KEY POINTS:
Bill Gates didn't become the world's richest man without protecting his interests.
And the firm co-founded by the US billionaire has come down hard on an Auckland man accused of importing counterfeit computer software.
Microsoft has filed papers in the High Court against Jan Il after Customs officers seized a small haul of CDs and computer disks.
Matthew Sumpter, a Chapman Tripp lawyer representing Microsoft, said the disks were probably from China and matched the pattern of small, frequent illegal importing common today.
"The days of the 4ft container of counterfeit products have long gone."
Sumpter said he believed the disks were high-quality copies of Microsoft Office 2003.
"To the untrained eye it would have looked like the real McCoy."
Court papers state that on or around April last year, Il imported five box-sets of computer disks, and 29 CDs in six boxes. The Microsoft logo was on the CDs, the packaging, or both.
The papers say Il infringed the firm's trademark and seek damages.
They say the items had fake certificates of authenticity, also putting Il in breach of the Fair Trading Act.
But Chapman Tripp has been unable to serve the papers on Il, who also goes by the name Jan Li, despite hiring a private detective.
He visited the Sandringham address listed on the court papers four times without success.
When the Herald on Sunday visited, a woman said she had never heard of Il. Stacks of mail, including legal papers, addressed in his name, remained unopened.
Microsoft director of innovation Brett Roberts said the firm would always pursue illegal importers to protect its business and companies which depended on selling genuine stock.
"Piracy is illegal, it's a crime. Everyone understands why we don't stand for it in any shape or form."
Roberts said anyone considering buying Microsoft products should check the company's website for tips on ensuring they are buying the genuine article.
The current market value of Microsoft shares is US$266.46 billion
By comparison, New Zealand's biggest company, Telecom, has a market value of $7.08 billion.
In the year to last June, Microsoft reported a net revenue of US$51.12 billion and a growth of 15 per cent.
According to Forbes magazine's annual global rich list, Gates is worth US$58 billion and the world's third-richest man.
