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."

Intuit

[Aurix]

I don't know about everyone else, but we gave up on Intuit a long time ago, after they introduced a heap of serials/product keys just to install/upgrade. Between our numerous versions, and multiuser licences, trying to install Quickbooks/other Intuit shit was a nightmare. We'll never be supporting them again.

Hello

[Anonymous Coward]

why don't they sue this [mycrosoft.com]. It took me one whois to find it.

Free WiFi Network in Govt sights

[slyall]

According to this [nbr.co.nz] article in the (New Zealand) National Business Review [nbr.co.nz] the Niue Government doesn't like the competition from the Niue Internet Users Society and is using strongarm tactics to protect it's phone monopoly.

Re:Windows ME support?

[UnknowingFool]

I have a friend who was working at MS at the time ME came out. He didn't work on any OS stuff but he entered one of their computer rooms to work on some server stuff one late night. There were two guys from the ME team working on a computer trying to get it to install ME. This was about a week before the ME launch. Out of curiosity he asked them: "Oh, you work on the ME development team, how does ME compare to the other OS?" Without a blink, they respond: "It's a piece of crap. Don't bother installing it." Then they started laughing and opened a cooler and started drinking.

Smart and Bigger

[Mostly a lurker]

Was I the only one to get a chuckle from the name of Microsoft's lawyers going after Mike Rowe? "Smart and Biggar" is so appropriate, though they lacked commonsense in this case.

Colonel Sanders and Mike Rowe ...

[HrothgarReborn]

...Have something in common.
I saw on a PBS special a few years back that the original Colonel Sanders, after selling off Kentucky Fried Chicken, opened a restuarant called the Colonel's Lady and was sued by KFC for using his name and his face to which they held the trademarks. The Colonel won eventually.

Just thought someone might think that was an interesting precedent.

Re:Domain names?

[jhoffoss]

All you have to do is look at Gates' net worth to see that bland works in big business. And the publicity this kid has gotten is fantastic; he'll have a good chance at having name recognition at any interview he sits down in (were you that guy with the site ten years ago...)

I'm surprised he hasn't had to sell the damn domain just to cover his hosting costs though.

Re:TurboTax 2003 activation not required, correct?

[glinden]

I did the same, but I still found it annoying. When you installed TurboTax 2002, C-Dilla was also quietly installed. C-Dilla ran all the time, taking up memory. Originally, C-Dilla would remain installed even when you uninstalled TurboTax. Only after a public outcry did Intuit decide to release an uninstaller for C-Dilla. Sure, it's not the end of the world, but it's definitely annoying.

TaxCut vs. TurboTax

[Xthlc]

I had a pretty horrible experience with TaxCut last year. There was a bug (triggered by my combination of being self-employed and renting my home) that refused to complete my taxes unless I filled out some fields that were non-applicable with values that satisfied TaxCut's constraints. Basically, it wouldn't let me file my taxes unless I filled them out with false and confusing information.

I call technical support, which of course is in India. All they could help me with were monkey steps involving turning on my computer, logging into Windows, etc. There was no process for escalating actual bugs to people that can help you work around or solve them. Classic horror story of outsourced tech support.

I wound up throwing TaxCut in the trash and filling out my forms by hand. I'm going to give TurboTax a shot this year -- hopefully I can work around the spyware.