Microsoft Wins Copyright Lawsuit Against Computer Dealer

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 (Bernama) -- Microsoft Corporation has won a civil lawsuit against Vital IT Marketing Services Sdn Bhd. The lawsuit against Vital IT commenced on May 31, 2011 for infringing on Microsoft’s copyright in Windows 7 and Office Enterprise 2007 by pre-installing unlicensed Microsoft software into new computers sold to consumers. In a statement on Thursday, Microsoft’s corporate attorney, Jonathan Selvasegaram, said: "We file a lawsuit as a last resort when all negotiations fail. "In most cases, our investigations start when we receive consumer complaints that the new computer they purchased encountered problems such as validation failures and virus infections, or when we receive complaints from other computer dealers against certain outlets unfairly undercutting their price by selling new computers with pirated software. "Our lawyers will issue legal letters to seek a settlement meeting. In most cases, dealers are remorseful and agree to settle the matter amicably, which would be our preference." Justice Hanipah Farikullah of the Kuala Lumpur Intellectual Property High Court on Apr 4, 2012, after a three-day trial, awarded Microsoft a permanent injunction against Vital IT, prohibiting it from any further acts of infringement. The High Court further allowed additional as well as exemplary damages. The court’s decision comes at a time when the government is seeking to stem the alarming rate of cybersecurity incidents due to software piracy, which has resulted in initiatives such as the recently launched “SAFE with GENUINE” consumer awareness campaign. -- BERNAMA