Yo Ho Yo Ho A Pirate's Life for Chinese.....Arrgh!

[NoShangriLa]

China's consumers are flexing their muscles in Microsoft fight

When Microsoft rolled out its latest anti-piracy initiative this year, it was not aimed at any particular country. Windows Genuine Advantage, a tool that identifies users of counterfeit software and pushes them to buy the real thing, was launched worldwide in several geographical blocs.

But Microsoft ran into trouble when the roll-out hit China last month. While users in other markets kept silent when hit by one of WGA's more extreme features, a mechanism that blackens the desktop background on computers found to be using counterfeit Windows, their Chinese peers broke into a storm of anger, forcing Microsoft officials in the country into damage control mode.

China's piracy rates, at 82 per cent according to the Business Software Alliance, are not the world's worst. But the country's sheer size means piracy generates vastly bigger losses there - $6.7bn for all software companies last year - than in any other market, according to the industry group.

In a dramatic illustration of the scope of the problem, several million Chinese are using a Windows license key held by the University of Pennsylvania, which is freely available on the web.

But fighting these problems is proving a sensitive affair in an increasingly nationalistic country that is well aware of its weight in the global economy.

Last month, Dong Zhengwei, a Beijing-based lawyer, called on the police to pursue Microsoft for what he called a "hacker-style attack" on consumers.

Local bloggers have also taken up the issue in fervent postings. "If we ignore them for six months, they will come back begging us to take it for free," one blogger called 'liangyouliang' wrote at the weekend. "If they don't seek good relations with us and not give us a little something for our [exported] clothes, then the people of their country will go naked."

Well aware of the mood expressed by such postings, the government has also criticised Microsoft. "Violating consumers' rights just to protect your own rights is inappropriate," warns Liu Binjie, Commissioner of the National Copyright Administration. He adds that in future he wants the company to discuss anti-piracy measures with the government before they are launched.

Like other multinationals doing business in China, Microsoft cannot ignore that message

Not only piracy is tolerable in China, but now it is deemed as a necessary way of life.

 

[Infohawk]

Give me a break. They should either use linux or develop their own brand of tainted-pet-food proprietary crap.

 

[brxndxn]

If they get to pirate, then we get to pirate. This is globalism - and it goes both ways. Microsoft, you better fucking learn that.

If you charge me $100 for Windows XP in the US and you charge Chinese $3, then I will buy the Chinese version for $3. That's how it works.

I'm sick of 'one-way' globalism. The corporations fight for it until it benefits the American consumer.

 

[frostedflakes]

LOL @ China. Microsoft should stick to their guns IMO, piracy is out of control over there.

 

[RU482]

"If they don't seek good relations with us and not give us a little something for our [exported] clothes, then the people of their country will go naked."

bring it on, biatches

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: brxndxn
If they get to pirate, then we get to pirate. This is globalism - and it goes both ways. Microsoft, you better fucking learn that.

If you charge me $100 for Windows XP in the US and you charge Chinese $3, then I will buy the Chinese version for $3. That's how it works.

I'm sick of 'one-way' globalism. The corporations fight for it until it benefits the American consumer.

Yup. 1 way globalism is bullshit.

 

[Bitek]

Don't you have to pay for something before you can claim "consumer's rights"? Seems like half of China's economy is based on thievery of other people's ideas or just outright fraud of their own.

 

[venkman]

double post

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: venkman

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: brxndxn
If they get to pirate, then we get to pirate. This is globalism - and it goes both ways. Microsoft, you better fucking learn that.

If you charge me $100 for Windows XP in the US and you charge Chinese $3, then I will buy the Chinese version for $3. That's how it works.

I'm sick of 'one-way' globalism. The corporations fight for it until it benefits the American consumer.

Yup. 1 way globalism is bullshit.

It's a slower process, but 2-way globalism is coming hard and fast. Next time you need a $100K+ surgery and you don't have health insurance, head to Thailand and get it done at a hospital with higher quality standards than your local ER for 1/20th of the price. Medical is going to be the biggest initial use of consumer globalism but it will spread to other industries as well.

As US higher education costs continue to sky rocket, you will see top high school students heading to the top universities in Asia and Europe and probably staying there after they are done.

 

[First]

Here's hoping the Chinese suffer terribly for it. Can't tolerate piracy, period.

 

[between]

 

[imported_Champ]

Last month, Dong Zhengwei, a Beijing-based lawyer, called on the police to pursue Microsoft for what he called a "hacker-style attack" on consumers.

Well aware of the mood expressed by such postings, the government has also criticised Microsoft. "Violating consumers' rights just to protect your own rights is inappropriate," warns Liu Binjie, Commissioner of the National Copyright Administration. He adds that in future he wants the company to discuss anti-piracy measures with the government before they are launched.

are they still consumers if they pirate it?

 

[LumbergTech]

microsoft refuses to fix the chinese computers and WWIII begins

maybe overblown..but....it would be an ok video game

 

[MotF Bane]

They aren't consumers, they haven't bought anything. If you pirate, you don't have rights. Go Microsoft.

