14 DAY TRIAL // A new license from Microsoft transforms pirated software into genuine products for NGOs and small independent media in no less than 12 countries.
The Redmond company announced the availability of the Unilateral Software License on December 6th, 2010, allowing non-governmental organizations and independent media organizations in a dozen of markets to continue running the software currently installed on their computers, even though it might have been unlicensed previously.
The unilateral software license is only available in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
“This unilateral software license for NGOs and small, independent media builds upon our existing NGO software donation program, which is a global initiative that has been in place for a number of years in many countries around the world.
“We are making this software license available in countries where our current program is in place but the benefits are not as widely known or understood as we would like.
“We are also making it available in countries where we had already planned to extend the existing program and have been working through the last steps in doing so,” revealed Nancy Anderson, Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Sales Group.
The move comes as a response to reports indicating that NGOs and media outlets in certain markets including Russia, came under the fire of authorities in politically motivated measures taken against copyright infringers.
The software giant promised in September 2010 that it would take action to protect certain organizations from falling victim to nefarious actions taken in the guise of anti-piracy enforcement.
The Unilateral Software License is the company’s way to ensure that NGOs and small independent media organizations in 12 countries cannot be touched on the premise that they’re running pirated Microsoft software, by licensing all their current products, and making their usage legal.
“The unilateral software license is effective today and will last until January 1, 2012, thus giving NGOs and independent media approximately one year to move to our standard NGO software donation program or other programs, through which they will be able to easily keep their software up-to-date and secure,” Anderson stated.
“Eligible NGOs must operate on a not-for-profit basis and have a mission to benefit the local community. Eligible organizations may also include small, independent media, or others that hold a local public communication license, are members of a local media association, or are recognized by an international media organization.”
Anderson underlined that Microsoft wishes to have no part of the anti-piracy enforcement taken against NGOs and independent media organizations in the 12 markets mentioned in this article.
She also promised that the software giant will take additional steps to discourage law enforcement agencies from taking such actions.
“First of all, we are actively communicating the facts of the license to government officials and the legal community in each of these 12 countries,” Anderson said.
“Secondly, we are making sure, through proactive education and training initiatives in each country, that NGOs and small, independent media are aware of the license and how to access it.
“Finally, we have established a Legal Assistance Program that will assist covered organizations if they are contacted by government officials regarding their software.”