Microsoft, PC makers' 'Asli Windows ka Asli offer'

In a bid to curb piracy, Microsoft India and industry players like Dell,
HCL, HP, Lenovo, Sahara, Wipro and Zenith have launched a campaign 'Asli Windows ka Asli offer' aimed at making genuine software easily accessible.

Customers who purchase an original Windows PC will now have an opportunity to win exciting prizes every day including PCs, true flat monitors and world space receivers.

In addition, customers will be entitled to gifts worth Rs 4,000 (two months off on a broadband connection and discount on anti-virus software).

An enhanced three-year warranty on PCs running original
Windows XP software will also be offered by some PC manufacturers.

Hitendra Chaturvedi, senior director of Microsoft India, said: "Piracy is an issue that plagues the entire software industry, and it is important for the ecosystem to come together to address the issue. One of the key hurdles slowing India's sprint towards becoming a global economic juggernaut is rampant piracy threatening Intellectual Property Rights (IPR.). Indicative of this is that approximately $566 million were lost to software piracy in India in 2005. This is a grim indication of the far reaching ramifications of
this menace and necessitates efforts on all fronts - legal, education and enforcement."