Post #136,872
1/21/04 1:12:22 PM
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This one's not bad.
If you don't agressively defend your trademark, you can lose it. I can't see where this was a bad thing for MSFT to do. The kid *had* to know what he was doing when he registered that domain. Unjustified PR for a squatter imo.
bcnu,
Mikem
I don't do third world languages. So no, I don't do Java.
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Post #136,883
1/21/04 1:56:00 PM
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I say, I say. It's a JOKE son.
MS went to far on this one.
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.sig pending
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Post #136,904
1/21/04 2:21:48 PM
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Getting lots of play up here
They did a two to three minute bit on it on the morning show on the local radio station.
If he'd done a parody, msft wouldn't have a prayer, but since he's trying to start a company, they will win. However, it will probably turn into a PR nightmare for them; they could certainly have handled it better than they have.
--\n-------------------------------------------------------------------\n* Jack Troughton jake at consultron.ca *\n* [link|http://consultron.ca|http://consultron.ca] [link|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca] *\n* Kingston Ontario Canada [link|news://news.consultron.ca|news://news.consultron.ca] *\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
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Post #136,908
1/21/04 2:26:56 PM
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When was the last time Micros~1 worried...
...bout any of their actions creating a "PR nightmare"? Hell, the last 3 years of their existance ahs been a PR nightmare, and they're still selling product (and, much more importantly, stock).
They don't care, and why should they? Sheeple still buy their shit.
jb4
shrub\ufffdbish (Am., from shrub + rubbish, after the derisive name for America's 43 president; 2003) n. 1. a form of nonsensical political doubletalk wherein the speaker attempts to defend the indefensible by lying, obfuscation, or otherwise misstating that facts; GIBBERISH. 2. any of a collection of utterances from America's putative 43rd president. cf. BULLSHIT
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Post #136,917
1/21/04 2:39:27 PM
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Different market
different market realities. That said, I don't think it will influence the number of sales a lot; after all, most sales are preloads anyway. It's effect will be more long term, and more insidious than that... the kid's seventeen years old, and MSFT Canada is using an awfully large sledgehammer to swat an awfully small fly.
The point that I was making is that this is common knowledge here now; if it's making the drive-in shows, it's nationwide.
--\n-------------------------------------------------------------------\n* Jack Troughton jake at consultron.ca *\n* [link|http://consultron.ca|http://consultron.ca] [link|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca] *\n* Kingston Ontario Canada [link|news://news.consultron.ca|news://news.consultron.ca] *\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
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Post #136,907
1/21/04 2:26:28 PM
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But Mike has a point on this one
Microsoft did have to defend it when they learned about it. No choice, or else they could stand to lose their next real case very fast.
Of course they didn't have to decide to sue rather than give the kid $1000. But I can understand a lawyer being afraid of being seen to produce a precedent. Particularly with all of the variations that people could come up with (eg "m1crosoft", "micr0soft", "micro5oft", "micros0ft", various combinations expanding out).
Cheers,
Ben
"good ideas and bad code build communities, the other three combinations do not"
- [link|http://archives.real-time.com/pipermail/cocoon-devel/2000-October/003023.html|Stefano Mazzocchi]
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Post #136,911
1/21/04 2:28:58 PM
1/21/04 2:29:25 PM
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There is one fly in the ointment for Micros~1:
The guy's name is really Mike Rowe, and he develops software. IIRC, the WIPO specifically allows one to use one's own name in their domain. (i.e. you own your own name!)
[edit: typos]
jb4
shrub\ufffdbish (Am., from shrub + rubbish, after the derisive name for America's 43 president; 2003) n. 1. a form of nonsensical political doubletalk wherein the speaker attempts to defend the indefensible by lying, obfuscation, or otherwise misstating that facts; GIBBERISH. 2. any of a collection of utterances from America's putative 43rd president. cf. BULLSHIT
Edited by jb4
Jan. 21, 2004, 02:29:25 PM EST
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Post #136,914
1/21/04 2:31:57 PM
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We'll see
I'm just saying that I can see why Microsoft's lawyers did what they did.
I didn't say that I liked it.
Ben
"good ideas and bad code build communities, the other three combinations do not"
- [link|http://archives.real-time.com/pipermail/cocoon-devel/2000-October/003023.html|Stefano Mazzocchi]
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Post #136,934
1/21/04 3:41:47 PM
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My sentiments exactly.
bcnu,
Mikem
I don't do third world languages. So no, I don't do Java.
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Post #136,972
1/21/04 6:13:44 PM
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Re: We'll see
Oh, I agree. And they may even prevail. I'm just saying that it's not the slam dunk that the lead post of this thread implied that it was.
jb4
shrub\ufffdbish (Am., from shrub + rubbish, after the derisive name for America's 43 president; 2003) n. 1. a form of nonsensical political doubletalk wherein the speaker attempts to defend the indefensible by lying, obfuscation, or otherwise misstating that facts; GIBBERISH. 2. any of a collection of utterances from America's putative 43rd president. cf. BULLSHIT
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