[Scape]

Robair Robair:

I'm so conflicted. Do I cheer for Microsoft or China?

Linux

[RUEZ]

The next time some of you pirates get robbed don't complain. Someone is just taking something from you that they can't afford or don't feel they should have to pay the markup on. I feel most cars and trucks in Canada are overpriced, but not once have I felt sympathy for car thieves because of that. Bottom line is if you can't afford it or don't want to pay for it you don't get it. Doesn't matter if it's China or Calgary.

[ridenrain]

I think Microsoft should put the screws to them. Just because China chooses to ignore intelectual property rights dosen't mean that they don't have to pay. Keep the price the same but increase the stick to a bat with a nail in it!

It's funny as hell their all indignant when they stole the product in the first place.

[romanP]

dino_bobba_renno dino_bobba_renno:

So let me get this straight, people are complaining because the pirated copy of windows they are using goes black every hour ......... so why don't they just go out and buy a real copy then?

It seems to be a case of a lot of people not even knowing they have a pirated copy of Vista because the company that sold the laptop sold it with a pirated copy of Windows.

[ElvisGratton]

I fully support Micro$oft in there anti-piracy crusade!

And they should do the same thing Here!

When I sell a PC I give my costumer the choice between Vista and Mandriva Linux.
And guess what? Once they see how a solid, user friendly distro, at work they choose to save some money or to upgrade to a larger monitor

Compiz-fusion rule! and sell Linux desktop computer like crazy

And once there friend and family see there new computer they all want the same.

[herbie]

Sold an AspireOne after demonstrating how cool it's native Linux was. Instant sale.
They wanted to do Skype, liked the USB phone we used on one of our laptops.
So they went to another shop that sold USB phones 3 weeks later and returned with one that said on the package in 64 pt type WINDOWS USB PHONE XP ONLY.
Then came back to tell us how useless Linux was and how we should install Windows free or give them their money back.

They left saying they would just copy XP off their desktop.
Called back in 2 hours asking how you got it off the desktop.
No they had no CD.
No there was no sticker on their desktop.
I was such a dick for not telling them how you made XP come off the computer and go on a disk so they could copy it to the laptop. It worked perfectly well except for these popups about some advantage or something and then it had to be rebooted.

[emart]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Linux based OS's are free. Stealing isn't the answer to not being able to afford it. They want Windows, they just aren't willing to pay. Doesn't give anyone the right to steal, just because they think it's overpriced.

And the best benefit, no one will blackscreen Debian or Unbuntu just because they think you stole it.

i totally pirated my copy of ubuntu. those suckers arent' gettin' a penny outta me!!

[ShepherdsDog]

So let me get this straight. The Chinese think it is fine to sell others products that are toxic, and only apologize(the sincerity is debatable...are they sorry for what they've done, or sorry for getting caught?) after someone or something sickens and or dies. Yet they get indignant when something they've stolen doesn't work?

Here's a hint, get some initiative and create your own O/S systems, at a cheaper price for domestic use, rather than stealing intellectual property from the West.

[Bacardi4206]

This is simple... stop buying pirated copies of what you want. If you can't afford it, then you can't have it.

Not everybody in the world can have everything they want, but if everybody just started stealing shit because they wanted it. That's really reducing the morals of the world.

Microsoft Developed that software, and whoever developes something should get the money for it. Not some jackass with a computer copying illegal copies of it.

If you made anything in your entire life, and people started mass buying it but you found out that a large percent is buying your product illegally and you aren't getting that money from your own product. You would be bitching and moaning all the way to the coart house.

If you can't afford it, then you aren't meant to have it. Simple as that.

[dino_bobba_renno]

I agree that microsoft charges more than it should but one thing strikes me as kind of funny here.

These poor Chinese people, you know the one who can't afford the OS, seem to have no problem affording a computer upon which to install it. We're not talking about the poor people in the outer provinces living in huts stealing here, these are people who are more than capable of dishing out the cash to buy any number of things including their OS.

The problem here is that intellectual property theft and breaking of copy right laws and patents in China is rampant and the Chineese seem to think they are completely justified in doing so. I think this quote sums it up:

$1:

Some critics in China, however, argue that such an integral and strategic part of the Chinese economy as computing software should not be in American hands.

