>>IF you think those estimates are accurate I have some land for you in ...
>
>Ok, then several billion a year. Still, wether its a couple million, or a couple billion, why should the company get bashed for doing anything other than just sitting there and taking it?

I don't think any one is arguing that MS shouldn't combat pirating.

It is how they are doing it that is the problem. They almost encouraged (at the least they were VERY laxed in enforcement) WinXX pirating 10 years ago as a way of increasing market share for their other products. It's only as the MS desktop market is now reaching saturation at around 85% that MS is concerned and they have introduced a wicked registration wizard and employed surrogate bounty hunters (like BSA) to bully the general public and specific individuals/corporations. That they can't sustain their income model because folks are beginning to balk at their continual upgrade treadmill is, in my opinion, the real reason for the 'piracy' smokescreen. Besides, most of the piracy appears to be occuring outside the USA, where MS EULA's and the DMCA aren't/can't be enforced. In fact, the BSA in just another revenue mill grinder that MS is pumping, using it's big gorillia image. Mom and Pop don't have the time or money to fight the liza.. lawyers sent on fishing expeditions after them. It's cheaper to pay MS (entitled or not) than pay for legal defense. MS knows this. That's why they are grinding that monkey. It's a shame, and it is not winning MS any friends.

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