Why Microsoft cannot shutdown/prosecute sites offering illegal software?

[Jack]

Hello,
Everyday I am bombarded by spam offering downloadable "OEM
software" like for example Vista Ultimate ($79).
I wonder, why such powerful Microsoft is tolerating that?
Jack

 

[PvdG42]

Hello,
Everyday I am bombarded by spam offering downloadable "OEM
software" like for example Vista Ultimate ($79).
I wonder, why such powerful Microsoft is tolerating that?
Jack

I think you're giving Microsoft too much credit in the power department.
The source of these messages is difficult to trace, and many countries where
they originate are not very interested in stopping piracy.
It's not as though Microsoft has a private army with access to all points on
the globe so as to run all the pirates to ground, you know.

 

[Bill Yanaire]

Because when one gets shut down, they open up another with a different name.

 

[Duncan]

The question really is, if you pay $79 for Vista from these sites, is it
actually going to work? Anybody can copy a Vista DVD and resell it, but the
problem comes when you go to activate it. So when you buy a copied DVD that
costs these sites maybe $1 to do (probably less after economies of scale)
and you can't activate it what do you do? You can't get your money back
(plus the spammers just stole your card number and either resold it or
quickly bought something before you stop them) and the only alternative is
to try and find a workaround (a crack) that will beat the activation. I
think Microsoft spends more money defeating these workarounds than bothering
to shutdown sites. Vista dies if you don't activate, so that's the incentive
to go genuine.

 

[Lang Murphy]

The question really is, if you pay $79 for Vista from these sites, is it
actually going to work? Anybody can copy a Vista DVD and resell it, but
the problem comes when you go to activate it. So when you buy a copied DVD
that costs these sites maybe $1 to do (probably less after economies of
scale) and you can't activate it what do you do? You can't get your money
back (plus the spammers just stole your card number and either resold it
or quickly bought something before you stop them) and the only alternative
is to try and find a workaround (a crack) that will beat the activation. I
think Microsoft spends more money defeating these workarounds than
bothering to shutdown sites. Vista dies if you don't activate, so that's
the incentive to go genuine.

Well, yeah, Vista dies... but one could run it without activation, rearm it
2x and get approimately 3 months out of it and then start all over again
with a reinstallation. Not that I would do that kind of crazy a** s**t...
but I'm sure others are willing to go through the pain... Vista can be
purchased for $1 in Shanghai... LOL! Bootleg, yes, I know... but I bet it's
selling...

Lang

 

[Guest]

Well, yeah, Vista dies... but one could run it without activation, rearm it
2x and get approimately 3 months out of it and then start all over again
with a reinstallation. Not that I would do that kind of crazy a** s**t...
but I'm sure others are willing to go through the pain... Vista can be
purchased for $1 in Shanghai... LOL! Bootleg, yes, I know... but I bet it's
selling...

My question is
Who in their right mind would give an obvious crook their CC number?

 

[Jack]

Lots of dummies.
Specially, when the email says:
"buy directly from the manufacturer".
Jack

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

PT Barnum answered that best with one of his most famous quotes.

 

[Lang Murphy]

My question is
Who in their right mind would give an obvious crook their CC number?

Uh, I don't think one uses a credit card to buy a $1 item in Shanghai...
Vista or any other bootlegged software. One pulls out the cash from the
wallet and forks it over...

Lang