Always in the news for something (usually suing someone, or being sued) Microsoft are the ones filing the lawsuits in this particular story. This time, its eight lawsuits targeted at computer system builders and resellers for alleged distribution of counterfeit, illicit and unlicensed software and software components. That doesn't sound like something Microsoft is going to allow to continue for much longer at all, if it can help it. Oh no.
"Our partners are coming to us and asking for our help. They are being undercut and forced out of business by having to compete with dishonest PC manufacturers and resellers who continue to sell illegitimate software. That isn't fair to our partners or to the customers who depend on them." - Bonnie MacNaughton, senior attorney at Microsoft.
Microsoft claims that these lawsuits are in response to an ongoing test purchase program started in 1997 which had the intention of ensuring that software being distributed is legitimate and genuine.
Under the program, Microsoft acquires software, software components or computer systems from dealers and tests the software and components for authenticity. If it is not legitimate, the dealer is generally sent a cease-and-desist letter and told how it can obtain legal, genuine software.