The `Removal Requests' section of Google's recently-released new Transparency report shows that software biggie Microsoft is the most prolific requester for removal of URLs for copyright infringement --- with the company having submitted as many as 500,000 takedown requests over the last one month; with the figures working around to almost six million for the past one year!

The figures disclosed by Google in its Transparency Report's `Removal Requests' section are a clear indication that Microsoft is plagued with piracy; with nearly six million websites involved in the illegal distribution of Microsoft's operating systems or applications.

It is quite evident from the data released by Google that even though Microsoft's Windows OS is the foremost operating system in use worldwide, and the company's Office suite virtually has a monopolistic hold over the productivity software market, a large chunk of the currently-in-use Windows and Office software is apparently pirated.

The mammoth extent to which Microsoft has been hit by piracy is seemingly an upshot of the high cost of its software --- the upgrading of Windows OS can cost up to $200 depending on the version being upgraded to, while a Mac OS X upgrade costs merely $30 or so.

Moreover, with the Microsoft Office suite also beginning at a price-tag of $120, and the company offering no upgrade pricing discount, it is possible that Microsoft may be able to fight piracy, to some extent, if its software is more "reasonably" priced!