If you were to head down and go through a market in China you'd probably see that piracy and theft in China isn't just limited to computer software, it's every where. Taking technology and revere engineering it and making your own knock offs is a booming industry over there.

[DrCaleb]

emart emart:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Linux based OS's are free. Stealing isn't the answer to not being able to afford it. They want Windows, they just aren't willing to pay. Doesn't give anyone the right to steal, just because they think it's overpriced.

And the best benefit, no one will blackscreen Debian or Unbuntu just because they think you stole it.

i totally pirated my copy of ubuntu. those suckers arent' gettin' a penny outta me!!

Arrrr ye swabbie! Your Roger is indeed Jolly!

[bootlegga]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

bootlegga bootlegga:

The problem as already mentioned is that it costs far too much. $140 might not sound like much to you, but given the 'average' wage is about $3000 annually, that's a huge chunk of change. That's roughly 4%, and keep in mind that roughly 200 million Chinese make less than $1000 annually. How popular would Microsoft be if they sold that same software here for $2000 (4% of a $50,000 annual salary)?

I understand Microsoft's position, but they should price their product far more in tune with the local market. Other major foreign manufacturers in China (like say VW) sell cars for a fraction of the cost that they do in North America.

Odds are, a lot part of the coding was done in China anyways, meaning it cost far less to produce than if it was done here. Microsoft needs to stop being so damned greedy and price the product properly.

Linux based OS's are free. Stealing isn't the answer to not being able to afford it. They want Windows, they just aren't willing to pay. Doesn't give anyone the right to steal, just because they think it's overpriced.

And the best benefit, no one will blackscreen Debian or Unbuntu just because they think you stole it.

I never said that I agreed with piracy, but if Microsoft priced for the market properly, piracy would decrease. How much is debatable, but when you price your product out of the market, you have to expect people will do their level bestto circumvent buying their own copy.

[Bacardi4206]

dino_bobba_renno dino_bobba_renno:

If you were to head down and go through a market in China you'd probably see that piracy and theft in China isn't just limited to computer software, it's every where. Taking technology and revere engineering it and making your own knock offs is a booming industry over there.

Even there military is back engineered, mostly from Russia. Gotta love those Chinese made AK-47 knock-off's that are apparently everywhere in Africa causing mass havoc.

[2Cdo]

Bacardi4206 Bacardi4206:

dino_bobba_renno dino_bobba_renno:

If you were to head down and go through a market in China you'd probably see that piracy and theft in China isn't just limited to computer software, it's every where. Taking technology and revere engineering it and making your own knock offs is a booming industry over there.

Even there military is back engineered, mostly from Russia. Gotta love those Chinese made AK-47 knock-off's that are apparently everywhere in Africa causing mass havoc.

I used to own one of those knock-offs. Not very accurate but could take a shit-pot full of abuse and still fire.

[DrCaleb]

bootlegga bootlegga:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Linux based OS's are free. Stealing isn't the answer to not being able to afford it. They want Windows, they just aren't willing to pay. Doesn't give anyone the right to steal, just because they think it's overpriced.

And the best benefit, no one will blackscreen Debian or Unbuntu just because they think you stole it.

I never said that I agreed with piracy, but if Microsoft priced for the market properly, piracy would decrease. How much is debatable, but when you price your product out of the market, you have to expect people will do their level bestto circumvent buying their own copy.

No, you didn't say, nor did I imply you did. And I agree, Microsoft has priced themselves out of many a market. But the alternative is not piracy, there are ways to run your computer without resorting to piracy. Just as there are ways to avoid pirating movies and music you (or anyone else) feel is over priced. (It's called a Library card!)

The Chinese pirate because they can. It's not illegal, or at least it's not enforced. But Windows (XP and newer) still 'phones home', and can disable itself. I learnt that with Office many years ago, when you change your hardware significantly enough, you are forced to re-register MS Office.

I did not see the point of that. Not that I cared, as I subscribe to Technet so I have access to all MS Software, legally. It just the whole premise that they are watching what I do, and treating me as if I were a Pirate. I've been using Linux since the invention of the Slackware CDs, and it has matured far beyond Microsoft's offerings. If they don't want to pay the MS tax, they don't have to.