Have you ever noticed how big business often exhibits little common sense? As if they had nothing better to do, Microsoft has sicced the lawyers on a tiny, one-person part-time consulting business. Their attorney said I could no longer use the URL of www.PowerPointPrincess.com despite the fact that I have used it for half a decade. She said that my use of the name would dilute their trademark, and might confuse people into thinking my site was endorsed by Microsoft.

From what I have read about domain names using trademarks, the jury is still out. It is my understanding that for now, it is ok to do so as long as you are not trying to deceive people into thinking your Web site is affiliated with the owner of the trademark, trying to take business away from that company, etc. My Web site clearly shows that I am actually promoting Microsoft. But I cant fight them and their plan to cut off their nose to spite their face. Even if the law is on the side of the little guy, who can afford to go up against the Giant?

In reality, the PowerPoint horse has long been out of the barn. Use of the word PowerPoint as a noun (a registered trademark no-no) has become ubiquitous. Every day there are hundreds of articles, ads and announcements saying things such as We teach PowerPoint and Let us design your PowerPoint, etc. And these without a registered trademark symbol! Some of these commercials are from my competitors. Microsoft cannot get every company, organization, church, and publisher to stop making such statements. By preventing me from using the P word in my URL, potential clients will no longer instantly know that I offer PowerPoint presentation services, and therefore will turn to my competitors. Is this not an example of restraint of trade?

I pleaded for Microsoft to reconsider forcing me to give up my name in view of various facts such as:

I have never had a company with PowerPoint in its name. However, I have been known by friends, clients, and students as the PowerPoint Princess for about nine years. During that period of time, the moniker has caused no one to think I worked for, with, or represented Microsoft or the PowerPoint application.

I have held the domain name of www.PowerPointPrincess.com since 2001. Not one person who saw that site during all those years ever thought I was connected with Microsoft or the PowerPoint application.

The alliteration and royalty-based humor inherent in the phrase PowerPoint Princess has provided me with instant name recognition, instant clarity as to the type of services I offer, and instant implication of my expertise.

Despite this world of workplace stress, announcing myself as The PowerPoint Princess when I call a business almost always results in a chuckle from the receptionist, and entre to speak with the person I seek.

I would like Microsoft to be supportive of my message and embracing of my work, as I am of Microsoft. Ten years ago I broke out of the bullet-point mold. Since then Ive been spreading the word about how remarkably flexible and powerful PowerPoint software really is. And consistent with the light-heartedness of the name PowerPoint Princess, I also surprise people by showing them that there is a fun, creative side to the PowerPoint application as well. In fact, one of my teaching venues has been cruise ships. During my class on PowerPoint Photo Album on a recent cruise to Alaska, one student, astonished to see the many special effects I demonstrated, held his head in dismay and said out loud Why did I buy Adobe?

It is ironic that over the years, I actually have been helping the Microsoft Corporation in ways beyond what it has done to help itself. Examples include giving talks at special education conferences about how PowerPoint can be used in the classroom -- long before any one else was doing it; drafting a curriculum for young children on how to use PowerPoint presentation software as drawing tools; giving lectures, presenting posters and teaching seminars both nationally and internationally on how to use PowerPoint features as tools for people with low vision; teaching classes on the surprising things you can do with PowerPoint Photo Album; demonstrating to scientists how they can use PowerPoint slides to both display and analyze optical illusions; showing scientists how to use PowerPoint Drawing Tools to create visual stimuli for experiments; and even showing litigation attorneys how to use PowerPoint presentations to win their cases (its worked every time).

I am currently developing a course (which has potential to become a book) on making digital scrapbooks with PowerPoint presentation software. I am also designing a gallery of amazing things you can do with the application. Both will be full of the wonderful, but little-known, uses and special effects that can be made using PowerPoint features.

Despite repeated pleas to the Microsoft attorney, I was forced to stop using the URL WWW.PowerPointPrincess.com on April 17, 2006.

Once again, big business prevails and the little guy fails. The result will hurt everybody including Microsoft.

This article was written by Debby Gilden, Ph.D., freelance PowerPoint designer and instructor. Please visit my Web site http://www.PPTprincess.com.

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