Microsoft celebrates antipiracy day
Microsoft is touting its actions in 49 countries its Global Anti-Piracy Day. (Click on the map to go to a Microsoft site for the interactive aspects of the map.)
(Credit: Microsoft)Microsoft plans on Tuesday to announce "Global Anti-Piracy Day," an effort to gain attention for the steps the company undertakes in order to thwart those who would profit from illegitimate software.
As part of the event, Microsoft is highlighting recent antipiracy efforts in 49 countries, ranging from the filing of lawsuits in the U.S. to a seminar for journalists in Pakistan.
It's the kind of thing that Microsoft does all the time, although the company is aiming for some added ink by grouping together so many actions at once.
"One of the things we want to illustrate with this announcement is the diverse nature of the work," associate general counsel David Finn said in an interview from Singapore.
The third pillar of Microsoft's efforts is its engineering work, adding programs like Windows Genuine Advantage that are designed to make it harder--and less rewarding--to copy Microsoft's products.
Whether it's a testament to tougher engineering or the lukewarm response to Vista, or some combination, Windows XP continues to be copied far more than its successor.
"We continue to see much more counterfeit Windows XP," said Finn, who actually says the company is predicting a rise in XP pirating as the last legitimate copies of the OS wind their way off retail shelves.
Overall, Finn said Microsoft and the software industry are making progress in some areas. He noted that the piracy rate in Western Europe has dropped to about 34 percent from the 78 percent level in 1991.
At the same time, however, rates still top 90 percent in some emerging markets. And even in the U.S., where rates are a relatively low 20 percent, that still means 1 in 5 software installations are illegitimate.
"It thwarts innovation," he said.
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried has changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley. These days, most of her attention is focused on Microsoft. E-mail Ina.
'There's a party going right here'
'A celebration to lock u up in jail'
'So bring bring that copied Vista and that Office too'
'We're gonna lock u up in jail and have a party 'bout u'
Celebrate good times come on!
Lets celebrate!
Microsoft and the others can keep blathering all they want: the fact is that the only people who are actually making them lose money are the commercial counterfeiters, most of whom are supported tacitly by Russia, China, etc. (the countries that are supposed to be 'best trade partners' with the US).
I would dare say that the person hurt most by piracy, is the consumer. Companies and artists are so leery of piracy, that they have developed preposterous means of detouring piracy (Spore and EA's Securom DRM come to mind). Look at the music industry that still regards iTunes as an enemy, not just because of its command of the music market, but because it still represents a business model that they view as being centered around the structure of piracy. The problems for consumers are never ending, in regards to piracy.
As the Chinese get richer, piracy will go down.
Meanwhile, Microsoft could do a lot more tp push their lower cost versions of Windows like the Windows XP Starter Edition, a slimmed-down, lower-cost, entry-level version of Windows in poorer countries like Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and even Mexico and China.
As the Chinese get richer, piracy will go down." LOL.As the Chinese get richer,along with greedy US corporations,piracy may go down in china but will rise here in the USA as people lose thier jobs,the middle class disappears,and wall street and government steal the rest.Main Street will be broke and have to pirate because no one has money to pay M$ thier outrageous license fees.
Ironic (but understandable) that MSFT is no longer interested in simply turning a blind eye to it anymore.
OTOH, and unlike 1995, there's actual competition out there that MSFT cannot control. Hope they realize that...
USA is offshoring for pirates.
So I guess by your measurements, a sluggish corp growing at only 10-14% YoY is without competition just because Apple is growing at 30-40% YoY
You're going to be rather embarrassed come 5 years hence... ;)
I mean, those are some of the most innovative methods of driving legitimate customers away, that I have ever seen. Lets not forget the aggravation of dealing with Driver Signing, constantly checking for "secure" and "valid" drivers for all of your programs. Who would of thought that Microsoft could have developed a program that supposedly keeps consumers safe from malicious drivers, while simultaneously refusing to run unsigned drivers, which may be for legitimate use? I've seen nothing but creativity come from major industry players, all thanks to piracy.
