Microsoft found that approximately 25% of all Russian shops sell pirated copies of its software.Selling and installing pirated Microsoft software is nothing short of an integral part of the mundane scenery in Russia, a study from the Redmond company found. Russian software outlets are easily getting away with commercializing bootlegged products.
However, the market for dealing with unlicensed software is not as lucrative as it once was, as the retailers of counterfeit products face increasing risk of attracting the attention of authorities. “A few years ago most computer stores in some form or other offered pirate software,” revealed Denis Guz, head of the company’s department evangelizing the sale of licensed software, according to NZHerald. “Now, as we see, there are significantly fewer sales points of that kind … and now the majority of retailers offer only licensed programs.”
Microsoft’s study involved no less than 2,500 retail outlets in 53 Russian cities. The company found not only that one quarter of retailers was dealing with counterfeit copies of Microsoft Software, but that approximately 11% even went as far as to offer customers installation services.
Just as it did with all Central and East European markets, Microsoft is collaborating closely with Russian authorities in order to make sure that bootleggers of its software are brought to justice. Still, the process is slow and complex, and the Redmond company can hope to at least curb software piracy, but less to see the phenomenon stamped out.
What Is Software Piracy?
Software piracy is the mislicensing, unauthorized reproduction and illegal distribution of software, whether for business or personal use.
Impact Of Software Piracy
Pirated software hurts everyone—from software developers to retail store owners, and ultimately to all software users. Furthermore, the illegal duplication and distribution of software has a significant impact on the economy.
