digg

Join DiggAbout

Donkeys and Elephants and Delegates,oh my!
Check out the most popular Elections 2008 content on Digg.

Microsoft Exec Admits That Company Still Benefits From Piracy

techdirt.com — A company executive was quoted as saying, "If you're going to steal software, steal it from us." That pretty much says it all.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • cquinnd, on 10/12/2007, -25/+18No, it doesn't say it all.

    I think its fair to say they would still rather have those people paying for the software, because there is no gaurantee that somebody stealing the OS is not also going to steal the apps to go with it.
    • oddmanout, on 10/12/2007, -0/+69of course they'd rather them pay for it, but it probably has to do with the fact that someone pirating software isn't going to pay for it anyway, so if they're not making money either way, they'd rather them use microsoft's software. Because, chances are, one day when they finally do buy something, they'll buy microsoft software, because thats what they're used to.
    • laplacian, on 10/12/2007, -9/+44direct link to avoid blogspam: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198000211&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_All
    • southwestnut, on 10/12/2007, -19/+4[in a pirate's voice] ARRRRRGH!
    • hipnerd, on 10/12/2007, -5/+19More important than the money from legally licensed software is the maintenance of their near monopoly in the OS market. Microsoft is more than willing to tolerate a little piracy, if the alternative is that people would move to a free OS like Linux.
    • spinchange, on 10/12/2007, -5/+34@ laplacian...

      This is not blogspam. Blogspam is when someone completely rips a story posts it to a blog unchanged and tries to pass it off as their own content or is simply trying to monetize someone elses!

      This is from 1) a reputable blog, TechDirt, and 2) has several outbound links to other stories for background not directly or easily referenced from what was reported in Information Week.

      Normally, I would agree with what I percive to be your sentiment that it's best to link directly to the source; However, in this case I decided against it because I felt like the blog gave a better, briefer, summary AND gave some additional and linked historical context outside of what Information Week article had.

      Just because something is on a "blog" doesn't make it "blogspam"
      blog =! blogspam
    • spinchange, on 10/12/2007, -14/+2...
    • rmxz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+17No surprise that they want people to pirate their software - Bill Gates himself said so:

      http://news.com.com/2100-1023-212942.html
      "Gates shed some light on his own hard-nosed business philosophy. "Although about 3 million computers get sold every year in China, but people don't pay for the software," he said. "Someday they will, though. As long as they are going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.""

      There's plenty of speculation on the Dell/IdeaStorm/"why won't Dell pre-install Linux" threads that Dell's cost for Vista-Home-Basic is actually negative (i.e. Microsoft pays Dell more in marketing programs than it charges for Vista) - just to get Vista in the hands of people at home - either so they upgrade, or so that when they go to work they pressure their employers to buy something they're already familiar with. And that's best explanation so far why Dell computers with Windows Vista Basic are cheaper than Linux ones - even though Dell can't say so.

    • rmxz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Another example of Microsoft encouraging piracy is their way of deliberately looking the other way when people misuse MSDN subscriptions. For example, many execs in small businesses use MSDN versions of Office - which are supposed to be for development only - because the developers have no license-obeying use for them. Then when the company eventually goes public or gets bought for a public company, all these technically pirated licenses have to get bought because obviously the auditors don't like seeing a lot of pirated software.

      And during the high-pressure time of an IPO it's rare that someone would do the sane thing and remove the pirated software - or even track down which computers it's own - so they just go ahead and pay for a bunch of licenses to cover all computers in their business (Yes, buying WIndows & Office licenses for computers running Linux) whether they had the pirated software at all - since that's the easiest way to answer the Auditors.
    • lemonsensation, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"No, it doesn't say it all.

      I think its fair to say they would still rather have those people paying for the software, because there is no gaurantee that somebody stealing the OS is not also going to steal the apps to go with it."

      It does say it actually.

