hillct's Journal: An old quote from Steve Ballmer RE: software piracy is good

In recent months I've been searching for confirmation of something I once read in a newspaper article durring the summer of 1995. It was a quote from Steve Ballmer or one of the original Microsoft crew, that appeared in an article in either the Willimantic Chronicle or the Hartford Courant (of course it was probably an Associated Press article).

The substance of the quote was:

Software piracy is an important part of Microsoft's business plan. Piracy in developing regions allows Microsoft market entry where such entry would be otherwise prohibitively expensive. Microsoft will regain any losses from such piracy when users in these areas eventually elect to purchase upgrades, since Microsoft products will then have served to make him/her more productive and will have allowed him/her to afford to purchase Microsoft products.

It would be at least entertaining if not valuable to have confirmation and the exact words of this quote, when addressing the software piracy concerns of Microsoft and the BSA.

If anyone knows where confirmation of this quote may be found, please let me know.

--CTH

PS: Thanks to the AC who has taken an interest in my quest. It's nice to know there are still other people in the world who question what they read... If anyone can help us out...

Sounds like

[baptiste]

this should be the stock response to any BSA request for license info :) Tell to contact Steve Ballmer for info on why you can pirate software - LOL