RSSMicrosoft Files 20 New Piracy Lawsuits
By Ed Oswald | Published September 19, 2006, 1:13 PM
In its continuing efforts to stop piracy of its software, Microsoft said Tuesday it had filed another twenty lawsuits in nine states. The Redmond company said the lawsuits were filed for various reasons, including the manufacture and distribution of pirated software, or engaging in "hard-disk loading."
Hard disk loading is the practice of loading unlicensed software onto a computer which is then sold to an unsuspecting consumer. The purchaser usually has no idea that the software on the computer was pirated until a method like Windows Genuine Advantage exposes it as counterfeit.
"We want to make it clear to people who try to profit illegally," said Microsoft senior attorney Mary Jo Schrade. "Microsoft is determined to protect its intellectual property, while also helping protect consumers and honest resellers from the deceptive and dangerous practices of counterfeiting and hard-disk loading."
The lawsuits were filed against Cyber Solutions and ComputerME.net of Ohio; Sumner Transatlantic of Connecticut; Byte Me Computers of Oregon; JFG Tek Computers of New Jersey; and Computers 4 Less, EComp, HecsPC.com, Silver Eagle Computers and The Wholesale Computer, all of Florida.
Additionally, suits were filed against Atlantatechnology, Dalsand Computers and GForce Computer Sales and Services of Georgia; America's Computers & Wireless of Kansas; Gatecomusa.com and Unet Computer of New York; Computers and Laptops Fixture, ITQ Computers/One-Line, Millennium Communications, and Computers Unlimited, all of Texas.
In addition to the suit, Microsoft also released details of a forensic analysis of counterfeited versions of Windows XP across 17 states. The study found that risks exist for consumers in using counterfeited software. One in three discs could not be installed on a computer, and 43 percent contained code not originally part of Microsoft Windows.
This tampered code could put users at risk for denial-of-service attacks, bypass of password protection and application memory corruption.
"Counterfeit software is big business worldwide," Schrade said. "As this research highlights, consumers and businesses need to make informed choices when purchasing software or risk the possible consequences of using counterfeit software."
Read this - and THINK before you use your weapons:
http://www.pirate-party.us/
http://www.parti-pirate.be/
http://www.parti-pirate.info/
http://www.piratpartiet.it/
http://www.ppoe.or.at/
http://piratparty.narod.ru/
http://www.piratpartiet.se/
http://www.partidopirata.es/
http://piratenpartei.de/
http://www.pp-international.net/
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|Or, even worse: "Share a file / Be forced to go
on a date with Cindy Sheehan !".
I think I'd rather face the death sentence than be forced to date Cindy Sheehan!
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|whatever.
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|I have LONG been against ANY moves MS makes against ANYONE or any entity for piracy, since they themselves have engaged in the practice many many times in the past and even today, you still hear stories of MS employees or representatives engaging in it...
However....
On the other hand i accept and agree with the idea that a lot of time money and effort is spent in developing marketing and supporting any piece of software... and the person company or entity creating researching, developing marketing or supporting deserves to get paid for their efforts...
I think the whole of it is this, and all piracy can be lumped into one of these categories..
[1] - people who are rebels and just get off going against the flow...
These people need to accept that it's ok to be an individual but there are laws that are in place to protect the greater population. They need to accept the fact that they can do whatever the hell they want - that is a personal freedom.. so long as their actions harm noone BUT themselves.
[2] - people who are poor and cannot afford all the software they need to survive or get ahead in today's world.
This group is growing larger every day... not much can be said or done about these people other than to remove them from society.. lock them up and they wont have any more worries about being poor.. there is the slight problem however that the little bit they currently cost society is nothing compared to the cost of keeping them incarcerated, fed, etc.. and killing them isn't an option
[3] - people who think - why bother paying when i can get it free.
these people fall under the same response as group 2 people.
[4] - people who try to make profit margins profitable in a world where there really is no room for profit ..
the bad thibg about this group is that EVERY company can claim to be part of it as everyone is so damn money hungry there is NEVER enough profit..
as long as there are people there will be piracy..
In relation to this article, all i can say is at least MS has the decency to go after specific people or companies.. No john Doe illegal lawsuits :)
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|QUOTE: "... not much can be said or done about these people other than to remove them from society.."
don't blame the tyrant, blame those who work for him - like "eunichman". how nice to have a user name available, isn't it . . .
QUOTE:"and killing them isn't an option"
are you sure of this - or just afraid to tell what's in your heart?
I pity you. You're living in your own hell, even before you're gone . . .
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|...
Share a file / Go to jail !
...
The Computer Rodent
...
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|This has nothing to do with file sharing, troll.
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|Yeah hes right, what are you on about? Ive been reading betanews ofor a few months now and it seems that you pop up on just about every topic with nothing constructive to say. Why dont you read the article, learn about the industry and then post.
Good on you Microsoft!
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|LOL
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|According to your logic, if you have ever uploaded anything or sent a file to anyone or any site, you go to jail. So since you have no doubt sent an attachment at some point, please turn yourself into the cops.
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|...
I don't think that your stance goes far enough !
Share a file / Lose a limb !
...
The Colon Polyp
...
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|...
"I don't think that
your stance goes far
enough !
Share a file / Lose
a limb !"
...
Or, even worse: "Share a file / Be forced to go
on a date with Cindy Sheehan !".
...
The Computer Rodent
...
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|...
"According to your logic,
if you have ever uploaded
anything or sent a file
to anyone or any site,
you go to jail"
...
As your favorite rodent has stated previously on
this forum:
If an offender can prove beyond a shadow of a
doubt with unequivical video evidence that they
actually own the file they were caught sharing,
then they might be released with just a warning
after serving minimal time in custody.
...
The Computer Rodent
...
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|...
"This has nothing
to do with file sharing"
...
Thank you PC_Fool (aka John Karr). But "piracy"
is piracy !
Just because the "intellectual property" belongs
to Microsoft [who's payroll we're starting to
suspect you're on] doesn't change the basic issue.
File-sharers and software counterfeiters all need
to be hung from the same scaffold !
It's the same basic offense.
Now run along and go play while us grown-ups
discuss this important issue.
...
The Computer Rodent
...
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|My favorite rodent is Splinter.
Video evidence?
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|