
'Hands off our intellectual property'...
By Jo Best
Published: 11 June 2004 17:25 GMT
Microsoft and eBay have teamed up to stop people selling pirated Redmond software over the online auction site.
Apparently, eBay users have been complaining that they've been buying Microsoft goods from the via the site only to find out what they've purchased isn't the genuine article but a copy, without all the support and licensing that goes with the real software.
Microsoft has now signed up to eBay's Verified Rights Owner Programme (VeRO), which means the software giant can report when online sellers are infringing on their intellectual property rights. As a result, listings found to be on the wrong side of intellectual property law can be removed and eBay will help out Microsoft when it goes after alleged infringers.
A program will trawl eBay looking for anomalous listings and flag up any that look like they could be offering illegal or counterfeit software. Microsoft also has staff investigating any potential pirates selling their goods through the site.
There's a 'hints and tips' page available for anyone in doubt over the legitimacy of potential software purposes.
Alex Hilton, Microsoft's group manager for licence compliance, told silicon.com Microsoft had "stood back a little too much" on the issue and would be taking a "more aggressive stance" – but wasn't interested in prosecuting those who had unwittingly bought illegal software.
"Companies who buy quantities of this software run the risk of being audited by the BSA (Business Software Alliance) or FAST (Federation Against Software Theft) and at the very least having to replace all the software and spending more than they would have done in the first place," he added.
eBay is not the only place the software pirates have been selling the knock-off software. The Business Software Alliance has reported a growing number of spam emails selling the pirate software.
In this key role, you will lead the development of innovative technologies and manage all aspects of intellectual property, coordinating internal and ...
Understands the value of Intellectual Property and the ability to manage Intellectual Property appropriately, including working with others to file ...
Contract Management and Litigation Support right through to top end intellectual Property Software, Renewals and Data Management, Research and ...
Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.
Power Solutions Article: High-Availability Virtualization with Dell EqualLogic Arrays...
Power Solutions Article:Â Power Solutions Article: Getting Started with Microsoft...
Customer Case Study:Â A L Filters
Solution Brief: Dell Equalogic PS Series Can Offer Robust, High-Availability Infrastructure...
Stories from the web...
Copyright © 2008 CBS Interactive Limited. All rights reserved. Top of page
Naked CIO Naked CIO: Social networks are useless for finding a job 'Quantity over quality' approach poisoning professional networks
Peter Cochrane Peter Cochrane's Blog: Uneconomics We must move away from short-termism to prevent next economic crisis