http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5...=zdfd.newsfeed
Turn in your friend, who helped you out by loading your computer up for you, for free XP. I know, they're not going after the little guy....yet. ;)
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http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5...=zdfd.newsfeed
Turn in your friend, who helped you out by loading your computer up for you, for free XP. I know, they're not going after the little guy....yet. ;)
Oh sure there being all nice saying sure will replace it for free just let us inspect your computer. But then bam they fine you for having a unregisterd version of office or any other program. I've learn that companies don't become so rich in powerful if they haven't screwed over more then a half dozen people.
Further to the thread : I've found this :
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/66316/mi...programme.html
Seems OK at first glance, XP for the price of a stamp ...............Quote:
Microsoft is hoping to track down counterfeit gangs in the UK with an initiative to help victims replace dodgy copies with originals.
The company says it has experienced a deluge of high quality counterfeit copies of its flagship XP product - counterfeits of such exactitude that even the holographic logos are present.
Now, under the Windows XP Counterfeit Project, victims of such counterfeits can send in the dodgy discs and have them replaced with the genuine article for free (although the cost of posting it in is borne by the sender).
Think I might just knock out a couple of copies, so I can get the real M[$]coy just in time for Christmas :D
for those concerned.. this applies to the UK..at this time..
and if your thinking of getting a free copy.. you need to supply proof of purchase.. they want the tool who sold it to you..
and gauging from the information on the MS UK website.. it looks you could be called as a witness.. but that is just how I read it
Check the MS page:
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/piracy/g...n/default.mspx
......... Win / Win for Microsoft - cant lose this one.
Finally aware they can probably never stamp out piracy as such, they are striking at the heart of it with the backyard businesses, small retails firms and even big ones offering computers for sale with a "copy" of Windows XP.
Who in their right mind would sell a computer with a unofficial copy of Windows XP only to have the buyer walk out the store, make a call, sign a statement and get their official copy and in return you get a lot of trouble with a bus load of Microsoft lawyers banging on your door.
You will never stop little Johnny or Jenny from loading a copy onto a friends computer but you can make it very uncomfortable for those who are profiting from doing it.
Will be interesting how many take up the offer and rat out others for their shiny new disc .... me, I will pass and keep my insidious, evil shiny disc's labelled Gentoo, Slackware, Mandrake, Suse and feel secure from the threat of legal action (at least for the moment :))
All in all, I have to say smart move Mr Gates - the big stick approach was never really going to work, now how does it go, "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar" - they have finally caught on.
As it is in the UK, this makes a lot of sense to me.
We have never made a big thing of file sharing but we have strong legislation against piracy. Typically there is a counterfeit market for Music, Films, Perfume, Watches, Designer Clothes, Football supporters stuff and software. I would have thought that the software is mostly computer games.
I have not heard of much in the line of Windows OSes, but these would typically be supplied with a new computer, rather than sold at street markets, car boot sales or in pubs. So traditional detection methods don't work.
MS have realised that they need to bring this out into the open and gather evidence. Once they have done that they can pass it on to our Police, Customs & Excise and Trading Standards Officers. Who will follow up and prosecute the pirates. At the moment they don't have the resources to mount an operation by themselves.
This means that the UK taxpayer will foot the bill for most of the effort. All MS have to do is provide a free copy of their software to someone who wasn't going to buy it anyway...........they already lost the sale when the pirate loaded it.
I wonder about how effective it will be though, as I would imagine that a lot of buyers are quite unaware that their software is counterfeit. Basically the pirate has pocketed the money that would have gone to Microsoft.
We shall see?