14 DAY TRIAL // We all know that Microsoft’s Windows operating system and Office productivity suite are among the most pirated software solutions in the entire world, so it’s no surprise to see the Redmond-based technology giant increasing its efforts to reduce piracy across the world.
Anti-Piracy, Legal & Corporate Affairs lawyer for Microsoft Middle East & Africa, Marius Haman, said in an interview with IT News Africa that Microsoft’s anti-piracy push is mainly focused on what the company calls “the three Es,” an internal concept referring to engineering, education, and enforcement.
“In engineering we try to make our products safer and more difficult to copy; Education is a critical piece because I think there are a lot of consumers who are being caught out because they do not know the software that they are using is pirated or from illegal copies,” he said.
“Enforcement is where a lot more has to be done in terms of working together with the private sector, rights holders such as Microsoft and law enforcement officials to clamp down on the people who distribute the software to consumers.”
Haman explained that China is the country that distributes the largest amount of pirated software, including counterfeited copies of Windows and Office.
Africa, on the other hand, is the main destination for these illegal apps, as the piracy rate in countries such as Nigeria has reached 82 percent. Kenya and Botswana are among the leaders too, with a piracy rate of 78 and 80 percent, respectively.
“In terms of what we do in South Africa, we have a number of programs running concurrently, and some of them are as informal as education and awareness pieces directed at consumers and some of those are more formal and often joint partnerships with the Intellectual Property Office in a particular country,” he concluded.