He said that Microsoft had since realised the power of cloud technology in checking software pirates and was thus, developing its cloud service offerings like Office365 and Azure.

The Microsoft president, therefore, said that with the shift to cloud-based service, “people are going to be using much more secure systems doing their business.”Office365 and Azure, Courtois said, were leading Microsoft’s “massive” transformation to cloud, though with penchant for devices.
Noting that cloud undermined the very notion of software piracy, he said that Microsoft was building secure infrastructure for their customers around the world.
Although he did not disclose the economic loss to software piracy globally, he said that piracy was still high around the world.
“There is no need to deny the fact. But with the paradigm shift to cloud services, your business activities are secure,” he said.
With the new world of cloud computing, he said that piracy was a big threat to the consumer. “It is the biggest threat that you have, as pirated software does not have security patches and upgrades associated with a legal copy,” he said.
Courtois had earlier said that access to Internet connectivity, skill development and innovation remained Microsoft’s key focus under 4Afrika initiative.
The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, he said, focused on three critical areas of development for the continent, “including enabling world-class skills, access and innovation.”
The PUNCH recalls that Courtois had in his visit to Nigeria in 2014 stated that Microsoft had invested $75m in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and other African countries in the areas of access, innovation, skills development, youth empowerment, software development, digital curriculum, among others.
He said that the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative was a new effort through which the company had been actively engaging Africa to improve its global competitiveness, adding, “We want to empower African youths, entrepreneurs, developers, and business.”
Meanwhile, the president of Microsoft International, as part of his visit to Nigeria, had visited the Lagos State Government to discuss, among other matters, how to use technology to develop the state.
Source:http://www.punchng.com/cloud-technology-can-check-software-piracy-microsoft-boss/