      It's not that there's no guarantee somebody stealing the OS is not going to steal the apps to go with it. It is that somebody stealing the OS might have a chance of purchasing the OS or products from the same company at a later time.
    • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Not really addicted, but it takes so long to get really proficient with a suite like MS Office, that, especially for doing real work (the kind ya get paid for), it's better to go ahead and eventually buy a copy than to spend a lot of time, messing around, getting used to something else.

      BTW, it works the same way with the OS...
    • rumit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5So basically what they are saying is if you are going to pirate software, pirate it from them instead of someone else.
      So in the future you might think of buying from them because you are used to using their software.
    • meshman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"Blogspam is when someone completely rips a story posts it to a blog unchanged and tries to pass it off as their own content or is simply trying to monetize someone elses!"

      It's also, people using their lame ass blogs to link to news sources. They describe the article as if to take credit for it. We don't give a rats ass about your blog, we want to see the article in question. So link to it, not some lame ass blog. This is blog spam. Why do we need to read this when we can read the source of it? I'd digg it down but the actual article is useful.

    • r00tus3r, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Let me be the first to say, direct linking to avoid the blogspam is selfish as hell. Guys work hard to promote their blogs, and add content to the Internet, and google is thankfully funding this by paying them for advertising, and you guys wanna rip them off, that stinks man! How does it hurt you to look at a few adds? You're on digg for *****'s sake, they're adds all over this site, and that's why it's here and getting better every day!!!
    • deadowl, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Oh damn, the one I posted my first response in didn't make the front page.

      Anyways, I want to point out that the RIAA situation mirrors benefits.
    • thydzik, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@ oddmanout that's true

      i am sure a lot of users bought xp when they brought out the new validation, after they had been using pirated copies for years.
    • EbilPhish, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Where else are you going to pirate stuff from, there are no real viable alternatives to pirate from (other than opensource ones, which isn't piracy).

      OSX requires you buy the hardware that ships with the OS anyway, unless you really want to try and get it to run on non-mac x86 hardware, which last time I tried was a fairly horrible experience.

      There are a few commercial UNIXes out there, but I don't see why you would pirate (or even purchase) any of them over the free Linux/BSD/OpenSolaris/HURD.
    • SVPirate, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Yet more evidence that one end of Microsoft doesn't have a clue what the other is doing. How such a cluster-***** of an operation makes so much money I really have no clue...
    • Drakazz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1http://digg.com/microsoft/Does_Dell_really_hate_Microsoft Yey for Linux!:)
  • REBOP, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15Who wants to spend that much money on an OS? Whats the point? Its not 1991 anymore and hardware is expensive enough.
    • TwistMyArm, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8Funny you should say that.... does anyone have a link to that quote of Bill Gates a few years back when he said something along the lines of: "In the future, the hardware will be practically free... therefore, we'll have $200 computers". The implication being that most of the cost would be the OS.

      Sometimes, I have no idea how he can be considered someone that actually has any idea about 'the future'...
    • PleaseJustDie, on 10/12/2007, -11/+10He also said we'd never need more than 640k memory. I don't really believe Mr. Gates when he comes to what the future will hold for computers.
    • donkz, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4AMD X2 decent machines are up on sale $350. Vista doesn't exactly require quad processor and raided HDs
    • spinchange, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4@ donkz

      I bet that machine is running Vista basic though. Premium which has the cool new UI features, etc requires at least 1Gb of RAM. I may well be wrong, but I really doubt you're going to get that on a $350 machine.
    • figureB, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2pleasejustdie;

      Remeber, need and want are two different things.
    • tackle, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5[Quote]AMD X2 decent machines are up on sale $350[/Quote]

      Link please.
    • yournamehere, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9pleasejustdie,
      that's an urban myth. he never said it. let it go.

