Microsoft Aims to Eliminate Piracy - Blue Edition
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Currently, the most popular form of pirated software circulating the web is something called Microsoft Office "Blue Edition." Buyers should be aware that no such Microsoft software was ever released by the company.
There are many theories as to why there has been such a proliferation of Blue Edition software, thought the most likely pertain to the price the pirated goods are being sold for and the story being used to sell them. Online auctioneers claim that the software is a legitimate product of Microsoft and is being sold cheaply because of accidental over-production. Other merchants claim it's a technician's version of legitimate Microsoft software.
No matter what the wording chosen by auctioneers to sell this pirated software, one thing remains clear: Blue Edition is entirely fictitious. It is nothing more than a scheme by pirates to confuse and deceive consumers.
David Finn, an attorney for Microsoft, says the Blue Edition software is cheaply made and hardly worth its low price. "It's nothing more than low-quality counterfeit software burned to a CD," Finn said.
Microsoft advises buyers to go to its piracy site to learn how to guard against fake software. In addition, customers should look for a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) that identifies genuine products; however, it is just a label and not a software license.
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