RSSMicrosoft continues legal push against software fraud
By Ed Oswald | Published December 11, 2007, 5:17 PM
Microsoft announced the filing of 52 lawsuits against sellers of pirated and fraudulent copies of its software, as well as referring another 22 cases to law enforcement.
Fifteen of the lawsuits stemmed from activity surrounding a Chinese piracy syndicate that Microsoft was successful in breaking up back in July of this year. That ring spanned five continents and 26 countries.
It was not immediately clear whom the remaining 37 lawsuits were directed toward, although it appeared all legal actions were surrounding online sales, including those through eBay.
Among the lawsuits, actions were filed in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the US.
The company will also work with the leading auction site to help users purchase genuine software while there. The "Microsoft Buying Guide" contains details on how to spot counterfeit software, and the risks of purchasing it.
It will also continue to fight piracy and counterfeiting on the site by making use of eBay's features which allow it to locate and request removal of such software from the site.
"Microsoft is committed to taking the legal action necessary to protect consumers around the world from the dangers of counterfeit software, and we encourage consumers to look to the legitimate channel -- both online and offline -- when seeking genuine Microsoft software," associate piracy counsel David Finn said.
Again, the Redmond company turned to its sponsored study by IDC in 2006 which said that counterfeit software often contains malware and viruses, as well as other dangerous code.
Didn't they try to sell a cheaper copy of Windows XP in China a couple of years ago? Sounds like it wasn't a successful program; because the pirates are still busy. A few will always be there even if it was free...
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If i were M$, i'd hold a one-time 48 hour clemency bonanza period: for $40 EACH, activate ANY MS product 'already installed previously'-- no questions asked, on as many systems as one wants(& for an extra $20 each, the software on disc can be shipped). The amounts can be nudged up & down, depending on local economic level.
$500 per computer would allow activating unlimited number of MS apps per system.
Sit back and collect TRILLIONS in that short period of time, while trumpeting all competitors-- free and payware.
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By Budgie29 says:
"their is one simple answer to stop the pirates is to cut your prices M$ and then people will buy the software."
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If it were that simple MS would no doubt do just that and so would very other software company. The basic human condition says that there will always be pirates no matter what the price is.
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their is one simple answer to stop the pirates is to cut your prices M$ and then people will buy the
software.
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You must be stupid. If lower price will solve this problem, MS would have lower price for a long time. If lower price is a solution, there will be warez release on program that cost 5 to 10 bux.
It's software got pirate because it's the most popular.
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Glad to hear that M$ is going after real pirates. Funny tho Russia is not mentioned in the list?
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You said M$. You rock.
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