They can be found quietly working at all aspects of IT business, software, social & hardware. Some in bureaucracy, some underground (probably more fun), but microsoft and others will always find that there will be someone who"ll bloody their noses if at all possible. IT"S JUST ONE OF THE MORE FUN PARTS OF BEING HUMAN!!
MS started throwing this word around after Jobs made a huge point of using it in keynote. And still there is no evidence of it coming out of Redmond.
5%?
1% is more likely. MS isn't losing anything but gaining another generation of ill-informed MS zombies.
Apple has spend billions spreading lies.
And when has a dime left jobs pocket for charity?
I can't believe they're actually complaining about piracy, but really with other big companies *cough* Ubisoft *cough* also complaining it was only expected.
Also by actually buying their products we'd actually be supporting our local community?? (France guy) ...I don't see the trail there.
One last thing: maybe if their products weren't so expensive people would actually buy them instead of having to pirate them.
And its really not that expensive you can get a Ultimate OEM for what 100$?
No one complains when Adobe charges 700$ for Photoshop CS4 and thats only a image editor
@Monkey: Windows only offers real support for a price (and it ain't cheap). The OEM do offer support for free, but it is limited and doesn't get you hot fixes. Also, no one complains about the price of Photoshop CS because they can get lighter editions of it for less, use the GIMP or PaintShopPro, or simply download P-Shop CS from the nearest torrent site.
Windows can't come close to the support and feature set of Linux which costs 100% less than Windows.
If you can't afford a PlayStation 3, does that mean you just start stealing them? What is even more ludicrous is that you all seem to think that the company is at fault. They can't be blamed for your choice to steal. Could you imagine telling that to a police officer? "I wouldn't have stolen those Ray Ban's if they didn't cost so much. It's totally Ray Ban's fault for making such expensive glasses."
Computer technology and the related software is not a right. To bear arms, say what you want (within in reason) and pursue religious and financial goals to any extent (within reason) are rights. Owning a copy of Windows is not a right. You are not entitled to it. You are owed exactly jack-squat. I can't even begin to fathom where you have all derived this bloated sense of self-importance from. Microsoft doesn't have to cater to you just because you can't afford their price. It's tough cookies. Either save up, or pass on the product. But do not justify theft with erroneous logic.
While the "one Windows to one PC" system is schematic, it is also their most logical and tolerable action, in regards to anti-piracy. The sanguine thing about it all, is that most humans are too disgusting to be honest. Sure there are the legitimate few who may have multiple computers, and would therefore like to avoid paying $250 per machine they own. After all, they are the same user, so they should be able to effectively use their purchase in a fashion that suits there needs. But there are far more individuals who would buy one copy and then install it on the PC of every friend they have.
The best possible solution would be similar to the iTunes model, in which there is a set number of approvable PCs. It may result in telling friends your user name and password, so that they can access the software, but it would at least limit the ability to indefinitely provide it to an unlimited number of users. It would also help out legitimate users who in fact do own more than one PC. The relationship between companies and consumers has become expeditiously strained, due to the advent of high speed information sharing.
"If a person can't afford a $250,000 Ferrari Enzo, does that then mean that people have the right to steal a Ferrari, because Ferrari charges too much for their vehicles?"
Do you understand that if a digital copy is downloaded, then it still exists on the server?
It is not even close to the same thing as stealing something physical.
It's very true that the ease of pirating MS products is largely responsible for their adoption. Microsoft knows this (while completely not willing to acknowledge it) which is one of the reasons that they actually removed anti-piracy protection(s) from Vista with the release of SP1.
And yet, despite how much easier it is to pirate Vista (now) and get away with it, people would still rather have XP! I'd say that's pretty telling of the level of "enjoyment" that people are getting out of Vista ;-)
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by jtjt145
October 21, 2008 2:14 PM PDT
- Any news from or about Micro$oft is bad news these days. Time for those twits to get off stage!
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