Chinese Pirates Angry Over Microsoft’s Blackout Anti-Piracy Tool

Chinese Pirates Angry Over Microsoft’s Blackout Anti-Piracy Tool​

Written by Alex Castle 10/23/08 at 03:21:17 PM


Never ones to shy away from an uphill battle, Microsoft has recently been taking new steps to combat software piracy in China. They’ve launched a program, euphemistically called “Windows Genuine Advantage,” which blacks out users' screens if it discovers that they’re running pirated Microsoft software.

In China, a country where a large majority of computers are running pirated software, this move has, predictably, caused quite an uproar.



Read more at the Source:
Chinese Pirates Angry Over Microsoft's™ Blackout Anti-Piracy Tool | Maximum PC

 

[NormCameron]

This could be an economic distster in China, and India if they try it there. In both countries (from my own observation during visits to Kowloon, Mumbia and Bagalore in 2007) Legal copies of Vista are sold off the same shelf as pirate copies in many smaller computer shops. Microsoft has more than halved the retail price of its Vista home basic computer operating software package in China to 499 yuan (US$66.00). However pirate copies cost just Yuan 40 (US$5.00). In India Microsoft Home Basic costs 5500R (US$110.00) compared to the pirate copy 100R (US2.00). Most of Asia has a similar pricing structure. That is the real battle with piracy that Microsoft and indeed all software companies face.

 

[echrada]

Microsoft faces second 'black screen' lawsuit

China still not happy
By John Oates

Posted in Operating Systems, 28th October 2008 13:34 GMT
A second Chinese man has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft demanding it remove a notice from his computer accusing him of using illegally copied software.

He is not seeking damages, but Dong Zhengwei who brought a case last week is suggesting a fine of $1bn is in order.

Microsoft introduced its Windows Genuine Advantage programme in China last week - if it suspects a computer of running a pirated copy of its software it turns the screen's wallpaper black and warns the user. The scheme caused fury elsewhere in the world - not least for the large number of false positives it threw up. The screen can be restored to its original settings but will revert back to black after an hour.

Microsoft faces two lawsuits accusing it of effectively hacking into people's machines. The China Computer Federation described the tactics as illegal and called for the Chinese government to tell Microsoft to change its methods.

The Chinese National Copyright Administration said it supported Microsoft's right to defend its intellectual property but said it should "pay attention to the methods", according to Xinhua newswire. ®

 

[wwoods]

The reason why they pirate is the extortionate price of Windows.

A genuine, unpirated version of Windows costs over 1000 RMB, which is more than most Chinese make in a month. Contrast that with the 5 RMB (less than one US dollar) for the pirated version, and you’ve got a no-brainer.

source: Microsoft anti-piracy solution backfires in China - Hack a Day

The "WHY" doesnt matter in the least......glad MS is doin this

 

[NormCameron]

I am not justifying piracy. Pointing out the reasons that Microsoft needs to take such drastic action, and the economic cost to these economeis of following these policies. This is one reason why enforecement of piracy laws in these regions is so hard.

 

[SIW2]

The Chinese government has had no reason to challenge MS
dominant position in the software arena because much of their population has had access to Windows for almost nothing. Until now.

SIW2

 

[rasmasyean]

It's always a grey area for things like this.

If they didn't get all those pirated softwares, you would not be able to buy that $500 Dell they made off operations (and training) using all the pirated software.

If you can only afford a Dell if it was $500 but the lowest is $600, then that would be one less liscenced OEM copy MS has sold to Dell.

The key is to decide WHO has to pay for it, and WHEN they have to pay for it. Preferably when they make so much money they can afford it. As Bill Gates said...it's better that they pirate his software rather than a competitors, because eventually they will have to pay when they have no choice. It's like a drug. But Balmer is a different person I guess. I don't think Gates would have done that.

 

[wwoods]

It's always a grey area for things like this.

If they didn't get all those pirated softwares, you would not be able to buy that $500 Dell they made off operations (and training) using all the pirated software.

If you can only afford a Dell if it was $500 but the lowest is $600, then that would be one less liscenced OEM copy MS has sold to Dell.

The key is to decide WHO has to pay for it, and WHEN they have to pay for it. Preferably when they make so much money they can afford it. As Bill Gates said...it's better that they pirate his software rather than a competitors, because eventually they will have to pay when they have no choice. It's like a drug. But Balmer is a different person I guess. I don't think Gates would have done that.

Stealing is not a grey area

 

[NormCameron]

It's always a grey area for things like this.

If they didn't get all those pirated softwares, you would not be able to buy that $500 Dell they made off operations (and training) using all the pirated software.

If you can only afford a Dell if it was $500 but the lowest is $600, then that would be one less liscenced OEM copy MS has sold to Dell.

The key is to decide WHO has to pay for it, and WHEN they have to pay for it. Preferably when they make so much money they can afford it. As Bill Gates said...it's better that they pirate his software rather than a competitors, because eventually they will have to pay when they have no choice. It's like a drug. But Balmer is a different person I guess. I don't think Gates would have done that.

Stealing is not a grey area

I agree. There is no grey area for stealing, it is wrong, Wrong, WRONG! I should also point out that I don't believe any of the posts above claimed otherwise. I was not debating the right or wrong of the situation, but pointing out the facts.

 

[wwoods]

It's always a grey area for things like this.

If they didn't get all those pirated softwares, you would not be able to buy that $500 Dell they made off operations (and training) using all the pirated software.

If you can only afford a Dell if it was $500 but the lowest is $600, then that would be one less liscenced OEM copy MS has sold to Dell.

The key is to decide WHO has to pay for it, and WHEN they have to pay for it. Preferably when they make so much money they can afford it. As Bill Gates said...it's better that they pirate his software rather than a competitors, because eventually they will have to pay when they have no choice. It's like a drug. But Balmer is a different person I guess. I don't think Gates would have done that.

Stealing is not a grey area

I agree. There is no grey area for stealing, it is wrong, Wrong, WRONG! I should also point out that I don't believe any of the posts above claimed otherwise. I was not debating the right or wrong of the situation, but pointing out the facts.

I appologize if I mis-read what you said then.

 

[Adamd]

Maybe Microsoft should lower the price even more?