14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has settled with 21 UK retailers that were caught pirating its software. The PC shops preloaded unlicensed Microsoft programs on computers or sold them directly to customers.
Microsoft is clamping down on piracy in the United Kingdom and the latest it has to show for it is a list with the name of 21 independent computer shops and 4 eBay traders who were caught selling counterfeit software. CRN reports that six of the companies were based in Birmingham and five in Liverpool, leading to Microsoft referring to the regions as piracy hotspots.
The scheme didn't affect only the Redmond giant, who's losses are clearly negligible compared to its revenue, but local businesses as well. “Piracy not only impedes growth but puts local hard-working computer shops out of business. This is the case in piracy hotspots such as Merseyside and Birmingham, where honest resellers feel the cumulative effect of being out-priced by a number of local illegal traders,” Michala Wardell, head of anti-piracy at Microsoft, explained.
By confirming the settlements Microsoft made the names of the offending retailers public. They were Computer Services Repair from Birmingham, Marsh Computers High Tech Trading Ltd from Kent, B'N'I Computers Ltd from Birmingham, Morely Computers from Leeds, Discovery Computers from Birmingham, South Liverpool PC Repair from Leeds, Gemini Computers from Birmingham, Smithdown Computers from Liverpool, Bytesize Solutions Ltd from Birmingham, TC Links from Liverpool, Discount Computer Warehouse from Birmingham, SXC Industries Ltd t/a Stockxchange from Liverpool, Computer Resale from Chesterfield, Avesta UK Ltd from Manchester, Quest Computers from Gosport, KBR Computers from Merseyside, Surf-IT Computers Ltd from Hampshire, Jupiter IT from Merseyside, Exel Computers from Sheffield, Clarion Computers from Swansea and MCS Computers from Teesside. The four rogue eBay traders were called Little Laptop Shop eBay (recovery_dvds), Custom PC Shop, Fizz Time (Electricbuy) and Snowdon Computers Ltd.
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