      if you can find a video or audio of him saying it then you're on to something. otherwise you are just babbling what others have without fact checking.
    • jman8888, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9*Cough Vista is 250 Retail. Of course im pirating it. sell it for like 70$ and i'll go legal*
    • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Well, people have these things we like to call "Real Jobs" ...
  • trmoser, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21With the amount of corporations that are purchasing their software, I am sure they make tons of money....(BILLIONS!!!!) Most people who pirate the software will not buy it otherwise due to the lack of money. After they use it and get more money they are more probable to purchase the next version or app.
    • azurepalm, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1very accurate comment i believe. dugged.
    • fuzzywinkles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0That is exactly what I did, I did not have the money to pay for a Windows version, though I've always wanted it. I finally managed to scrape together money to buy Vista Home Premium, and I'm quite happy I did. That said I WON'T be buying the next release of Windows, it's simply just too much money for the common man.
  • bgbs, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11They may pirate windows, but they may purchasing something else from Microsoft for Windows use, and that is whats important for the company. I know I have done that in the past.
    • eliomar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4the same can be said in the open source. Even though its free, but if its good enough, I will put a donation for their efforts and the program itself.
    • theblackgecko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2The 'something else' that many business customers purchase is a support contract.
  • ashmon, on 10/12/2007, -2/+10I hope they (MS) are finally getting it. I used to do support for a company back in the day, and invariably, a "customer" would call and say "It says I need the registration code, but I don't see one." I'd ask if it was on the cd case, where it was supposed to be, and they'd say, "No, all that says is _fill in the blank with name of blank cd maker_" I'd go ask the boss and he'd say, "Just give it to him, he'll be back later for more." And invariably, 1 or 2 months later, the same guy would call up and buy another course (It was a golf simulation where you could buy more courses, etc.) We made money, and the free reg code I gave him was basically glorified shareware.
  • one321, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17As long as people keep pirating and using Windows at home, they'll keep wanting it at work. The more people start getting used to Linux or going the Mac route, the less Microsoft will be selling to companies. That's what would really hurt them, so they know home pirating still helps at the same time they say it hurts.
    • underthelinux, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10I truly believe that this applies to many other companies (and maybe moreso to them) such as adobe. I think the more people that pirate photoshop, the more they sell in corporate licensing. I don't know many people that would be as good at photoshop if they had to pay for it when they started. And many of them have professional graphic arts jobs.
    • one321, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5@underthelinux
      I agree totally. Adobe Photoshop is the perfect example. Everyone I knew in college that pirated Photoshop and now has a job in graphical design requests/requires they be able to use Photoshop. That means so much more to Adobe than making a one-time buck from a college student that wants to give their software a try.
    • shmatt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2That's true about Adobe, except for that fact that there really isn't anything better to compete with Photoshop. With OS's, there are better alternatives.
    • hessamz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2they should get rid of WGA already.... definitely not stopping anything and just causing problems for legitimate users.
    • ray73864, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Actually, WGA is there to appease the courts, with it, Microsoft can show the courts that they are attempting to put a stop to piracy (even though they don't actually care if you do pirate their software), without it, the courts would be all onto them (as would the RIAA and MPAA) asking why they aren't doing anything to stop piracy of their software.
  • bclinton, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I am wondering when Microsoft will start going after the folks that pirate it. Similar to the way Direct TV went after their end users and the way RIAA and MPAA are going after them. I think it will be a stupid move but I fully expect it.
    • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Not as many people use DirecTV or bootlegged movies to learn them well enough to go to work at a real job (unless maybe you're a movie critic or musician), resulting in additional sales.
    • subliminalurge, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@bclinton

      I honestly don't expect them to ever go after individual, home users (Big corporations with deep pockets, that's a different story). For all the reasons stated here, they "secretly" like it when people pirate their software. Simply put, they're better off if I run a pirated copy of Vista, pirated Office, pirated Visual Studio, and install a pirated Exchange Server in my office than if I switch to Linux, run OpenOffice, gcc, and postfix. If the majority of the world uses Microsoft products, then that's the platform that developers will code for, and the customers who do pay will have few, if any, realistic places to spend their money other than with Microsoft.

