Microsoft Corporation has been awarded damages of R127 427 by the Pretoria High Court - plus legal costs of the action to the date of the order - against computer dealer PC Go Round (Pty) Limited for software piracy which included hard disk loading.
The ruling comes as Microsoft SA`s anti-piracy and legalisation division embarks on a campaign to name software pirates in a hard-hitting advertising campaign.
Commenting on the 17 September court ruling against the Defendant, PC Go Round, Mark Reynolds, in charge of Microsoft SA`s anti-piracy and legalisation drive, said two computers were bought from the reseller - one from PC Go Round`s Brooklyn Mall branch and one from the Camaro Crossing branch in Johannesburg. It was found that both computers had been hard disk loaded. Hard disk loading is when a vendor buys only one licensed copy of the Microsoft operating system or application but loads it onto more than one computer.
Reynolds said the court also postponed the hearing of additional damages against PC Go Around to a future date. "The law in this country is standing up for legitimate businesses," said Reynolds. "Channel integrity is something we believe strongly in and we will continue to protect customers from rogue dealers, as well as protecting our legitimate channel partners. In fact, we have stepped up our activities in this regard. This court ruling is a significant victory," he said.
PC Go Round had three branches in the greater Johannesburg area and one in Pretoria.
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