Malaysian Pirates Raid Microsoft

REDMOND, Wash. – The successor to Microsoft's Windows XP operating system has gone public a year before its official release date, say reports from the computer giant.

Malaysian pirates have managed to successfully raid versions of a beta stage operating system code-named 'Longhorn' and are already marketing the software before Microsoft's intended release date in 2005.

To make matters worse, Longhorn is being sold on the streets of the Malaysian city Johor Baru for less than $2, more than a 99 percent markdown from its mainstream market value.

The piracy hit against Microsoft has stolen its thunder over what was intended to be one of the most innovative software releases in years. According to Microsoft, Longhorn is a huge improvement over XP. The software comes with next-generation security, storage, search, and multi-media functionality and is less likely to crash, a common complaint with XP.

The new operating system will include a highly touted data and file system called WinFS and a security technology called Next-Generation Secure Computing Base.

Microsoft has downplayed the act of piracy by stating that the operating system is still in the development stage and that installing the software could possibly compromise its functionality.

The software giant is no stranger to similar acts of piracy, according to the BBC. Nearly every version of its outgoing software products has been pirated in some form or another.

Versions of Longhorn were distributed to several thousand programmers at Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference in October. At the conference, Bill Gates was quoted as saying that Longhorn would be "the biggest release of this decade, the biggest since Windows 95."

According to the BBC, Malaysia is a notorious hub for intellectual property piracy. In May, the Malaysian authorities shut down dozens of shops selling pirated films.

The Business Software Alliance claims that 68 per cent of new software used in Malaysia last year was pirated.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

JuicyAds Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

JuicyAds has won its World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) case against a website using a similar domain to impersonate the company's site and defraud customers.

Anissa Kate, Jordan Starr Top AEBN for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top-selling stars for the second quarter of 2025, with Anissa Kate landing atop the leaderboard for straight theaters and Jordan Starr heading up the gay rankings.

AEBN Reveals Eva Maxim as Top Trans Star for Q2 of 2025

AEBN has published its top trans stars list for the second quarter of 2025, with Eva Maxim landing atop the leaderboard.

France Reinstates Age Verification Rule for EU Sites

France’s highest court, the Council of State, on Tuesday reinstated age verification rules for EU-based sites under the country’s Security and Regulation of the Digital Space (SREN) law, ruling in favor of the French government and against Hammy Media.

Whisper Fans Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

Whisper Fans has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

Utherverse Launches 'Red Light Center' Virtual World

Virtual reality and metaverse technology company Utherverse has launched its new virtual world, RedLightCenter.io.

European Commission Approves AV Guidelines, Unveils Prototype App

The European Commission on Monday released its final, approved guidelines for protecting minors online under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and made public a “white label” age verification app intended to help sites and platforms comply with age verification rules under the DSA.

Show More