Microsoft reach settlements with 3 Sim
Lim Square computer dealers
Microsoft has reached settlements with three computer dealers in
Sim Lim Square after raids in April found high end counterfeit
software at the outlets.
The raids on Best Bytes, Powersys and Bizgram netted more than
300 copies of high end counterfeit Microsoft software.
Most of the counterfeits were found at Powersys and Best Bytes,
while one copy of high end counterfeit Windows XP was seized from
Bizgram.
Powersys and Best Bytes have agreed to pay a total of $70,000 in
damages and legal costs.
Their directors have also committed to complete 144 hours of
community service and issue a public apology over the matter.
BizGram agreed to a "cease and desist" order.
The announcement was made in conjunction with Microsoft’s Global
Anti-Piracy Day.
The initiative saw the simultaneous launch of education
initiatives and enforcement actions in 49 countries across six
continents to combat the sophisticated, illegal trade of pirated
and counterfeit software.
For the first time in Singapore, Microsoft also launched a
program to publicly recognize 11 of its computer system builder
partners as “Genuine Software Advocates”.
Microsoft says more than one third of PCs globally contain
unlicensed, pirated or counterfeit software.
The losses inflicted on legitimate businesses by widespread
software piracy are significant.
A recent study by the Business Software Alliance and IDC
reported the piracy rate in Singapore as 37 percent last year.
However, dollar losses due to piracy have increased by about 77
percent to US$160 million.