Lorgor

It seems Microsoft moving somewhere else.

To help consumers avoid being tricked into using pirated software, Microsoft has set up a Web site (http://www.howtotell.com) to help them avoid deals that seem “too good to be true” and learn how to spot the differences between genuine and non-genuine software. These “How to Tell” tips are part of Microsoft’s Genuine Software Initiative, a three-pronged program that addresses software piracy by promoting education for consumers and partners, seeking engineering solutions to dissuade pirates, and taking enforcement actions to protect honest software vendors.

As part of this three-pronged initiative to help protect consumers and legitimate businesses, Microsoft today announced the filing of 20 lawsuits against alleged dealers of counterfeit or infringing software in 13 states (Alabama, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and Virginia).

“When consumers and businesses are looking for new computers and software it is important to buy from reputable resellers,” said Larry Malashock, vice president of Software Plus, a large software reseller in St. Louis. “Customers often don’t realize that these ‘too good to be true’ deals that they can get off the Internet or from nonreputable vendors don’t come with the right licensing or the services provided by the legitimate channel. Counterfeit software can include code that will end up hurting their computing environment.”

Customers want to be confident that they can purchase genuine software from their local software resellers, and ensuring customers receive genuine software across the United States is of paramount concern to Microsoft’s anti-piracy program. Intellectual property is a key driver of the U.S. economy, and the lawsuits announced today are part of Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to protect intellectual property, jobs, honest resellers and partners from alleged dishonest dealers who victimize consumers and businesses by exposing them to the risks of counterfeit software, such as viruses, loss of data or identity theft.

Talk about same old things but how could Microsoft stop pirate.