Plurk to MSFT: ''Sorry'' Just Isn't Good Enough
Microblogging site Plurk said that it may take legal actions against Microsoft.
PC World reports that Microsoft may still be in hot water over the plagiarism scandal involving its microblogging website Juku and Canadian rival Plurk. On Monday, Plurk accused Microsoft China of copying its user interface and ripping over 80-percent of its code (article). Yesterday Microsoft owned up to the crime and apologized in an official statement.
"We are obviously very disappointed, but we assume responsibility for this situation," Microsoft said. "We apologize to Plurk and we will be reaching out to them directly to explain what happened and the steps we have taken to resolve the situation."
But an apology may not be good enough. Plurk co-founder Alvin Woon said Wednesday that the company is "looking at all possibilities on how to move forward in response to Microsoft's recent statement." He also hinted at the possibility of a lawsuit, and based on the evidence and Microsoft's own admittance, they could get quite a large chunk of change in damages alone.
So what happened? Microsoft blames the blatant rip-off on an outside vendor hired to build the Juku microbloging site. Microsoft acknowledged the vendor's thieving actions, saying that it's inconsistent with Microsoft’s policies respecting intellectual property. Now Microsoft not only faces a possible lawsuit for plagiarism, but will also face a battle on another front: conquering its own hypocrisy.
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OMFG Kevin..... Microsoft isn't going to be the one that pays for this.... It will be the vendor. Stop touting your hate for everything non-Apple
At least they admitted it. Most companies would have blatently denied something they could be sued for. I respect MSFT for facing up to their misdeed.
At least they admitted it. Most companies would have blatently denied something they could be sued for. I respect MSFT for facing up to their misdeed.
Plurk is smart. Microsoft made a mistake, and they can smell the $$$ for some cheap ass program that cost them a few thousand.
WTF is Juku and Plurk? If a company makes another blog, does anyone care?
At least they admitted it. Most companies would have blatently denied something they could be sued for. I respect MSFT for facing up to their misdeed.
Apple
Lol microsoft china, i guess they are just selling that everything in china is stolen.
Whether or not you like Microsoft, ask yourselves, what if it was the other way around? Don't you think Microsoft would have sued?
Large companies and organizations (for example RIAA, which actually represents large powerful companies) have lots of money and influence, threatens (and pursues) with legal action against anything or anyone who supposedly violates the law (which they have some influence into shaping however it suits them) and their rights, but don't seem at all concerned when they do so themselves.
It's not necessarily about greed. It's quite possible they just want to remind those companies and organizations that they may have some control, but they don't own this world and everything in it.
...and enough with all that Microsoft/Apple fanboys crap. This is getting old and even more annoying than "but can it play Crysis?".
Both Apple and Microsoft are doing plenty to screw us over, and neither of them needs your help.
hell yeah ... whoever messed up here should pay for it.
The last sentance about hypocrisy does seem to be a joke - Microsoft has paid for something that turned out to infringe rights of someone else and taken steps to amend things. Assuming the group would not have had knowledge of the infringement before the story came out then I'd hope the only "damages" would be very minor compensation for lost income (if any was lost).
The only way it's hypocrisy is if Microsoft penalises people who unwittingly are tricked by pirated software - which I've not heard of too much - of if they're fibbing and actually did know all along.
First thing Plurk needed to do is tell MS about the problem and ask to fix it. Looks like they did.
If they hadn't, then they would go with lawsuits, but now there's no need. At this point, it's just a cash grab.
Actually admitting mistake is something a lot of big companies should learn. Most company will deny mistake and settle out of court without admitting anything.
Yes, Microsoft should admit their mistakes. "It was a mistake for us to think we could do business with the Chinese."
When they farmed the task out like that and got code that actually worked, that should've been their first clue, that takes years and lots of revisions in-house afterwards, but somebody still thinks they save money.
How come every time i read an article on Tomshardware now, i feel like i'm being preached at? Has objectivity completely died or is it sitting in the back room of some lonely bar singing the blues cuz none of you trumped up, jag-off "reporters" know how to use it anymore.
Just the facts people. You're not so important that your opinion bares any more weight than a fly puking on the slanted shit you spew day-in day-out.
Just the facts, please.
My wallet say's they will settle out of Court.............