Windows Users in China Whine About Being Reminded They're Pirates

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE49R08Z20081028' target='_blank'>http://www.reuters.com/article/tech...E49R08Z20081028</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"A top Chinese copyright official chided Microsoft for launching an anti-piracy tool that nags users of counterfeit software with a black computer screen and said the company's prices were too high. The U.S. software giant launched "Windows Genuine Advantage" in China last week, a program that turns the background of the Windows operating system's desktop black if the software fails a validation test. The move prompted lawsuit threats and howls of indignation in China, where the vast majority of computer users are believed to be using pirated versions, unwittingly or not."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1225213973.usr1.jpg" border="1" /></p><p>I have absolutely zero sympathy for people who buy pirate software and then get reminded of that fact. I realize that software has to be priced for the market in which it's being sold, and I'm not sure how smart Microsoft has been in that regard, but just because you can't afford something doesn't mean you have the right to pirate it. I'd love to drive an <a href="http://www.audi.ca/audi/ca/en2/new_cars/Audi_R8.html" target="_blank">Audi R8</a>, but that doesn't mean I have the right to steal one. The Reuters article has some amusing quotes that include one from a lawyer who claims Microsoft is abusing its monopoly position and should be fined 1 billion dollars. For what? Reminding people that they're using pirated software? Microsoft would be well within their rights to stop Windows from loading completely, giving users a few days to get all their data off their computer, but instead they're taking a much softer approach.</p><p>So there you have my hard-liner approach. What's your take on this? Is Microsoft within their rights here, or have they crossed the line?</p>

[marvi1]

I agree totally, Jason. Just because it's entrenched in a culture doesn't make it right. I'm no fan of the high price of some of Microsofts offerings, or Apple, or Blu-Ray, etc etc, but no one is holding a gun to my head to buy their stuff. Personally, I shop around until I find a price I'm willing to pay, or I just do without.

[Bob Christensen]

I also agree totally, Jason. But one should not be surprised by this reaction simply because it IS entrenched in their politics/culture (as marvi1 pointed out). I'd hate to see it, but I wouldn't be surprised to see China squeeze out some type of settlement from Microsoft on this issue.

Unfortunately, there are plenty in North America that jump on the same bandwagon: whether pirating games, music, software, or whatever, the excuse is always, "it costs too much, so it's okay."

[Pony99CA]

I have absolutely zero sympathy for people who buy pirate software and then get reminded of that fact.
Nor do I. If somebody is knowingly using stolen software and it misbehaves, they should either deal with it or buy the legitimate version.

I realize that software has to be priced for the market in which it's being sold[....]
I'm not sure I'd go that far. Why should I pay (say) $100 for Windows because I live in a country with a higher standard of living, while someone in a less fortunate country can pay $10 (again, an example)? Did it cost Microsoft less to develop software for that country? If I "only" make $25,000 a year, should I get a discount that a CEO making $25,000,000 doesn't get? No.

The Reuters article has some amusing quotes that include one from a lawyer who claims Microsoft is abusing its monopoly position and should be fined 1 billion dollars. For what? Reminding people that they're using pirated software?
There's another lawyer that needs to be intimately introduced to a wood chipper. :D

Microsoft would be well within their rights to stop Windows from loading completely, giving users a few days to get all their data off their computer, but instead they're taking a much softer approach.

So there you have my hard-liner approach. What's your take on this? Is Microsoft within their rights here, or have they crossed the line?
Well within their rights. In fact, given the wonderful products the Chinese ship us (tainted food and toothpaste, lead-painted toys, etc.), this could be viewed as karmic payback. :)

Maybe we could even convince Microsoft to give the Chinese government free copies of Windows 3.0 to run their mission-critical systems on. :D

Steve

[Merlin_AZ]

There's another lawyer that needs to be intimately introduced to a wood chipper. :D
I would agree with you, only if it was done head-first so he could see it coming.

I agree with MS.
I had to pay a fair price for my OS, and they shouldn't get it for free.
They should be given a reasonable period of time to get their data off, try to get a refund if they were lied to by an unscrupulous vendor, then kill off the OS until a license is applied.

[Janak Parekh]

I agree completely with you Jason, except for one niggle: copyright violation is not the same thing as physical theft. Your analogy doesn't quite work in that context. A better analogy would be making millions of copies of a music CD, or illegally published book copies. Both, incidentally, are extremely widespread in China as well; as Bob mentioned, it's pervasive in the culture, and I know several folks who studied Computer Science in China and used so-called "discounted versions" of standard textbooks.

--janak

[Janak Parekh]

On the bright side I'm glad software pirates are so prone to bragging about their pirating. It proves to me they are morally-ambiguous scoundrels, and thus gives me the opportunity to lock up my valuables at home, or my lunch at work. I daresay many pirates in the US that upload warez to BitTorrent fall roughly under the "teens-in-basement" scenario, and I doubt you have to worry about physical theft from them. ;)

China is a different matter, though. Pirates are much more pervasive, and as the picture shows, they press copies. Microsoft's been playing a delicate balance with them for years, because they do want to get their product into a dominant position, and have been afraid that if they push piracy controls too hard, people that don't have an entrenched position in Windows will go to other platforms, e.g., Linux. Ergo the semi-passive measures they take.

--janak

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

I don't like some of the attitudes here, but I'll hold my tongue.

Janak is right though on the passive measures MS has taken. I mean, turn the BACKGROUND of the DESKTOP black? That's it? So no wallpaper and desktop icons, whoopty-doo. The OS still works right?

I don't see why the Chinese should be complaining. In any case I doubt it'll even affect them as I'm sure some enterprising chap is already working out a way around this issue. First to do so will probably get a lead in the Pirate Wars of China. :P