
Microsoft vs. MikeRoweSoft - Hrundi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_vs._MikeRoweSoft
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manifest23
Well this is kind of weird to see here. Especially since it happened almost 10
years ago. I am Mike Rowe. I can answer any questions if people want. I did an
AMA on reddit in 2009 as well
[http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ajsih/i_am_the_guy_who...](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/ajsih/i_am_the_guy_who_owned_mikerowesoftcom_ama/).

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onedev
I just wanted to say, you are my hero.

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manifest23
I think you need to re-evaluate your criteria in choosing a hero.

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onedev
Haha honestly my comment was sort of half joking :p

I still really like that he didn't bend over to Microsoft's will despite him
being extremely young and up against one of the largest companies on the
planet.

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bdon
For those interested in a breadth of interesting domain squatting litigation:

 _Panavision Int 'l, L.P. v. Toeppen_
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Toeppen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Toeppen)
\- company Panavision vs. a domain squatter ostensibly showing pictures of
Pana, Illinois

 _People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v. Doughney_
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_for_the_Ethical_Treatmen...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_for_the_Ethical_Treatment_of_Animals_v._Doughney)
\- PETA vs a guy who registered peta.org as 'People Eating Tasty Animals'

 _Lamaparello v. Falwell_
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamparello_v._Falwell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamparello_v._Falwell)
\- fallwell.com mistyped domain used to criticize preacher Jerry Falwell

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gabemart
Am I missing something? The wikipedia article claims he intentionally bought
the domain because it sounded like Microsoft. The domain very clearly
infringed on Microsoft's trademark. Microsoft offered to repay him the cost of
buying the domain name (which they are under no legal obligation to do). I
don't really get why Microsoft is the bad guy here (and I'm no particular fan
of the company).

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charonn0
When a multi-billion dollar corporation thumps a 12th grader over the head
with its legal department, people are going to call foul.

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gabemart
From my reading of the article (which may well not represent the whole story,
I admit) they only "thumped him over the head" with a C&D when he asked for
$10,000 for his infringing domain. I'm not sure being a 12th grader gets you
off the hook for that.

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lostlogin
I'm pretty sure he does - if he sent them a death threat the courts would see
that somewhat differently to an adult doing the same thing. Having said that,
given the way terrorism is defined in the US these days, I could be wrong. I
did some pretty bad things while at school - I had the LAPD emailing me after
I emailed a spammer and said I was sick of him and had an especially pointy
stick saved up to visit him with. Would I do that now? Hell no, it was stupid.
I was a(nother) dumb bored kid.

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codeka
Slow news day? How did this make it to the front page?

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conroy
My guess is that it has to do with the Nissan.com story also on the front
page.

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jnord
When checking out the site that was mentioned in the article, I mispelled the
URL slightly and ended up at mikerowsoft.com which the AVG virus scanner
reported as an "attack" page. Now there is something for the Microsoft legal
team to sink there teeth in.

