I receive a newsletter from "Woody's Watch" every week or so. This one had an article which really makes me back down off the "I like Microsoft" soapbox and realize not everyone there has vision. SOme have a strange sense of paranoia. Anyway, this is one of those things that really makes me want to get out of IT. Everyone who has an ounce of power thinks they can screw anyone and get away with it.
BTW, The Woody's Watch newsletters are one of the only newsletters I actually try and read every time it comes. It normally has some pretty relevant stuff. If you can spare 2 minutes a week, go to Woody's site and sign up for a news letter. There are several to choose from and you might learn something.
Microsoft is off to a poor start PR-wise. Hassling a teenager called Mike Rowe who has a sense of humor to make his web site MikeRoweSoft.com . Say it aloud and you'll realize why Microsoft became interested. Now I could understand Redmond's concern if this was a scam of some sort, but apparently the kids name is Mike Rowe and his web site (currently overloaded with hits but you can see the Google cache version
Microsoft Legal went in boots thumping to threaten a teenager and then offer a paltry $10. Making unreasonable demands of people is what is called by Microsoft 'Good faith effort' - you'd hate to see when they play hard ball. The company says the site could be used for misleading purposes in the future. McDonald's has made a fool of itself by trying to stop members of the McDonald clan establish legitimate businesses in that famous name, it's a wonder that Microsoft is making similar mistakes. Why not go all the way and sue the parents for giving their child a misleading name? Surely a polite request that the web site have a disclaimer that it's not related to Microsoft would have been sufficient (for anyone silly enough not to tell the two apart). For heaven's sake - would someone at Microsoft call a halt to this nonsense before the company name is further tarnished?
Now that I have taken his mojo, go on over to Woody's Watch and sign up for one of his newsletters before he sues me.
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