Counting the cost of counterfeiting
C|Net | at | by Mike
As the head of Microsoft's antipiracy program, Michala Alexander has one of the more unenviable posts in the software giant's U.K. operations.
Despite successfully shutting down a prolific trader in unlicensed software last week, Alexander admits that the odds are stacked against her. Microsoft estimates it loses around $467 million annually due to counterfeit and unlicensed software.
But it's not only the sheer amount of fake and unlicensed products that makes Alexander's job a tough one; Microsoft's antipiracy team and its enforcers at the Business Software Alliance are seen by many as the sharp end of the software giant's draconian--and some say outdated--approach to licensing.