James Delahunty
3 Apr 2007 15:44
Microsoft is known for targeting sellers of pirated software. Now the company has decided to go after more criminals, this time those who sell software to Internet retailers that was intended to be given to students instead. Companies in Jordan and other countries are posing as academic resellers, and in doing so have obtained hundreds of thousands of copies of Microsoft operating systems and office software.
Instead of the software going to students as intended, it is sold to Internet retailers. Microsoft has fired back by filing nine lawsuits and issuing more than 50 cease and desist letters. The lawsuits were filed in federal courts in California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Nevada and Montana.
According to the software-giant, these phony companies have made millions through the scheme. "To those who say software piracy is a victimless crime, I would say this case tells a different story," said Bonnie MacNaughton, senior attorney at Microsoft. "The defendants in these lawsuits and others are charged with profiting from selling clearly marked educational software to unsuspecting retail customers who were not licensed to use it — and potentially depriving students and schools of the opportunity to benefit from the latest technologies."
Source:
DailyTech