The current stage in the campaign against piracy from the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has claimed its latest victim after Manchester based Internet retailer Zoobon was closed down for selling counterfeit Microsoft software.
According to Microsoft, "it had received a number of complaints from Zoobon customers unhappy with the quality of the products they had been sold" before it moved in on Zoobon. In an investigation conducted over the course of a year with the help of eBay, Zoobon was found to have counterfeited £3m worth of software, according to a spokeswoman for Microsoft.
Following the investigations, an out-of-court settlement was reached between Microsoft and the individuals behind Zoobon under which they ceased trading and gave an undertakings not to sell counterfeit Microsoft software in the future. Zoobon's site on eBay site has closed down.
Michala Alexander, Microsoft head of anti-piracy, said: "We take our responsibility seriously to protect consumers and legitimate channel partners from counterfeit software. This was a major counterfeit operation selling goods which were hard to distinguish from the genuine article."
According to the Business Software Association's latest survey, which was conducted by IDC, if the UK could cut the amount of counterfeit software by 10 percent it could generate nearly 34,000 new jobs, £11bn in economic growth and £2.8bn in tax revenues.
"This could solve the chancellor's problems in one go," said Mike Newton, a spokesman for the BSA. "The survey really underlines the knock-on effects from piracy."
According to Newton, IDC estimates the cost of "piracy" by looking at the total number of systems sold, the total number of software packages sold and other data and then cross-analysing the figures "based on the average company".
Talkback
Wow Microsoft apperantly wants you to hear loads and loads of crap until your ears fall off.
Here is the truth.
*Micrsoft have currently problem to get youngsters interestested in developing software whith Visual Basic and such too. Why ?
Because now adays no one can easily copy it and learn from it. Who is the winner. GCC, C++ , PHP, Perl and other open software solutions.
*How can increased revinue for Microsoft give more jobs to a city. Short answer it can't. Microsoft only developes one copy of there software and duplicates it. Rather easy hey. So the numbers are just pure lies.
*Look at the reverse way instead. How much could a city / Country save if they did throw out all commercial software. 3bn in Sweden according to some analytics. Sweden is a very small country so wow do that in US/ UK or any other country and it will crush those fake numbers...
Microsoft if you shall lie.Atleast do it good
Michala Alexander, Microsoft head of anti-piracy, said: "We take our responsibility seriously to protect consumers and legitimate channel partners from counterfeit software. This was a major counterfeit operation selling goods which were hard to distinguish from the genuine article."
The ONLY reason M$ is going after piracy is to sell
more copies of their buggy OS. They have no interest in the consumers. If they cared about the consumer they would fix their product for stability and security, instead of rushing it to the market full of bugs and
holes. Don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen. The ONLY thing that interests them is MONEY!
err Microsoft are a business of course the only thing they should be interested in is money, make it sound like thats a crime
Surely a legitimate business should be interested in providing quality goods and value for money, besides just being profitable? And lets not forget "Staying within the Law" either.
why dont microsoft sell their products from their site at lower prices like other software manufacturers, then people wouldnt sell counterfit goods because people could buy them direct from microsoft???
On the 21st November 2004 I purchased from a internet company Dabs.com. A Windows Computer programme. Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 operating system (Boxed Version) for the sum of £238.52 plus £6 postage.
This I installed on my computer and due to several faults and a computer re build
I had to reinstall and activate the product 5 times. When I tried to re activate the product 17/18 November 2005. I was informed by the computer activation on the Internet, that I had used the reactivation too many times and to purchase another copy of the operating system purchase and enter the number. It even directed me to the Microsoft site to purchase same.
When I contacted the operator by telephone and told him the code given and what it said. He told me that he could not hear me and the line went dead.
There is no limit to the number of re activations one can do. I have verified this by a complaint Vanessa Moodley, Customer Service Professional. Microsoft Customer Services licensing@microsoft-contact.co.uk . Replied by Email 5th December 2005. I have been assured that I shall be able to activate it over the telephone between certain hours Monday to Friday etc.
There is absolutely nothing on the box exterior regards activation of the product, nothing inside in print other than the Code to enter to activate it. How ever they fall back on a clause you agree to when installing the system….You have to infringe the rules in EULA…(End User Licensing Agreement)
I would like you to look into this surreptitious, paranoid, pursuit of piracy, they are well aware that the majority of the products used by pirates are already activated. Used by 60 % of the younger population I would think. This is just a means of frightening genuine users to purchase another copy. The intention to replace those lost, to piracy I imagine.
I have incidentally; no intention of purchasing another Microsoft Product.
I only wish over the past 20 years, I had not, as my time around is limited, due to age and health now.
I have provided them with my proof of purchase, the verification of the label and serial number of the product.
Another ploy is when all else fails try and add confusion in the Emails by not understanding the difference in a O.E.M (Original Equipment Manufacture) version of the product and the boxed version. Their is and not just the price. I will explain this if required. Perhaps Vanessa Moodley would elucidate these points to you as I am sure she in her position must be aware of them.
Contrary to being a stupid old man on a computer I have been using the same since Clive Sinclair brought out the Z80 in the 1980. I have had all, operating systems. Building the computer and installing system and registering them with Microsoft. I certainly know how to activate the system over the internet and over the telephone.
As stated this practise is to catch pirates and they should be able to differentiate between the genuine and those not, before it is put to use.
I would be obliged if you could see if others have similar complaints and put a stop to the heavy handed, easy to do approach and that they be more selective in its application.
I can send a copy of Emails they contain both what was sent and received. You will see one or two errors on my side because I used Microsoft Word to compile them and like all Microsoft products it likes to take over the way things are done unless shut them off.
Should my re activation fail, I shall re contact you and others to progress my complaint.
Yours truly,
Ernest Bate
5, Elm Road
Shildon.
Co. Durham.
DL4 1BH
Email. Ernest5366@btinternet.com.
Tel:- 01388 774466
If Microsoft didn't jack up the pricing for UK customers (as opposed for their US customers) it would help reduce piracy.