Microsoft piracy drive irks Gujarat dealers

Taking a stand against Microsoft's anti-piracy raids, dealers and resellers in Gujarat, led by the South Gujarat Information Technologists Association (SITA), have decided to form alliances with at least four other IT associations from other states towards a possible boycott of Microsoft in favour of Linux.

Dealers in Gujarat have already formed a core committee consisting of legal and finance representatives to decide on the plan of action including a series of protests which began in mid-june with a day's protest and refusal to buy Microsoft products for one quarter. Close to 300 dealers and resellers from Ahmedabad, 300 from Surat, 150 from Vadodara, 75 from Vapi, 75 from Ankleshwar-Bharuch and 50 from Navsari have pledged support to SITA.

The association has also received written support from IT associations in Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Pune and Lucknow. Microsoft had served anti-piracy notices to resellers in Surat early in May which did not go down well with dealers and resellers in the state.