Microsoft to Implement Worldwide Anti-Piracy Initiative

Windows Genuine Advantage Verifies the Authenticity of Windows Software and Helps Customers Avoid Risks Associated With Counterfeit Software

23/2/2005

In 2005, Microsoft plans to enhance its anti-piracy education and enforcement efforts by expanding the Windows® Genuine Advantage program. Windows Genuine Advantage checks the authenticity of a user’s software and provides access to popular software and other benefits, helping consumers and businesses ensure that they are receiving the greater reliability, faster access to updates, and richer user experiences offered by genuine Windows XP software.

Every year, millions of consumers and businesses worldwide are hurt by counterfeit software that they have purchased unwittingly. Counterfeit software puts users at risk of receiving an inferior product that may present security risks, be missing code or contain malicious code.

Counterfeit editions of Windows are packaged very similar to the original Windows software in an attempt to deceive customers. The counterfeit Windows have a certificate of Authenticity and a CD-ROM that although looks like the original is in fact a sophisticated copy.To protect its customers and ensure that they receive quality products, Microsoft has invested heavily in security features designed to identify original software from counterfeits. For example, Genuine Microsoft software comes with an Edge-to-Edge Hologram CD. The Edge-to-Edge Hologram CD features a three-dimensional holographic image over the entire surface of the CD. This holographic image is part of the CD itself. It is not a sticker, and makes it easier to identify genuine Microsoft software.

All Microsoft Software also comes with a "Certificate of Authenticity" (COA) is a label to help you identify genuine Microsoft software. It includes advanced anti-counterfeiting features to help you verify the authenticity of the software you acquired.

Windows Genuine Advantage will provide users with the below software incentives, some of which are provided for free other at a significant price cut and all downloadable through net

• Microsoft Photo Story 3 for Windows
• Winter Fun Pack 2004
• Fifty percent off a selection of MSN® Games by Zone.com
• Fifty percent off hosted Windows SharePoint® Services
• Fifty percent off Microsoft List Builder service
• Thirty percent off the new Microsoft Office Outlook® Live service

Furthermore, In the second half of 2005, visitors to the Microsoft Download Center
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads) and Windows Update
(http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer) will be required to participate in Windows Genuine Advantage to access all content. To help customers who may require more time to move to genuine Windows software, Microsoft is offering security updates through Automatic Updates in Windows, with or without Windows Genuine Advantage validation.

For further information about the security features in Microsoft products please visit http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/ar/default.mspx.
For more information about software piracy please visit,
www.microsoft.com/middleeast/arabic/piracy.