MYSORE: Representatives of software major Microsoft cracked down on the illegal sale of its products that is rampant in the market, raising fresh questions on the means to tackle the menace.

This is reckoned to be part of the Microsoft's ongoing drive to curb software piracy. A dealer in Mysore has been slapped with a fine of Rs. 5 lakh over Intellectual Property Rights infringement.

Sources in the industry told The Hindu that Microsoft was tipped off that a dealer was making copies of the licensed software that comes loaded with some of the branded systems and was selling them to customers, thus abetting piracy.

Suspicious

The Microsoft crackdown has alerted computer dealers in the city who have raised vigil and are suspicious of any customer who approaches them for a copy of the software that is available at lesser price than the cost of the original and licensed software.

For instance, the licensed version of Microsoft's Office 2007 Suite costs about Rs. 14,200 but is available for Rs. 120 in the grey market in the K.T. Street area and is loaded free of cost by assembled computer dealers.

The perceived high pricing of the software products is one of the key factors that is reckoned to be forcing customers to opt for the pirated versions, which, the company officials point out, has no protection against virus attacks.

Cost factor

Experts and those in the field of information technology who have tried to tackle the piracy issue say while the cost can be a factor in case of individuals who opt for pirated software, at least institutions and industries should take a stance to help curb the menace which has legal ramifications apart from security concerns.

G.L. Shekar, who is a Special Officer in the e-Learning Centre of the Visvesvaraya Technological University, said that the university was in the forefront in dealing with piracy problems.

"When the university purchased laptops in bulk, it entered into an agreement with the main dealers and accredited resellers and the software were made available at a throw-away price. The higher ups in the university have promoted the use of licensed software by entering into agreement with the dealers and this has paid off," Mr. Shekar said.

According to a National Association of Software and Services Companies report for India, software piracy levels in India is among the highest in the world and at least 75 per cent of the PCs run on pirated software.

Proprietor of an Internet café admitted that a majority of the Internet cafes not only in Mysore but also across the country had pirated software, including the operating systems. But he reasoned that if Microsoft did crackdown then not many would be able to afford the Windows or Office Suites and would be forced to shift to Linux which was a free open-source operating system.

In Gujarat

The raid in Mysore comes close on the heels of a similar drive in Gujarat where the dealers went on a snap strike against the company's anti-piracy drive and vouched to forge an alliance in favour of Linux.

Meanwhile, dealers in the city have raised their guard and are declining any requests to load additional software.

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