      This is all in keeping with their age-old strategy of eliminating the competition, even at a financial loss, and then upping the price once they become the only game in town.

      Honestly, turning a blind eye to Windows piracy is the best weapon they have in their arsenal against Linux. Every new Vista pirate is one less person who makes a complete switch to Linux.

      Probably why they've made Vista so terribly easy to pirate. By simply not entering a cd key, it will install in 30 day trial mode. Then, using nothing but a set of printed instructions, you can extend that 30 day trial to last until December 31, 2099. No cracks or third party programs needed. All the necessary software is installed with Vista itself. It takes like 3 or 4 commands at a dos prompt.
  • godamit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2when you download warez you make money for microsoft!
    • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Yah, but the neighborhoods suck.
  • Sengara, on 10/12/2007, -8/+2Respect for Microsoft ++
  • jcronkhite, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3How does the quote "If you're going to steal software, steal it from us" translate to the headline "Microsoft Exec Admits That Company Still Benefits From Piracy"? He's not admitting the company benefits from theft. Microsoft is no doubt making billions, but should people steal the product? It's Microsoft's right to charge their price and the consumer's right not to buy an OS or application from Microsoft and instead use Linux with OpenOffice.org, etc.

    I love hearing about people slamming Microsoft and then the same people claim to steal their software. Why aren't you using open source then? It's free! You don't have to break the law (no matter how poorly written the laws may be) to have a good computing experience. If it's too expensive, don't pay for software, but don't steal software that is made for purchase. Find a free alternative and stop complaining about how expensive Windows is.
    • spinchange, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4No one is condoning the stealing of software or complaining. Did you read the FA? The exec was saying that if it came down to a user going with a *nix free open source OS -or- a cracked version of MS's....they'd rather have the user go with the cracked MS version. (Obviously they'd rather someone legally and lawfully pay for their product, but the news here is of MS's admission that most pirates likely wouldn't buy the software anyway, which is a change from their previous stance!!)

      Others here have commented on *why* that still is *very likely* to benefit them, in spite of them being initially ripped-off. Indeed the blog goes into that as well.

      Again, no one is condoning or suggesting thievery here, man...Please read the FA before flaming
    • betacmag4u, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3It is games and a few selected apps ............. otherwise it is onto Ubuntu or Desktop BSD
  • truegodofwar, on 10/12/2007, -18/+1***** Micro$oft. I've quit pirating windows and am going to go full time with linux.
  • baalzebub, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5sounds like more trouble than its worth:

    download & install pirated copy of windows = could have viruses and/or trojans inserted by who supplies the pirated copy, then your data could be secretly sent back to the pirate or your PC could be used in DDOS attacks or used as a spambot...

    or: when you go to windows update you are promptly rejected for using a pirated copy...

    no thanks i will stick with Linux :)
    • geekee, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3"no thanks i will stick with Linux :)"

      Or you could just buy a copy of Windows.
    • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2You can supposedly figure out the intricacies of Linux, but can't determine how to get around those two little things?

      It's your world, bub.
    • shmatt, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2"Or you could just buy a copy of Windows."
      No thanks, I'll stick with anything BUT
  • angusm, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Without condoning piracy, I doubt that the computer industry would have taken off the way it has without software piracy. The opportunity to get pirated software 'for nothing' fueled demand for hardware (users thinking "I can get all the software I need for free; all I have to pay for is the hardware."). Demand for hardware led to falling hardware costs, which led to increased adoption of computers both at home and in the office. That increased adoption boosted demand for non-pirated software, but more importantly it gave Microsoft the chance to make billions selling bundled OS software with the hardware. In fact, much of the application software industry appears in some senses to have acted as little more than a loss leader for Microsoft's Windows division.

