Microsoft Praises New Hampshire's Executive Order To Protect Intellectual Property in Digital Age

Gov. Jeanne Shaheen Signs Order at Bedford Company

REDMOND, Wash., April 10, 2000 — Officials from Microsoft Corp. today applauded the state of New Hampshire and its governor, Jeanne Shaheen, for issuing an executive order that establishes a strong government policy to protect intellectual property rights in New Hampshire. Shaheen issued the executive order at a ceremony at ManagedOps.com, a Bedford, N.H., company.

New Hampshire is the fifth state to issue a state executive order requiring all state agencies and recipients of state funds to acquire and use legally licensed software. President Clinton issued a national executive order against software piracy in October 1998, and other countries around the globe ranging from China to Norway to Colombia have issued such intellectual property directives.

"We're encouraged to see New Hampshire take a leadership role in addressing the issue of intellectual property rights, as both consumers and governments move into the digital era where the online world becomes the norm for business transactions," said Mike Kosek, general manager of Microsoft, New England. "For the sake of consumers, who could be duped by counterfeit software, and in light of the continued contribution that the software industry makes to the health of the state economy, Governor Shaheen is to be applauded for issuing an executive order that places value on intellectual property."

"Intellectual property infringement is a billion-dollar issue for the software and technology industry," said Dan Taylor, CEO of ManagedOps.com Inc., a Bedford, N.H.-based software application service provider. "This executive order is an important safeguard for consumers as they seek to engage in the new e-business economy."

Approximately 22 percent of the software used in New Hampshire - more than one in five copies - has been illegally copied, according to a 1998 study by International Planning & Research Corp. This level of software piracy presents a significant drain on New Hampshire's high-tech industry and economy.

Governments are often prime targets for software pirates, in part due to the low-bid government procurement processes in place. Because many illegitimate software manufacturers advertise their products over the Internet, where it is more difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine from illegal software, it has become increasingly easy for customers at all levels to be deceived into believing that they are acquiring genuine software. Microsoft works closely with government agencies around the nation to help prevent them from inadvertently acquiring illegitimate software and licenses.

About ManagedOps.com

ManagedOps.com is a leader in the outsourcing of business management operations using thin client technologies to deploy software applications over the Internet. The company delivers the integrated computing and service platform that companies need to deliver on the promise of e-business.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT" ) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft's corporate information pages.