before the nerd army arrives.
The next time the RIAA tries to sue me for downloading MP3s can i get sent free CDs and a drum set?