    The other big beneficiary of software piracy kick-starting the computer industry and leading to affordable hardware was the open-source movement. It's possible that in a world where no one pirated software the open-source movement might have begun sooner and filled the need for cheap software - but my guess is that without widespread availability of cheap computers to hack on, the open-source movement wouldn't have the same momentum that it has today.
  • bl4h, on 10/12/2007, -4/+4Its true somewhat. I could never afford windows when i was younger, and admittedly pirated it, but now that I can I purchased vista and office at full retail. Just grew tired of the hassle. Now everything is genuine, and i waste no time in the world of cracking and trying to get things to work. What a waste of time. The operating system is worth the money and for me it pays for itself. Windows introduced me to my career and ive learned a lot. I also know unix like the back of my hand but only use it for backend things such as web/mail/dns servers. I used redhat for 2 years and wasnt nearly as productive as I am with windows



    • donkz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Natural cycle of a person that advances on financial scale. It's better to purchase when cracking doesn't simply worth the time spent cracking.
    • one321, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3@donkz
      For the most part, I really do think it is a "natural" cycle for most. I pirated EVERYTHING I could get my hands on when I was younger. Now I am more willing to purchase what I need.

      Not saying that I don't "try" a program out once in a while, but if I need it, I buy it.
    • aliguana, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4money has a lot to do with it. broke, unemployed, seeing ads wanting people "with MS Office experience" or "Photoshop Experience"?? and how do you afford to get that software if you can't even afford your rent? Sure, you could load up with Ubuntu and OpenOffice, but likely the person interviewing you would go "...huh? so you don't know how to use Outlook then?".

      I know a few people, who didn't do computers at college, who.. erm.. borrowed various packages, taught theirselves, got good jobs, and have since bought said packages, often by the dozen (for their office). Who lost out on them using the pirate copy? The software company didn't. The person's family didn't. Their future clients didn't. Digg me down, it won't make it any less true.

      of course, ripping off games is a different matter
    • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1We call that "developing job skills", and it is a noble endeavor. Employees willing to spend the time and expense to buy or build a PC and learn standard software skills are to be commended.

      MS has contributed a lot to our world, including plenty of old, obsolete PCs which now reside in grandmother's basements, manned by Linux users who don't have jobs, busily scripting viruses.
  • xtreme571, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1wow i've never thot of it like that...once a person pirates windows...they use it...and then they get windows software instead of linux...they get use to windows and will possibly invest in the future version of windows.

    I like it when college gives it to you for free. :)
    (i kno they've charged me for it...if i dont see it....it wont hurt me lol)
  • Shendare, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Any large software corporation equating the use of an unlicensed copy of its software to a lost sale would be like a large motor vehicle or vehicle rental company equating hitchhiking to the lost sale or rental of a car... it's quite obviously flawed, but those in the legislative and judicial systems with only a passing understanding of the computing industry can easily be convinced by heavily one-sided money-backed reasoning.
  • miroze, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1As Ballmer would say, "Piracy, Piracy, Piracy, (pause-- wipe the sweat excretion from armpits and allow for big inhale) Piracy, Piracy, Piracy, Piracy!"
  • BigLou, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I may or may not have "found" a copy of XP. Nonetheless it definitely lead to my eventual legal purchase of Vista. I think this statement has some legitimacy in it.
  • gaiden2k5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Good call from MS but why not be bold about it and just release an official copy of Windows: Pirate Edition. While limited to certain capabilities, it would FREE, that way people can choose to upgrade for a price later on as they choose to. I'm sure many who owns an illegal copy would be willing to convert while companies would likely to stay with the original Windows. Hit millions of birds with one stone.
  • zebesian, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1It said that people who pirate software are more likely to buy the product in the future. Sorry, but that will not happen with me. I have made the switch and I am not turning back.
    • specialK16, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Good for you.

      Even though I enjoy using Linux (beryl :) ), I'm sure I'll never switch to it completely. I bet most places I'll work will require knowledge of MS products.
    • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Bet BIG.
  • pickypg, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2spinchange has an ironic user name since he is completely spinning the story.

