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Microsoft Files a Copyright Infringement Lawsuit For Activating Pirated Software

Posted by samzenpus on from the official-copy-only dept.

First time accepted submitter Esra Erimez writes Microsoft has filed a complaint at a federal court in Washington accusing person(s) behind an AT&T subscription of activating various pirated copies of Windows 7 and Office 10. The account was identified by Microsoft's in-house cyberforensics team based on suspicious "activation patterns." Despite being one of the most pirated software vendors in the world, Microsoft doesn't have a long track record of cracking down on individual pirates. From the descriptions used in the complaint it seems likely that the target is not an average user, but someone who sells computers containing pirated software.

3 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. Creators wishing to control their creations... by mi · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Let's have some outrage over creators seeking to, gasp, control their creations — and be paid for their use.

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    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    1. Re:Creators wishing to control their creations... by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's one thing to pay for a movie if I want to watch it. That's pretty much the way it should be, you create something, you get compensated for me using it.

      It's another thing if I pay for the movie and then have to jump through additional hoops to watch it, and I can only watch it the way the creator wants me to. If I pay for something, I expect to be able to use it. As I please. Not as its creator pleases.

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      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. Re:Chinese computers come this way by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The only sensible way I can think of is adding some value to legit copies that is unavailable with the illegal ones. Which is admittedly hard for something like an OS where, say, free lessons or a printed manual aren't such great deal makers and breakers.

    Everything else we've seen in the area of copy protection usually does more to piss off the legit customer than to thwart the illegal copier.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.