A company called Office Live has taken exception to Microsoft's use of the name for its online services for Microsoft Office. Microsoft has used the name as the branding for the extra paid-for services that augment its software suite.
Office Live the company has launched a trademark infringement lawsuit over the name. It seems Office Live LLC has held its trademark since 2002 - that's according to the files at the US Patent and Trademark Office. A suit was filed first in November, but it seems that Microsoft has been negotiating with the company since that date.
However, talks have broken down. In a statement, Office Live's chief executive Lenny Targon said: "It is shocking that Microsoft would have so little regard for another company's intellectual property rights that it would select a name belonging to another company."
The company appears to own several different websites including accountantsofficelive.com and Legalofficelive.com as well as its main site officelive.net . The former sites are search redirect portals that also have adverts to online casinos, DVD rental and debt help.
Microsoft has claimed that the 'Live' moniker is simply an augmentation to the main trademark.
Microsoft owns the officelive.com domain name. The service went live in the US in November after a beta period. It is yet to be fully launched here.
A big headache for Microsoft seems to be that Office Live LLC's sites don't operate in a markedly different sphere to its own Office Live.
