Microsoft`s Come Clean anti-piracy campaign, held during May and June, has "exceeded expectations" with the company`s final tally showing that the anti-piracy team has assisted more than 140 companies and individuals, spanning a total of of 25 453 PCs, by ensuring that their desktop operating systems are legal.
The main focus of the Come Clean campaign was to educate the user about the dangers of software piracy, as well as assisting them to understand what constitutes piracy. The campaign also aimed to assist those companies and individuals who came forward of their own volition during the two-month campaign to "come clean" by advising them on what software upgrades or purchases would be necessary to ensure software compliance.
Mark Reynolds, in charge of Microsoft SA`s anti-piracy and legalisation drive, said a handful of late applications were allowed as "these companies needed time to assess what their software scenarios were before proceeding".
"The campaign is now officially over. We are pleased with our results in terms of the awareness we created as well as the fact that our efforts resulted in the piracy team ensuring that more than 25 000 previously illegal PCs are now legal. The response has been very positive," he said.
Reynolds said companies need to realise that software should be treated as an asset. "Software is often the lifeblood of a company and yet it is not treated as a valuable asset - an asset that needs to be managed."
Companies or individuals who are still wanting to legalise their software can either contact Mark Reynolds at 0860 2255 67 or the Business Software Alliance on 0800 110 447.
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