Microsoft Sues and Gets Sued

wubo writes, "Microsoft is apparently stepping up its anti-piracy measures by publishing the locations and specifics of their pending lawsuits. Check out the snazzy map — warms me heart and soul." And to even the scales of justice, one of the last remaining class-action antitrust lawsuits filed against Microsoft in a state court is set to go to trial in Iowa later this year. An anonymous reader writes, "Iowa consumers who purchased Microsoft products in the last 12 years are being represented in a class action anti-trust lawsuit against Microsoft. The jury trial begins on November 13 and is expected to last 6 months." Bill Gates is on the witness list.

Comments

Hey that's me.

[Anonymous Coward]

Aw. I live in Iowa; now I wish I had actually bought my MS stuff.

And of course

[Joel from Sydney]

The actual list of people getting sued.

But this is good news and good news?

[skrolle2]

From the webpage:

Legal actions are intensifying against resellers involved in defrauding consumers and businesses with counterfeit and pirated software. Microsoft has filed over 70 lawsuits in the last year alone.

This is a good thing. A lot of people have no problems with downloading software or other copyrighted materials illegaly, as long as it is for free. But a lot of people are against selling such items, or making a profit off of it. Unfortunately, the copyright lobby views both groups as filthy stinking pirates, but the public don't really care about the first group, and only view the second group as the real pirates that actually ought to be punished for it.

What Microsoft is doing here, is targeting the second group only. And that is a good thing.

Did anyone read the website?

[Blacklotuz]

This being Slashdot, I know nobody bothered to read the article before bashing Microsoft, but if you'll look at the list of defendants, they're almost all small time computer sales or software sales companies. Microsoft isn't the RIAA; they don't waste lawsuits suing Grandma or Little Susie because they're running a copy of Windows without a valid product key. What they do care about is companies who sell pirated copies of Windows to consumers for a profit. Some of these consumers even PAY for a pirated copy of Windows and are told they're getting a licensed copy. I know some people will argue with me that this is a good thing, but if you are a consumer who's been sold a pirated copy of Windows without your knowledge, Microsoft will even help you get a free or discounted copy if you just let them know who sold it to you. A lot of people instantly think it's Microsoft's way of getting you to rat on your family friend who's loaned you his install CD and key, but again, that's not who MS is looking for. So before you start crying foul, this sort of site isn't meant to scare you, it's meant to scare the guy selling 1000's of copies of Windows to unsuspecting consumers for a profit.

Re:wow.

[smilindog2000]

They're not suing 73 kids with 73 copies of stollen Windows. They're taking down mass-scale producers. They claim to have seized over 32,000 fake CDs, and stopped over 70,000 "auctions". I have no idea what they mean by auctions.

If you've just got a copy of Windows on your machine you lifted from work or the net, I wouldn't worry too much. As that recent /. article said, Microsoft can actually make MORE money by allowing some piracy. It keeps kids with no cash from switching to Linux, for example. I've always felt MS has somewhat lax copying security on purpose.

I've also felt they deliver a buggy system that degrades over time all by itself on purpose. If forces you to upgrade. I've gone through several Windows machines this decade, but the Mac I bought my wife in 2000 is still kicking, and still quite useful. The difference is in the software.