Microsoft Shames UK Retailers Caught Selling Non-Genuine Software

Yet again Microsoft bullying small hard working traders and boasting about it, Have they no shame? Are they so out of touch with realisty that they seriosuly think that this will illicit sympathy from the general public?

I think you misunderstand what Microsoft is doing...they are punishing the merchants that use illegal versions of their software and sell them to the public. If anything, they are helping consumers and the honest merchants with respect for the law.

When merchants sell pirated versions of Windows, Consumers end up with non-authentic versions of the OS, which is certainly not good if they are expecting an honest, legal copy of Windows. It also means they won't get automated updates from Windows, leaving them more vulnerable to security threats unless they patch manually. Further, some stores were selling these copies of windows directly, which is even more of a rip-off for consumers!

Pirated copies of windows hurts honest, hard working merchants as well. Because they do not have to pay for copies of Windows, shady stores can undercut the competition on hardware.

Ian, your comment is very typical of a time where people staunchly defend piracy without really considering the effects. I dislike that Microsoft has such a monopoly, I dislike that Windows is so darned expensive, I dislike big corporations, and perhaps I'd even consider pirating Windows myself.

However, I would never support a store or merchant that blatantly profits from piracy, because it punishes legitimate stores that are trying to make a living and puts less savvy individuals at risk. If someone breaks into a computer store and steals all the computers to sell them at their own shop, that's wrong. I don't see how what these merchants did is much different. Sure, Microsoft is huge and can afford the loss, but that doesn't mean such unscrupulous people should be allowed to operate!

I never thought I'd say this...but Microsoft was right to drop the hammer on these shady salesmen, and they should continue to punish anyone that is trying to con consumers with pirated software!