Microsoft roadshow against piracy

To curb the massive use of pirated software in the country, especially in Agra, Microsoft Corporation held a roadshow of its Windows XP Starter Edition in the city last week, with company representatives enumerating the benefits of genuine software and the disadvantages of using pirated software.

Over 80 per cent of Microsoft software products being used by corporate and domestic users in Agra are pirated.

Recently-launched localised versions of Microsoft Office and Windows XP Starter Edition, too, have failed to elicit response from the users of Windows-based PCs.

According to a recent survey by a local PC reseller, the market share of genuine Microsoft software being installed in the near 600 laptops sold by the town's resellers each month was negligible.

The company executives said they were aware of the high percentage of pirated software being sold, but at present, the only measures being taken to prevent piracy was generating awareness among the users.