Thanks to our friends at DirectNIC.com, I was able to get a copy of the sort of complaints that Microsoft makes about my CD Key web page. Their e-mail is listed below. It is interesting that they seem to intentionally mix up the publishing of copyrighted material without authorization (which is clearly illegal) with the publication of things related to copyrighted works (which is not illegal per se). They also borrow terminology from the Digital Millenium Copyright Act without actually saying that it applies in this case (it doesn't). I have also made a link to my reponse. If you want to see the actual site with the controversial page, go to opensourcerules.info and then you can use the button along the type with 'MS CD Keys'.

From:    Internet1@microsoft-antipiracy.com
To:      legal@directnic.com
Sent:    Thursday, February 20, 2003 2:44 AM
Subject: Demand for Immediate Take Down - Notice of Infringing Activity 
         - MS Ref. 30046

VIA EMAIL:

Demand for Immediate Take-Down: Notice of Infringing Activity

URL: http://www.opensourcerules.info/cdkey.html
CASE #: 30046

20 February 2003

Dear Sir or Madam,

Microsoft has received information that the domain listed above, which
appears to be on servers under your control, is offering unlicensed copies
of, or is engaged in other unauthorized activities relating to copyrighted
computer programs published by Microsoft.

1. Identification of copyrighted works:

Computer program(s):
Windows XP Professional
Office XP Professional
Visio 2002 Professional

Copyright owner(s):
Microsoft Corporation

2. Infringing material or activity found at the following location(s):
http://www.opensourcerules.info/cdkey.html

The above location is offering 'Cracks' or 'Product Keys', intended to
circumvent technical measures that control access to Microsoft's copyrighted
works and that protect Microsoft's copyrights in those works.

3. Statement of authority:

I hereby certify under penalty of perjury that the information in this
notice is accurate and that I am authorized to act on behalf of Microsoft,
the owner of the copyright(s) in the work(s) identified above. I have a good
faith belief that none of the materials or activities listed above have been
authorized by Microsoft, its agents, or the law.

We hereby give notice of these activities to you and request that you take
expeditious action to remove or disable access to the material described
above, and thereby prevent the unauthorized distribution of these cracks and
product keys via your company's network.

We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Please advise us regarding
what actions you take.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Anaman
Internet Investigator

for Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
United States of America

E-mail: Internet1@microsoft-antipiracy.com

This page was last updated on June 15, 2006.