Slashback: MyCrowzOft, Inundation, Taxation

Tonight's Slashback brings updates on Microsoft's softened stance on MikeRoweSoft.com, good news on the thankfully exaggerated demise of Niue's wireless network, and an update on Windows 98's revised appointment with fate. Read on below for the details.

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."

Windows ME support?

[gooberguy]

Well it's great they're still going to support 98, but ME? Come on! ME is quite possibly the worst OS Microsoft put out. Sure XP sends stuff to MS without telling you, and 98 is unstable, but at least they are useable operating systems. The worst thing about ME is that you can't restart in DOS mode, no matter what. Even though it runs on top of DOS, and you can use a boot disk to get to DOS, ME won't let you restart into DOS mode. Networking support is also a pain. By "a pain" I mean would rather get shot than try and get ME working with a network card. One time, when I didn't know the evils of ME, I tried getting a Realtek card to work. Bad idea! After almost a week of screwing with the computer, I formatted it and put (what I think is the best thing to come out of Microsoft) Windows 2000 on it. The card worked great in 2000. I thought 2k and ME are supposed to have the same TCP/IP implementations, the ones from BSD. I bet MS could save a TON of time and money by solving all ME problems with a free format and XP home installation.

Re:Amazing..

[iantri]

Yes I do; updates on previous stories.

These stories both were already followed up on. Do we really need another story with the same followup repeated?

Slashdot has enough dupes already! ;)

Re:Amazing..

[Anonymous Coward]

You must be new here (along with your mods). Elsewise you'd know that mods can't be new.

Re:Windows ME support?

[bhtooefr]

Are you sure they were really on the ME team?

After all, the Win2K team was quoted as calling 98 (the team of which would have been reassigned to ME, most likely) a "toy OS".

BTW, this could also be a troll, as ME is as hard to install as 98 (identical installer, except for ME graphics and text). ME IS a piece of crap. The ME team might have said that (after all, chances are no Intel engineer would say the P4 was a good design, and it was essentially made by marketdroids) about their own creation, as it WAS a "trick" to make people think they were getting 2000 Home, when they were really getting 98 with a 2000 explorer.exe.

Analyst my ass

[rmull]

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.

What??? That makes about as much sense as converting ogg to mp3. It can be done easily, but it'll be lossy as hell - they're different formats, damnit. Maybe I could an analyst and then they could pay me to be dumb. Or better yet - a pundit. Bah.

Re:Seriously, people

[Malcontent]

Chances are this is not infringement. There have been numerous cases where people who used their own names as their business names have been found not to infringe.

Of course ICANN is not a fair organization and they would have probably taken the domain from the guy but in court Mike would have prevailed.

BTW there are thousands of companies called delta, washington, montana or whatever. It's OK for two businesses to have the exact same name. The issue is whether a reasonable person would confuse the two businesses. Maybe you would confuse the MikeRoweSoft company and Microsoft but a reasonable person would not.

Re:Windows ME support?

[kfg]

But it is a toy OS. All I use it for is to run some toys. :)

KFG

Re:Domain names?

[zakezuke]

So you like interesting names like Apple instead? How about Sun, Oracle, or Ford.

Apple had issues because of the UK record company, or wait, still has issues due to the Itunes thing.

Sun is again a boring name... i'm sure other Suns exist other than the sun we know and love.

Ford is a proper name.

Oracle is a common enough one to see in circles outside the software world.

So to have a trademark you have to have an interesting name

Sun Microsystems... Oracle Corp... Apple computers / Apple Records... Ford Motor Company

Any old joe can start a small business called Sun something or another, but not Sun Microsystems. Apple only has license to object when some other Apple does something sound / music related. Ford being a proper name isn't in it self a trademark, only in relation to automobiles as in the Ford motor company. It's the price you pay for having a boring name.

Lot's of Micro related stuff around, lots of ...soft companies. Microsoft doesn't own any rights to either Micro nor ....soft.

I am guessing that you consider zakezuke to be a very interesting name.

Actually, I do. It's unique, easy to spell, semi-proper name looking. It has a sence of balance as in yin/yang or your push you pull... and near as I can tell, i'm the only bugger who uses it, unlike Anonymous Coward.