Microsoft's online validation tools designed as anti-piracy mechanisms are increasingly applauded by the company for contributing to identify pirates of its software products. The Redmond giant has made available both the Windows
Genuine Advantage (WGA) and the Office Genuine Advantage (OGA) to protect its flag-ship products, the Windows platform and the Office System. As a result of feedback provided through the anti-piracy tools, as well as from consumers and through its own investigations, Microsoft debuted 21 legal actions in14 states in the U.S.
The Redmond company is not going for end consumers pirating its products, but for resellers, which have been allegedly involved in distributing pirated software. "These legal actions are about protecting Microsoft's customers from falling victim to some dealers who operate a business model of peddling pirated and counterfeit software," explained Sharon Cates, attorney at Microsoft.
The company emphasized that the lawsuits are designed to protect not only end users from the risks associated with acquiring pirated products, but also its ecosystem of partners dealing with genuine software. However, similar past legal actions from the company have amounted to nothing, as no less than eight of the companies accused of allegedly dealing with illegal software have already been involved in piracy disputes with Microsoft. The company informed that following the settling of the lawsuits, the eight dealers continued to push pirated software to their clients.
"Some companies previously involved in these lawsuits have discontinued their illegal business practices; others have not. The cases announced today are indicative of the need to ensure that dealers cease their illegal activity so that customers can be sure that they purchase genuine, fully licensed software," Cates added.
According to Microsoft, the companies selling pirated versions of its software were offering customers Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home, Office Professional 2003, Office Access 2003, Office Home and Student 2007, Office 2007 Professional and Office XP Professional.
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