June 9th, 2009
Microsoft sheds its third-party anti-piracy technology
Last fall, Microsoft abruptly halted sales of its Software Licensing and Protection Services — a technology similar to its own Genuine activation/anti-piracy mechanism. At the time, the Softies said they were seeking a new home for SLP, having decided it no longer fit in with the company’s overall business plans.
On June 9, Microsoft announced it had found a taker for SLP. Microsoft licensed SLP to Dublin-based startup IrishTech.
Microsoft used its IP Ventures licensing group to move the SLP division directly over to IrishTech. (IP Ventures has found external licensees for a number of Microsoft-nurtered technologies and products the Redmond company has chosen to farm out via IP Ventures. Other include including Wallop, Zumobi (formerly known as ZenZui) and LaunchTile.
IrishTech inherits the 120 customers Microsoft had obtained for SLP. Curiously, according to the June 9 press release, “Microsoft itself intends to be a customer of the new (IrishTech) startup.”
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