Microsoft Giving Discounts to Pirates

[Recurring Villain]

PC users found to have a pirated copy of Vista will continue to be able to use their computers, but ... they will be prompted to buy legitimate software, and every hour, a reminder bubble will appear on the screen.

Users with a high tolerance for irritation can put off switching to genuine software indefinitely, but those who relent and buy a real copy of Windows can do so at reduced prices.

"We want to make sure unwitting victims get a great treatment," said Mike Sievert, a corporate vice president in Microsoft's Windows marketing group.

Source.

Next step in Microsoft's Vista marketing scheme: paying people to buy it.

In other news, ThePirateBay announces itself as the internet's #1 provider of Vista discount "coupons".

[Jez]

Nice, that's me sorted then!