Microsoft today filed suit against eight PC builders and resellers in the US for alleged distribution of “counterfeit, illicit and unlicensed software and software components”.

In a statement, the firm said the distribution of counterfeit software “software hurts the honest businesses that distribute legitimate software and the communities where they operate”.

Bonnie MacNaughton, senior attorney at Microsoft, said: "Our partners are coming to us and asking for our help.They are being undercut and forced out of business by having to compete with dishonest PC manufacturers and resellers who continue to sell illegitimate software. That isn't fair to our partners or to the customers who depend on them."

The lawsuits arise from Microsoft’s test purchase programme, the company says. In November 2004 it sued another eight dealers over alleged software counterfeiting.

The list of dealers sued today can be found here. ®

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