Trademark is as much to protect consumers as it is to protect companies. For example, this kid could have shopped his services to unwitting small business owner

Trademark is as much to protect consumers as it is to protect companies. For example, this kid could have shopped his services to unwitting small business owners in town, the kind of folks who might believe it when someone cold calls and tells them they have a virus on their computer. Turns out he's probably not a jerk, but how's Microsoft to know that? All that said, this was clearly a case of bad PR management by Microsoft. It can't be that hard for Microsoft to buy off a 12th grader.