More details you wish to know about genuine Microsoft Software.

Can a customer purchase genuine Microsoft software or other software upgrades online?

Yes is the answer, a customer can purchase genuine Microsoft software or other software upgrades, online. Also a customer has to remember that there are varieties of digital purchase options available for Microsoft software, like a customer can purchase Microsoft software like Windows Vista or Microsoft Office 2007 from Windows Marketplace [http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=82282]. Also there is a facility called Windows Anytime Upgrade which is a new online system or process for upgrading from one version of Windows Vista software to another version like, from Vista Home Basic to Vista Home Premium. A customer can learn more about this just by clicking on this link http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/content.aspx?displaylang=en&pg=wau . There are more trial programs, which allow a customer to try Microsoft Office, and he can also use a digital conversion process. A live example is that with the Office Ready [http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/content.aspx?displaylang=en&pg=officeready ] program which is a free 60 day trial of Microsoft Office 2007 included on some of the personal computers which have Windows Vista pre-installed. This trial version of Microsoft Office can be converted to a perpetual version of Microsoft Office. A customer can know more about by clicking at the following Microsoft link: activation and conversion of Office 2007 trials [http://go. icrosoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=82608].

Do you know anything about Windows Comparison Guide and it's uses?

A customer can know more by visiting the Windows Comparison Guide [http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/windows/default.aspx?displaylang=en ] which takes him through by comparing the anti-piracy or piracy prevention features of a genuine Microsoft software with the features of the disc that came with customer's copy of Windows. If the customer's media or version has the correct anti-piracy or piracy prevention features, then it is a very good indication that customer's copy of Windows is genuine. A customer can get further help in determining whether the copy of Windows installed on his computer is genuine or not, by visiting this link: http://www.microsoft.com/genuine.

What is meant by Windows Validation Assistant or WVA?

Windows Validation Assistant or WVA has a functionality, which has been changed or replaced by the Windows Comparison Guide, which is available in the Windows How to Tell Website,also replaced by the Windows Genuine Advantage validation tool or WGAVT. If a customer wishes to use the Windows validation tool, he can visit the following link at: Genuine Microsoft Software Web site [ http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/default.aspx?displaylang=en&PartnerID=4 ].

Such being the security measures taken by Microsoft, where do the counterfeit software originates?

Generally, the counterfeit Microsoft software is the large and big scale illegal duplication and illegal distribution of software. All over the globe, many software-counterfeiting groups are generally well organized criminal enterprises which counterfeits the software and do package the software using sophisticated ultra modern techniques. Then the spurious or illegal software is marketed as genuine Microsoft software.

What if the software in a customer's computer is not genuine?

If the customer generally suspects that the software is not genuine Microsoft software in his computer, then he can follow all the instructions on the [ http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/reports/report.aspx?displaylang=en ]so as to report the same to Microsoft Corporation.

What is meant by piracy prevention feature, in Microsoft genuine software?

Piracy prevention features in Microsoft software can be described as parts of Microsoft products which are designed to be very much hard and difficult for the counterfeiters group to reproduce. As we have already seen these features can be Certificates of Authenticity or COA, feathered edges in disc, stereograms on disc, and Inner Mirror Band Holograms on disc are clear examples of some of the piracy prevention features that Microsoft uses in it's products.

If a customer buys Original Equipment Manufacturer Windows from a seller, what are all the specifications for it?

It can be elaborated that a Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM Windows desktop operating system software is perpetually designed only exclusively for computer manufacturers to pre-install on their computers before selling. The Genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM software always available with a Certificate of Authenticity or COA and a manual or Quick Starter guide for that particular software. (Here, please do remember that the OEM COA is completely different from an orange of license label which is meant for retail proof) Also some of the major manufacturers provide an Original Equipment Manufacturer disc for re-installing programs by the buyers and while other smaller manufacturers are required to compulsorily provide a Microsoft Windows edge-to-edge hologram disc. [http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/category.aspx?displaylang=en&cID=ea710cad-37b0-4975-bcd6-abfee19961df ] Further Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM software cannot be downloaded and also may not be unbundled or re-bundled from the sources other than the Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM selling the personal computer. A customer can have a greater look at Microsoft's Counterfeit Gallery [http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/content.aspx?displaylang=en&pg=counterfeit ] for more detailed information.

What is the definition of Office Ready Personal Computer?

A Microsoft Office Ready Personal Corporation can be defined as a personal computer which has a Microsoft Office Ready Personal Corporation image installed in it. It may be recalled that an image is a file which contains the complete structure and contents of a Microsoft software disc. Also this is a single image which can be converted to any one of the following Microsoft Office 2007 suites: 1.Microsoft Office Basic 2007, 2.Microsoft Office Small Business 2007, and 3. Microsoft Office Professional 2007. Finally, it is also the only image which can be converted to a free 60-day trial of Microsoft Office Professional 2007. Microsoft Corporation sells these Microsoft Office Ready PCs to customers with a Media-Less License Kit or MLK for the exact version of Office suite the customer purchases.

What happens if a customer's product does not find place in Microsoft's How to Tell website?

The customer can try to find similar product to the one which he purchased or a previous versions of the same Microsoft product in the Microsoft How to Tell site. Also, a customer has to choose the same purchase method by which he acquired the Microsoft product (i.e.) 1. Retail purchase, 2. Came with new computer, or 3. Through a Volume License. Further, the customer has to Use the anti-piracy or piracy prevention features which are shown in the similar product page just to get an idea of some of the kinds of anti-piracy or piracy prevention features that may be available for / with the product.