Microsoft plays hardball with alleged software pirates: two county firms are targeted in national crackdown by online giant.A vast, ye software pirates, Microsoft Corp. is coming after you. The giant computer firm has launched lawsuits across the nation--six in California--accusing 30 companies of various copyright and trademark infringements and distributing counterfeit and pirated software. In Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County, FEC See forward error correction. FEC - Forward Error Correction Computers Net of Downey and Contex Technology Inc. of Irwindale were named. "We're hoping to raise awareness that a lot of small businesses are victims of piracy," said Microsoft Senior Attorney Mary Jo Schrade. "Aside from a fight to protect intellectual property, we are working to protect our partners and customers who buy computer software in good faith, expecting to get genuine Microsoft Windows See Windows. (operating system) Microsoft Windows - Microsoft's proprietary window system and user interface software released in 1985 to run on top of MS-DOS. Widely criticised for being too slow (hence "Windoze", "Microsloth Windows") on the machines available then. and end up being exploited and defrauded by software pirates." The Business Software Alliance claims that small businesses are victimized in more than 23 percent of the cases involving counterfeit or unlicensed computer technology. In its suit filed in U.S. District Court last week, Microsoft sought treble damages A recovery of three times the amount of actual financial losses suffered which is provided by statute for certain kinds of cases. The statute authorizing treble damages directs the judge to multiply by three the amount of monetary damages awarded by the jury in those cases from Contex, with an order to cease and desist Cease and desist (also called C & D) is a legal term used primarily in the United States which essentially means "to halt" or "to end" an action ("cease") and to refrain from doing it again in the future ("desist"). any infringement. The suit cites a number of Microsoft programs that are either counterfeit or unlicensed, including Windows XP Pro, Office 2003 Pro, Office Excel 2003, Office Outlook 2003, Office PowerPoint 2003, Word 2003, Publisher 2003 and Office Access 2003. Contex spokesman Evan Chou did not want to discuss details of the litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. but denied the company was involved in wrongdoing wrong·do·er n. One who does wrong, especially morally or ethically. wrong  do . "We don't sell pirated versions of Windows," Chou said. Executives at FEC Computers said they were unsure about the specifics of the lawsuit. "We pretty much don't understand it. We get the point, but we don't get the whole description of the issue," said FEC Manager Fernando Mira of the suit. Other California companies included in the legal roundup were J&T Computers & Parts of Fresno, LA Star of Walnut, Delta 4 Services of Spring Valley and an individual, Matthew Evans of Riverbank. |
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