HOOFDDORP, The Netherlands, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft's
lawsuit against Unicaresoft BV is scheduled to take place on 23 April.
Unicaresoft is a joint initiative of Carola Eppink, developers and
entrepreneurs. Carola, mother of three, designed a solution against
excessive chatting and Internet use from her home and wanted to name the
product MSNLOCK.

    The name derived from the idea behind the software - regulating the use
of various chat programmes. Carola thought MSNLOCK to be an appropriate
name for a product that provides a solution for such a large-scale social
problem.

    Shortly after registering the brand and domain name, Microsoft
Corporation demanded through their lawyers that the name was withdrawn and
the domain name deregistered.

    Carola sought legal help, turning to lawyer Marc de Boer of Boekx
Advocaten. His standpoint is that the use of the name MSNLOCK is not
illegal. "The name simply clarifies the intention of the product. What's
more, MSN messaging has become a generic term for chatting."

    Faced with the threat of a lawsuit, Unicaresoft relinquished the
product name MSNLOCK. Unicaresoft did approach Microsoft to discuss the
matter and to explain the positive effects of the developed product on the
use and perception of chat programmes. However, Microsoft declined and
summoned Unicaresoft to also transfer all claimed Internet domain names and
the name MSNLOCK to Microsoft.

    Carola comments: "I always assumed that MSN stood for Messenger. It
says so literally in the Van Dale dictionary, I quote: MSN messaging is
sending messages through a messenger."

    Carola believes the case is not so much about the brand or domain name
as it is about the product she developed. In fact, there are numerous
examples of domain names that feature the abbreviation MSN in combination
with other words. Considering the popularity of Windows Live Messenger and
the income it generates through MSN-related advertising revenue, it seems
that a product aimed at providing a solution for a large-scale social
problem is being prevented from coming onto the market.

    In the past few years, Microsoft has made quite a lot of court room
appearances in Europe. Last February, the company was issued to pay the
European Commission EUR 899 million for misusing their monopoly position to
bar other companies from the market.

    Meanwhile, Unicaresoft has marketed its product under the brand name
Benzoy (R), which is now available in stores. Gerard Ghazarian, on behalf
of Unicaresoft, says: "Benzoy (R) meets the needs of a large number of
parents who want to stop their children from spending an excessive amount
of time on the Internet or chatting. Parents do not want MSN to be banned
or to spy on their children. Instead, research has shown that they would
like online computer use and other activities to be well balanced."

    The preliminary injunction proceedings will take place on Wednesday, 23
April 2008 at 14:00 in The Hague.

    For more information on Unicaresoft Corporation, please see one of the
following links.

    http://www.unicaresoft.com

    http://www.benzoy.com

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