Tightening computer software copyright, there are still places that accept pirated software installation

(Dan Tri) - Realistic records at some computer stores in Hanoi show that cracked versions of Microsoft Office are still offered alongside genuine copyright packages.

The store refused to install pirated software

“Dear, do we support installing Office?”

"Now it's strict to buy genuine copyright, my company doesn't accept crack (cracked software) anymore," the employee of a computer store on Luong The Vinh street shook his head.

As a customer looking for an alternative to a genuine office suite with a monthly fee, Dan Tri reporter went to a number of computer stores in Hanoi to learn about options for using Microsoft Office.

At the above store, when asked more about long-term use packages or permanent copyright, the staff seemed quite confused.

This person continuously discussed with a colleague before saying that the store did not sell genuine Office products, so specific advice could not be given.

At some other stores on the same route, the exchange happened quite quickly.

Most employees briefly answered that the store currently does not provide installation services or sell Office code, including copyright or crack.

Noted at another computer store, employees spent more time advising customers.

After hearing from customers that they were paying about 150,000 VND per month for copyrighted software, the staff explained the difference between subscription packages and versions advertised for permanent use.

According to this person, one-time purchase versions may not be fully updated with features like genuine software.

After a few minutes of checking the system, the staff quoted a Microsoft 365 package price of nearly 2 million VND for one year of use.

At a store on Tay Son Street, when asked about installing Word and Excel, the employee said the store is no longer accepting cracks.

According to this person, current copyright protection mechanisms have been tightened more than before.

"Once installed, sometimes it takes about ten or fifteen days to lock it and make it unusable," the employee said.

This person believes that constantly having to reinstall software costs customers and the store time, while efficiency is not guaranteed.

Therefore, the store only recommends that customers buy the official license if they have long-term use needs.

Pirated software is still offered

In contrast to the above stores, a location on Thai Ha street offers attractive offers.

When asked about the Office installation service, the employee said the store does not provide copyright but only pirated versions.

“100,000 VND all-inclusive” is the price this person answered when asked about the cost.

According to the store owner's introduction, customers will be fully installed with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other applications in the Microsoft 365 suite.

Not only that, the store also commits to a 6-month warranty.

"If it's an error 6 months in advance, bring it here and we'll fix it for free," the store owner said.

When asked whether the software can continue to be used after this time, this person said that 6 months is only the minimum warranty period. If an error occurs during the warranty period, the store will support free reinstallation.

After that period, customers can still continue to use it, but if they need to reinstall it, they will have to pay additional costs.

This person also believes that this is a more economical option than maintaining a monthly paid license package.

The store owner shared: "Normally 150,000 VND a month, now 100,000 VND is 6 months minimum."

Surveying on Le Thanh Nghi street, Dan Tri reporter noted that most stores do not accept the installation of pirated computer software.

However, at a store on the same street, the staff said the store accepted to crack individual applications for only 100,000 VND per product.

However, the store offers no warranty and does not commit to being responsible if errors arise in the pirated software.

The above records show that although the service of installing non-copyrighted office software still exists on the market, it is no longer as popular as before.

While some stores are still willing to install pirated copies at low cost, many other places have chosen to refuse or direct customers to genuine copyright packages.

Although many stores have refused to provide non-copyright software installation services, the need to find cheap solutions still exists.

Huyen Mai (21 years old, student in Hanoi) said that when she bought a laptop for study nearly two years ago, she chose to install pirated Office instead of buying a genuine license.

"The computer cost nearly 20 million VND. If I bought an additional Office license, it would incur a large additional cost, so I had to choose the cheaper option," Mai shared.

In the beginning, the Word, Excel and PowerPoint software suites worked normally. But after a few months of use, the applications began to appear with notifications asking to reactivate the license.

At one point, while completing half of the final essay, the Word application suddenly appeared with a notification asking to reactivate the copyright. Therefore, Mai could not continue editing documents as usual, she had to pause to take the device for inspection.

After the incident, this student said he was looking for a solution using free software. She said cost is the biggest reason why she has not switched to genuine products.

According to Mai, many classmates also choose pre-installed versions of Office or buy them from stores for only a few hundred thousand dong instead of using official license packages.

Not only from users, some computer stores also admit that the demand for cheap pirated software is still very large.

"Customers often ask for the cheapest version first. Many people only need Word and Excel for studying or basic work, so they don't want to spend a few million more to buy a license. If the store doesn't satisfy them, they will look elsewhere," a computer store owner in Hanoi shared.

Another fact also comes from the fact that many users still have difficulty distinguishing between the types of Office licenses being sold on the market.

Confusion between license types (OEM, Retail, Volume Licensing, Subscription), resale keys and cracked software makes many people mistakenly think they are buying a genuine Microsoft Office package at a bargain price.

Recently, Phu Tho Provincial Police prosecuted what is believed to be the first criminal case in the country related to the illegal use of copyrighted computer software.

Investigation agencies warn that illegally activated software can create conditions for malicious code and spyware to penetrate the device (Illustration)

According to information from the investigation agency, related units were discovered to provide hundreds of computers pre-installed with the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office application suite using illegal activation tools.

Besides the risk of violating the law, using illegally activated software poses risks to information security, creating conditions for malicious code or spyware to infiltrate users' devices. From there, subjects can steal data and violate the secrets of agencies, organizations, businesses and individuals.