IDG News Service - A Dutch computer enthusiast surrendered the WindowsXP.nu domain name to Microsoft Corp. after the software maker threatened to take legal action.
Steven Bink registered WindowsXP.nu more than two years ago and used it to run a popular gossip Web site on Microsoft products. Last month, Bink received a letter from Microsoft's Dutch counsel accusing him of trademark infringement and ordering him to sign over the domain (see story).
Bink said today that he handed over the domain amicably on Friday. In exchange, Bink, 32, who owns an IT services company in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, has been named a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP). Additionally, Microsoft will supply him with certain goods and services, which Bink declined to detail. He maintained that his site will remain independent.
Until April 1, the domain will link to http://WinXP.Bink.nu, the new address for the gossip site, Bink said.
Bink's site is an important spot for Microsoft beta testers and hobbyists looking for news and gossip about Microsoft products. It logs up to 20,000 page views a day, Bink said. Most of the site's visitors come via the Google search engine, which lists WindowsXP.nu as one of the top results after a search for Windows XP.
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