Pirated Microsoft Windows 7 copies rob Microsoft in India
Microsoft has been robbed in India! Any such statement may amaze you a lot and leave you wonder the reason behind this bizarre development but this scribe is not acquainted with any other (more fitting) depiction.
Just only a few days after launch of the Microsoft Windows 7 by Microsoft, there is hardly any presence of the internet search giant in the Indian market. You may not believe but it is a reality that even in Lucknow pirated DVDs of Microsoft Windows 7 are easily available and as per a recent estimation, 50,000 copies have already been sold generating unaccounted business of around Rs 50 lakh (nearly $100,000).
And pirated versions have not been released by Microsoft, at least. What is the reason behind this incredible success? The factors are not hard to see. These pirated versions do cost Rs 40-Rs 250 in Naza Market in Hazratganj of the city, alluring buyers from not only the rest of Uttar Pradesh and neighboring states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand but also Nepal and Bangladesh. This, without a shred of doubt, is an exceedingly profitable deal if you dare to comprehend the existing reality.
In accordance with the company, the legal version of the new operating system launched by Microsoft Corp costs between $150-$300 (Rs 7,500-Rs 15,000) in the international markets. Nevertheless, considering the market, Microsoft tagged its prices 20 percent below international rates in India, where it is available in the Rs 6,000-Rs 11,000 range through official channels. I am confident that now you can get the difference, range of profit and the factors of the popularity of the pirated version.
What is more, along with pirated operating systems, low-priced pirated anti-virus software is also freely available and this makes a buyer almost a votary of pirated copies. How can this saga be checked? The police and administration seems feeble in combating piracy.