 

[Schadenfroh]

A nice revenge would be a secret back door for the NSA in all of those pirated copies. Then, when a major security breach occurs against the US originating from there, they can launch a giant DOS attack using their own computers against them.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: brxndxn
If they get to pirate, then we get to pirate. This is globalism - and it goes both ways. Microsoft, you better fucking learn that.

If you charge me $100 for Windows XP in the US and you charge Chinese $3, then I will buy the Chinese version for $3. That's how it works.

I'm sick of 'one-way' globalism. The corporations fight for it until it benefits the American consumer.

Yup. 1 way globalism is bullshit.

Absolutely, if you want to compete, let's compete on an even field. Chinese area absolutely TERRIBLE when it comes to IP (and deflating their currency)

 

[Skitzer]

Don't really care that people pirate Microshit crapware ....... wish it would drive the price way down (but it won't).
I use Linux on my main machine and I have a Mac down in my basement for surfing mainly.
I do have an old XP machine but I haven't been on it in over 8 months and then only to use my VHS to DVD converter software.
If Microshit lowered the price on their OS to $25, it might rekindle my interest, but as it stands now my opinion is their garbage software is way too expensive.

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: Skitzer
Don't really care that people pirate Microshit crapware ....... wish it would drive the price way down (but it won't).
I use Linux on my main machine and I have a Mac down in my basement for surfing mainly.
I do have an old XP machine but I haven't been on it in over 8 months and then only to use my VHS to DVD converter software.
If Microshit lowered the price on their OS to $25, it might rekindle my interest, but as it stands now my opinion is their garbage software is way too expensive.

Well I think OEM licenses (especially to larger system builders, i.e. Dell, HP, etc.) are relatively cheap, but I'll agree with you that retail prices are pretty insane.

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: Skitzer
Don't really care that people pirate Microshit crapware ....... wish it would drive the price way down (but it won't).
I use Linux on my main machine and I have a Mac down in my basement for surfing mainly.
I do have an old XP machine but I haven't been on it in over 8 months and then only to use my VHS to DVD converter software.
If Microshit lowered the price on their OS to $25, it might rekindle my interest, but as it stands now my opinion is their garbage software is way too expensive.

You should care. That's billions of dollars that the Chinese are stealing from the US economy.

 

[piasabird]

This is just a pattern of the Chinese not enforcing their own laws as long as someone is making money. This is why China is the most polluted nation on earth. They just turn away and ignore the polluters. They do the same thing for software pirates. That is why when they had melamean (Spell) chemicals in their milk that they did not do anything till people started dying. People in China only love money. Communism destroys and squashes all belief in God and all respect for their fellow comrades and the people in the rest of the world. They only love money.

 

[PingSpike]

Wow...I thought America was that nation of self entitled assholes but China just suck our fucking battleship.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: halik

Originally posted by: BarneyFife

Originally posted by: brxndxn
If they get to pirate, then we get to pirate. This is globalism - and it goes both ways. Microsoft, you better fucking learn that.

If you charge me $100 for Windows XP in the US and you charge Chinese $3, then I will buy the Chinese version for $3. That's how it works.

I'm sick of 'one-way' globalism. The corporations fight for it until it benefits the American consumer.

Yup. 1 way globalism is bullshit.

Absolutely, if you want to compete, let's compete on an even field. Chinese area absolutely TERRIBLE when it comes to IP (and deflating their currency)

What makes you think that MS for the most part is not ok with private individuals in America pirating their OS? Personally, I think they are ok with home users doing it so that businesses rely on it more. They will never outright admit it of course and there will always be a form of security out there.

 

[Robor]

Well aware of the mood expressed by such postings, the government has also criticised Microsoft. "Violating consumers' rights just to protect your own rights is inappropriate," warns Liu Binjie, Commissioner of the National Copyright Administration. He adds that in future he wants the company to discuss anti-piracy measures with the government before they are launched.

Are you F'ing kidding me? I have legal copies of Windows where installed and as a tech I *hate* WGA as much as the next person. That said, how the hell is Microsoft 'violating consumers rights' by fighting known pirates?

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: Robor

Well aware of the mood expressed by such postings, the government has also criticised Microsoft. "Violating consumers' rights just to protect your own rights is inappropriate," warns Liu Binjie, Commissioner of the National Copyright Administration. He adds that in future he wants the company to discuss anti-piracy measures with the government before they are launched.

Are you F'ing kidding me? I have legal copies of Windows where installed and as a tech I *hate* WGA as much as the next person. That said, how the hell is Microsoft 'violating consumers rights' by fighting known pirates?

Apparently, it's a consumer's right to be able to pirate operating systems.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Robor

Well aware of the mood expressed by such postings, the government has also criticised Microsoft. "Violating consumers' rights just to protect your own rights is inappropriate," warns Liu Binjie, Commissioner of the National Copyright Administration. He adds that in future he wants the company to discuss anti-piracy measures with the government before they are launched.

Are you F'ing kidding me? I have legal copies of Windows where installed and as a tech I *hate* WGA as much as the next person. That said, how the hell is Microsoft 'violating consumers rights' by fighting known pirates?

Apparently, it's a consumer's right to be able to pirate operating systems.

But they're not consumers.