Microsoft Blatantly Steals From Startup? [Updated]

Update: Microsoft suspended the site today. More details here.

I am not sure what to make of this one. Plurk, a very promising social networking startup is claiming that Microsoft (you read that right), has been involved with “blatant theft of code, design, and UI elements.”

What gives? Microsoft could easily just drop the engineers to do it themselves, or just buy Plurk if they wanted to. Why bother to steal something so, well, blatantly?

I am fiully not sure, but according to Plurk, some 80% of the new Microsoft MClub is stolen. Don’t think that they are speaking some truth? Take a look at the following three graphics:

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Not to be a bit short to condemn, but what the hell is going on here? This is 100% not acceptable, and Microsoft could have quite the lawsuit on its hands damn soon if it does not move to rectify the situation.

Microsoft is one of, if not the, most important technology companies that exists. Theft of any form is reprehensible, but to steal from a small startup is downright petty, mean, small, and disgraceful. I hope that this is all some sort of giant mistake, or miscommunication. I fear that it is not.

Should we boycott Bing until we get answers?