    Microsoft is not saying it benefits from the piracy directly at all (indirectly, I am sure that a /few/ software pirates do actually buy /some/ software, and some of that might be Microsoft software). They are saying they would rather you pirate their software in hopes that eventually, basically as you mature and realize you are in fact stealing the software (as opposed to however else people justify it to themselves), that you will actually purchase a license to use the software instead of continuing to pirate it.

    The same can be said for most major software.
    • spinchange, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I am not spining the story - the story is spining itself!
      Nowhere in my post -or- the FA does it say the word you use to base your judgement of my editorial inegrity: *directly*

      You undermine your own point by laying out the whole "indirectly" line of reasoning, which is exactly the point of the story and why MS benefits from larger market share & installed (legal or not) footprint!

      It is also pretty explicit in explaining that MS is begrudginly admiting that most pirates would likely otherwise buy their software. For the last time, this isn't condoning theft - just making an interesting point...And a rare instance of Microsoft being candid.
    • spinchange, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1*edit* that should have read, "admitting that most pirates will likely otherwise NOT buy their software."
  • pickypg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@hipnerd

    It has much less to do with Linux than it does with people sticking with Windows. The two ARE different ideas.
    • hipnerd, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1If Third World and developing nation software pirates were forced to pay for Windows or give it up, Linux users would grow by leaps and bounds. Microsoft would rather not see other platforms gain users and legitimacy, so it has never brought its full weight to bear on the piracy issue.
  • illustrick, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1or you could just get into a good private torrent community like oink, and get the latest updates to windows from a legit source that already has been scanned by the moderators for trojans/viruses.
    • TimDigg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I thought Oink was an mp3 site?

      Have they expanding to apps? Or were you just giving an example of a good private tracker
  • sexycommando, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6"If you're going to steal software, steal it from us."

    I'll get right on it.
  • liquilife, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Vista let you install without a product code? If memory serves me correctly I could have installed Vista and defaulted to the 30 day limit simply by skipping the step of entering the Vista OEM numbers. If this is the case, wouldn't this make it incredibly easy for piraters to install Vista? Futhermore when this 30 days expires and the pirater has the option of buying a copy of Vista and simply entering in the unique unlock code to restore Visa, did Microsoft just make a sale? Yes!

    It seems to me Microsoft doesn't mind that you get the software easily, they just make it tough to continue getting the most out of it unless you have a legitimate copy. Think of it as a free-trial?

    Of course.. MS would rather you buy a legitimate copy beforehand.
  • catfish182, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is very true. I have never bought a copy of a windows OS until i went and got XP Media Center. I didnt have to really get it but i have other things to do now then make sure my copy is getting updated.
  • philosopherdog, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Obviously if purchased software becomes impossible to pirate, those who can't afford it will turn to open source, which would kill off programs like MS Office in pretty short order. Obviously any software company could, if they wanted, prevent all piracy, and some do. But this comes at a potentially serious long term cost to the popularity of a program. Pirates are often students and savvy users who have a lot to do with software popularity.
  • SaxxonPike, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1The major corporations, schools, and businesses that use Windows likely bought licenses accordingly. They make up for those who did not buy their copy of Windows. And machines that come with Windows? Well, when you buy those, you've already paid for your OS. What about other software -- let's not forget Microsoft Office. It's robust software that's been in development for years by people who get PAID. People who get paid (or recieve other equivalent benefits) are more likely to do a better job on the software and put more into it than free software. Also, when you download a pirated copy of Windows, it's actually promoting other software on the Windows platform, especially software by third parties. That's not to say I won't use free software when possible such as OpenOffice because it gives me that fuzzy feeling that it isn't pirated.

    After all, they could crack down on it in a more harsh manner, but all they would do is ruin the widespread use of Windows, and more people would be using Linux, Solaris, etc. Piracy is a factor that's contributing to that widespread use.
  • mrnukem, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Article should read "Soon to be un-employed company executive"
    • thinkycap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Why? This is kind of a 'duh' statement. I'm sure Apple, and whatever else OS maker out there feels the same. Paid or not, they want you using their product.
  • Linguino, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Nothing new to see here. MS was made by making the product easy to pirate.

