Apparently only one company has the right to call itself Microsoft in Portugal, and it's not the software giant based over in Redmond. According to this Reuters story, Microsoft Lda. began operating in Portugal in 1981, while the bigger Microsoft didn't open up shop there until 1990. It was forced to call itself MSFT, which is Microsoft's ticker symbol.

Microsoft Lda. intends to put its name and business up for auction on eBay starting Wednesday. The starting price is $1 million.

So will MSFT bid? The company did not comment for the Reuters story, which quoted the Portugese Microsoft Lda. CEO saying:

"MSFT has said it was interested in our brand name but needed more time to discuss the matter. We have held talks with them in the past and didn't want to wait for them anymore."