There are many users of Microsoft Office that have pirated the software, and Microsoft is very well aware of this. Its Office 365 subscription service is extremely popular, but is wants to make every user a legitimate one to make sure they get the best experience. Microsoft is offering up to a 50 percent discount to users that may be using pirated versions of the software. They placed the promotion in a warning ribbon bar on Office applications to deter pirates from using software that could have been tampered with.
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The link in the Office app will then take the user to a promotion page, explaining why using pirated software is risky business. The site explains that “pirated software exposes your PC to security threats”, and it can cause “corrupted files and data loss”, and it also puts your pc and personal info up for “exposure to virus and malware attacks”. The software giants also list that users will be unable “to receive critical updates or edit files.”
The discount in question brings down the Microsoft 365 Family subscription price down to just $49.99 for the first year, and the Microsoft 365 Personal package only costs $34.99 for a year. The prices are attractive, but I’m not sure if it will actually encourage pirates to switch from a buy-once, own it forever technique to a subscription-based one. Microsoft isn’t offering any discounts for the standard Office 2021, which isn’t based on the subscription model, and costs $149.99.
