Microsoft is stepping up its campaign to eradicate counterfeit software
Microsoft sneaks out piracy detection software
/v3-uk/news/1976514/microsoft-sneaks-piracy-detection-software
27 Apr 2006, Matt Chapman , V3
Microsoft has included software in its latest batch of updates for Windows that checks whether copies of the operating system are legitimate.
Users who choose the Express Install option for Microsoft updates will automatically install the new program without seeing it listed.
However, if they are running a copy or other illegal version of Windows they will soon know about it.
"For customers who are running a non-genuine copy of Windows, the new feature will enable notifications directly to their desktop that the copy of Windows they are running is not genuine," said Microsoft in a statement.
The move is part of Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage initiative.
Microsoft warned that it is difficult for those outside the industry to appreciate the impact of the problem.
"The Business Software Alliance has estimated that 35 per cent of all PC software used worldwide is counterfeit or otherwise illegal," said Microsoft.
"The recent IDC Economic Impact Study asserted that if the piracy rate was lowered by 10 percentage points over the next four years, this would contribute 2.4 million new jobs and $400bn in economic growth to the global economy."
The notifications software was first issued in Norway and Sweden in November 2005, and in five additional countries in February 2006.
The latest update has rolled it out to Windows users in America, the UK, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
Redmond is also piloting similar software called Microsoft Office Genuine Advantage which will notify people if their copy of Microsoft Office is genuine.
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Do you agree?
Skewed...
"If 33% of installed programs are pirated, and we stop piracy, then that's 33% more sales."
The logic above is wrong. It ignores the fact that a lot of people who use pirated software aren't actually either willing to buy or able to afford much of the software they're pirating. I've seen CDs with US$100K+ worth of software... I certainly couldn't afford to buy that lot just for giggles.
Reality is that stopping piracy completely would net the commercial software world maybe another 5% worth of sales.
Looked at another way, Piracy isn't costing anywhere near the 12- to 13-figure amounts they're always quoting.
Posted by Laughing, 28 Apr 2006
Boooo.
What about all of those people who enjoy proving to themselves that they can outsmart Bill Gates? Being thrifty is fun, especially when you get the results you want.
Posted by Joe Dirt, 27 Apr 2006
tight-wad Bill Gates cries foul again
according to sources on the www it was microsoft or their employees who leaked Xp & XP Pro onto the P2P file sharing circuit. Now that the hackers have found all the glitches and flaws MS is squealing like a spoilt child. personally MS should pay tons of money to these hackers & pirate copy owners for doing all Microsofts Beta work for FREE
Posted by AJ, 27 Apr 2006
400 Billion eh
What he's saying is, is people pirate his software less, he makes more money. As if we didn't know that already. He's already stifled most people's ability to innovate new products, and between him and Google there won't be any independent software inventors left in 5 years.
Posted by David, 27 Apr 2006
He forgot to mention
He forgot to mention that the 2.4 million jobs would be in police and and the $400 bn on prisons. People who copywrite infringe would not buy it anyway. The only way to increase software jobs would be to increase sales. Maybe they could try dropping the prices rather than using thugs to enforce the overpriced market?
"The recent IDC Economic Impact Study asserted that if the piracy rate was lowered by 10 percentage points over the next four years, this would contribute 2.4 million new jobs and $400bn in economic growth to the global economy."
Posted by Colin, 27 Apr 2006
It's an Island thingy
The latest update has rolled it out to Windows users in America, the UK, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
Not Rolled-Out to: Continental Europe, Africa, former Soviet States, South America, Central America, the Orient, the Indian subcontinent, and China.
Where it was deployed to are areas of the world where laws are based on the same principals as ours, that being British Common Law. Jeeze, think if they were asked about this they'd say the simply had a 'thing' for islands?
The countries targeted are countries were people generally 'follow' the laws.
It's a civilization thing.
Posted by Sid Zorkowski, 27 Apr 2006
This Is Incorrect
Users who choose the Express Install option for Microsoft updates will automatically install the new program without seeing it listed.
I ran Express Install. The software download showed up like any other on their webwsite. The website gives you the option like with all other software put out there to read about MSFT's recap and then choose to download it or not.
Posted by Mike, 27 Apr 2006
Guess I'm Lucky
I have a legal copy of XP, but for some reason, that verification software won't install on my machine. LOL I tried twice to install it, but I am certainly not going to keep "trying" to install M$ spyware. LMAO
Posted by NavyRet, 28 Apr 2006
your all jealous and Linux diseased
Just because Bill Gates has lots of money does not make his company bad. Piracy is one illegal practice. Many European companies make products that involve a secret process ("trade secrets") for production, be it chesse, food, bio-products, etc,..these EU companies guard their product secrets viciously. Why should Microsoft be forced to divulge its Trade Secrets by divulging its operating code's?
This is outrageous behaviour from a dictatorial fascist orientated European Court system
Posted by mike, 30 Apr 2006
I Concur
What is wrong with that providing that it works correctly and causes no problems with legit software. I personally would like to see bogus software eradicated. It would make things easier for everyone that is running legal.
Posted by Dan Jenkins, 04 Mar 2008
PIRATED SOFTWARE
Its a fact that MicroSoft is the number one largest os software seller, what some people dont know is that it is also the number two (pirated versions)
MS could have stopped pirated software from working a long time ago but all those people who use pirated software might switch to LINUX which is free and open sourced.
To stop all pirated MS software would be a mistake and would leave a big gap in the market that could be filled by someone else.
I dont think Bill is a fool.
Posted by JAMES THOMAS, 14 Nov 2009
Student
Being an IT student I received Office 2003 free in college. Also XPSP1. Now running the final XP and dual booting Linux. Even on my laptop for college; did Bill really copy right the original college shareware?(as the story goes!)
Posted by Don, 03 Mar 2010