1.   Similar protests had taken place in April and July.

2.   Shumen and Razgrad districts in the north-east saw similar protests.

3.   Similar protests took place in the southern town of Lund.

4.   Although a handful of other companies lodged similar protests with Sporkin during hearings, all did so anonymously, claiming fear of retaliation by Microsoft.

5.   Although many in the crowd were apparently veterans of similar protests, others said they were demonstrating for the first time.

6.   At a similar protest last year, hundreds were arrested.

7.   At the end of September and in early October, similar protests cost German industry hundreds of millions of marks.

8.   A similar protest is also planned near the White House.

9.   A similar protest movement, called Otpor, or Resistance, was crucial in unseating the Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic last October.