Systems builders and resellers allegedly distributed counterfeit software and software components Microsoft has filed eight lawsuits in the U.S. against computer systems builders and resellers for allegedly distributing counterfeit software and software components, it said Monday.The suits were filed against Abacus Computer and Technology One, in California; Avantek of Orlando, Florida; First E-Commerce in Austin, Texas; M&S Computer Products, in Boonton, New Jersey; Micro Excell, of Gadsden, Alabama; Odyssey Computers, in Pasadena, Maryland; and Signature PC of Warwick, Rhode Island.The suits allege copyright and trademark infringement and were filed after the software maker sent cease and desist letters to the companies, Microsoft said. The Redmond, Washington, company filed similar suits against eight other dealers in 2004. Microsoft discovered the alleged counterfeiting during its test purchasing program, under which it buys software from dealers to test for authenticity.Counterfeit software undermines the business of legitimate products and accounts for 22 percent of the software being used on computers in the U.S. today, Microsoft said.In an effort to fight piracy, the company lobbied for new legislation which provides criminal and civil penalties for the distribution of standalone Certificate of Authenticity (COA) labels or authentic COA labels that are separated from the software they are intended to certify. That legislation, called the Anti-Counterfeiting Amendments Act of 2003, was signed into law by U.S. President George Bush in December. One of the resellers was also sued for allegedly violating the new law, Microsoft said. Software DevelopmentSecurity