Microsoft has decided to bring in the users of pirated copies of Windows XP to switch to genuine copies. Go to their site and find out more.
I can only imagine Bill Gates is in the habit of using the phrase "if I had a penny for every....", and somehow it occurred to him "how about ending the phrase with.... pirated copy of Windows XP". Results could be mind boggling as here in India we hardly come across genuine copies of any software.
Is Microsoft really being 'micro' 'soft' in extending courtesy to the IT pariah (when did I last associate a human attribute to Microsoft?), well, you wish.
"Much as narcotics officers bypass the lower-level dealers to get at the kingpins, what they are likely trying to do is get at the distributors (of pirated Windows)," NPD Group analyst Ross Rubin would rather put it this way.
Full coverage on ZDNet
While Microsoft is offering pirated copy users some cool options, original OS buyers need not all get miffed. On the face of it it looks as though a pirated copy user, by way of amnesty might end up getting a better deal but that's not the case... not always to say the least.
If your are into buying branded PCs and get the OS preinstalled from a manufacturer like HCL, Dell etc who has OEM license, you still have a better deal as you are getting the OS much cheaper.
The ones who have right the to crib are the direct buyers of the OS as you do get it costlier. When you get it installed on an assembled PC, you still have to buy the OS at MRP as the assemblers more often than not dont have OEM licenses. If some assemblers are able to sell you the OS at lesser than listed MRP its only because they are always able to adjust the cost in other components.