    1) Get user familiar with product
    2) Grow market base
    3) Convert to paid customer
  • RG13, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Good Enough Reason for me
  • JAGUART, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0So I guess its a case of "voluntary compliance" with the Microsoft Revenue Service
  • chingy1788, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I think only MS can take such a hit, they own most of the OS market anyways
  • Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4A bootlegged copy of MS Office (or Windows), or a copy of Linux or OpenOffice on a company PC is a gigantic red flag.

    If I got a job and they sat me in front of a copy of OpenOffice.org, I'd think "What? These people don't even have the money to spring for a real copy of MS Office? How long are they going to be able to afford to keep me on the payroll?"

    Oh, I'd use their crappy copy of OOo, all right. Long enough to keep my resume circulating to other employers, all the while hiding the fact from other companies that I'm stuck using OpenOffice.

    And companies who buy one copy of commercial software and install it on multiple PCs deserve to get busted, if only for falsely calling themselves "employers".

    I figure it's wrong to disrupt the lives of people who need to earn a livelihood by pretending to be a real employer, when you can't really run a business. Those temporary employees are better off finding a proper job.

    I cut my teeth on "borrowed" copies of commercial software. My employers provided training and experience. Now I go ahead and buy what I need, and that's the whole point. If I had wasted my time with a lot of now-defunct shareware, I would no longer even be able to have a PC, and would probably be living out of my car.
    • Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3"If I got a job and they sat me in front of a copy of OpenOffice.org, I'd think "What? These people don't even have the money to spring for a real copy of MS Office? How long are they going to be able to afford to keep me on the payroll?""

      And I would think... "Cool! They use OO just like me. No wonder they can afford to pay me. They're not pissing away hundreds of dollars on programs that there are FOSS solutions for."

      Besides... exactly what features does M$ Officer have that OO doesn't, and how often are they needed?
    • Phocion55, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3"If I got a job..."

      One can dream, I guess.
    • Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3LOL!!! I dugg you up for that one. I do freelance work, so it's not uncommon for me to be out of work, or to get jobs at odd little places.
  • aliguana, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1you know, he's right! I used a pirate copy of OSX (on a PC), and now I'm buying the legit version (with hardware to boot). So it works! lol
    • specialK16, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1OSx86? Yeah, I'm just waiting some months to get the money for a mac.
  • Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1This is why I'm an Avid opponent of pirating M$ products. They should not get a single market share they don't absolutly deserve.
  • Philodox, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2They want Windows to be as inconvenient as possible to run if you don't own a legal copy. Office and Visual studio have insanely lax piracy protection on them by comparison. Wonder why that is? Microsoft could easily implement *some* anti piracy measures in both products. Every person who grows up writing documents with office and programming in word is more likely to continue that trend for the rest of his life (and more than likely start paying money for it).

    -Mike
  • Kazrog, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Good advice. I've never paid for Microsoft software.
  • thewump, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2It doesn't matter. It's illegal and MS have every right to go after pirates. If you don't want to pay for it, don't use it.
    • Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2No. M$ has every right to prevent piracy. "Going after" them is an invasion of privacy. A crime far worse than the piracy.
      It's like condoning murder for the crime of jaywalking.
    • Phocion55, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1That's funny. I remember my friend saying the EXACT same thing.......as he had Office 2007 downloading on his Bittorrent client.
    • Ratteler, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Well, that's the difference between me and your friend. I don't pirate stuff.
      I've bought every Windows from 95 to XP. I bought Office 97 and used it for years until I switched to OO because it was all I ever needed.
  • ShogunWarPig, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I will Microsoft..... I will.
  • natmaster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1If only the MAFIAA would realize this too...
  • viviwanu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1No, thanks!
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.