Contact:
Julian Mattocks
Phone: +43-1-81140-308
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Redmond (pte040/25.11.2004/15:15) - Internet users that are unsure about where their software has come from will now have the chance to have it checked by Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com . As the IT portal Cnet http://www.cnet.com reports, the software giant has announced that if the software turns out to be a counterfeit, the customer will receive a legal copy. Microsoft hopes this will be a new attack on piracy.
This exchange deal is limited to Windows XP, Home and Professional Edition, which were bought prior to the 1st of November. A maximum of five copies per person can be swapped. In order to receive a replacement copy of Windows XP, users will have to send off their receipt and complete a witness statement, revealing where they bought the illegal software.
According to Alex Hilton, Microsoft's license compliance Manager, the majority of piracy seen by Microsoft was in the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) sector. "Some examples we're seeing from the Far East and Eastern Europe are very high quality and aimed at the high-end user", said Hilton. He also added that users found with an illegal copy would not suffer legal repercussions, but their suppliers might. "Our goal is not to prosecute the individual, our goal is to get to the source".
The campaign is part of the Genuine Advantage program, which gives users the chance to test their software for authenticity online. According to Microsoft, more than 800,000 people have carried out the test. The pirate program will only be available in the UK at first and will run until the 31st of December.
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