[1][6] Rowe set up the site as a part-time web design business, choosing the domain because of the phonetic pun by adding the word "soft" to the end of his name.
[2][9] After receiving a letter from Microsoft's Canadian legal representatives Smart & Biggar on January 14, 2004, Rowe replied asking to be compensated for giving up the domain.
[15] In return Microsoft agreed to pay all of the expenses that Rowe had incurred, including setting up a new site at and redirecting traffic to MikeRoweforums.com, a website now defunct.
[11] Following an online poll, Rowe donated most of his legal defense fund to Canuck Place, a hospice for terminally ill children, and used the remaining money for his future university education.
[20] This view was also espoused by ZDNet, which noted that had Microsoft knowingly ignored Rowe's site, the company would have risked losing the right to fight future trademark infringements.
[21] Robertson opined that – had legal proceedings ensued – Rowe would have made a strong argument for keeping his domain, as he was using his real name and was not claiming to be affiliated with Microsoft.