Microsoft malware tool only for legit Windows

Sam Varghese
Thursday, 01 October 2009 07:15

Opinion and Analysis

Eleven years ago, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates told an audience that he didn't mind people stealing software as long as they stole his company's software.
The quote was specifically directed at China and appears in an article aptly titled "How piracy opens doors for Windows."

"Although about 3 million computers get sold every year in China, people don't pay for the software. Someday they will, though," Gates is quoted as telling an audience at the University of Washington.

"And as long as they're going to steal it, we want them to steal ours. They'll get sort of addicted, and then we'll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade."

The time for collection arrived some years ago - and with the release of its new malware tool, Microsoft is trying to up the rate of collection.

For the new security software - which rather cynically is dealing with a problem that is almost exclusive to Windows - will not install on counterfeit copies of Windows.

After having encouraged piracy all these years in order to spread the use of Windows, Microsoft is now tightening the screws on those who have indulged in such practices.

Come to think of it, heroin dealers do much the same thing.

The company says that the malware tool will help to curb the spread of botnets - but this is doubtful as a large percentage of the PCs in botnets are running counterfiet copies of Windows. And the new security software cannot be installed on such PCs.