MUSCAT -- As part of its ongoing efforts to curb the spread of pirated software, to protect customers and ensure a level playing field for the region's legitimate resellers, Microsoft Gulf announced recently that it had filed a criminal complaint which led to three anti-piracy raids on resellers across the Sultanate of Oman, conducted by the Economic Crime Department at Royal Oman Police.
The raids resulted in the confiscation of over 73 CDs of pirated Microsoft Windows and Office software.
As an active member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the international association established by the global software industry to promote a safe and legal digital world, Microsoft continues to educate customers and partners about the negative effects of software piracy on the local economy and to increase awareness about the risks of counterfeit among consumers using counterfeit or hacked software, such as exposure to security issues like viruses, identity or credit card theft.
By partnering with local government bodies, Microsoft has also stepped up its regional efforts to take legal steps against those who manufacture and distribute illegal software.
A government spokesperson said that in addition to the impact on economies and innovation, software piracy posed very real risks to businesses and consumers and that the government is continuously organising awareness campaigns aimed at educating the public about Intellectual Property Rights laws and the negative impact of using pirated software.
"Microsoft takes the issue of the pirated software very seriously because our customers expect and deserve the highest-level of satisfaction when purchasing our products", said Jawad al Redha, IPR Manager, Microsoft Gulf.
"We work with stakeholders across the Gulf, including governments, industry partners and educational bodies, to increase awareness about the value of intellectual property as a driver of economic growth and to encourage respect for intellectual property rights.
"Through the Genuine Software Initiative (GSI), Microsoft is committed to advancing education among our customers while simultaneously investing heavily in engineering world-class anti-counterfeiting technologies and supporting government and law enforcement agencies who are taking action against
counterfeiters."
Dale Waterman, Microsoft's Corporate Attorney for Anti-Piracy for the Middle East and Africa region, added, "Every year, millions of consumers and businesses are hurt by counterfeit software that they acquire unwittingly. Consumers, businesses and resellers continually ask for help in mitigating the threats posed by pirates.
"We are heavily investing our resources and time into winning the battle against piracy by intensifying our collaboration with government and law enforcement agencies in the Gulf region to ensure that pirates are brought to justice. Our enforcement efforts are a key component in our battle against piracy."
By A Staff Reporter
© Oman Daily Observer 2010