Software pirates' increasing skill at creating counterfeit versions of Windows XP has prompted Microsoft to introduce a pilot program that offers to verify whether consumers' software is legitimate and replace fake versions with authentic goods. The pilot program was launched Wednesday in the U.K. and is aimed at tracking down counterfeit versions of Windows XP that come preinstalled on new PCs sold by systems integrators. Microsoft is hoping to glean information on counterfeiters and their techniques for creating what company representatives have characterized as "high-quality" fakes of Windows XP.
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