Microsoft sues Comet over 'fake' Windows discs

Microsoft Corporation has today issued legal proceedings against Comet Group, after accusing the UK retailer of selling counterfeit copies of Windows discs.



The US technology giant claims that Comet Group has sold more than 94,000 fake Windows Vista and Windows XP recovery CDs.

It says that the alleged counterfeit discs were sold to customers who had purchased Windows-loaded PCs and laptops.

The lawsuit charges Comet with producing counterfeit discs in its factory in Hampshire, and then selling the fake products in its retail outlets across the UK.

"As detailed in the complaint filed today, Comet produced and sold thousands of counterfeit Windows CDs to unsuspecting customers in the United Kingdom," said David Finn, associate general counsel of worldwide anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting at Microsoft.

"Comet's actions were unfair to customers. We expect better from retailers of Microsoft products - and our customers deserve better, too."

Struggling Comet was sold to Anglo-French electrical goods retailer Kesa for £2 in November last year, but reports suggest that private equity firm and retail turnaround specialists OpCapita will buy the group later this year.

Microsoft charges a licence fee for each copy of Windows sold, meaning it would expect major damages if Comet is found to have sold the fake discs.

So that's another Coventry retailer which will be empty in a few months time.

I might have some sympathy for Comet if they'd given away the discs with each new PC sold, but instead they charged extra for them.

Also legally there's a distinction between a 'recovery disc' which is unique to each PC model and 'OEM' disc which can be used with any PC. The latter are available legally from any PC parts supplier for around £50.