Chinese users outraged by release of WGA

Robert Hallock 23 Oct, 2008 at 10:28am ET Article published in Tech

Microsoft’s maligned Windows Genuine Advantage program has recently gone live inside of China. In a country where piracy is rampant, this version of WGA carries some teeth by blanking the screen of any user found to have an illegal copy.

The biggest complaint expressed is that Microsoft has no right to control a user’s hardware. Other users complained that Microsoft should just make a legitimate version cost less than a pirated version. Meanwhile, the legal wrangling has already begun with a Beijing lawyer claiming that Microsoft is the country’s biggest hacker.

Er, right.

Comments

23 Oct 2008 ~ 10:32am Snarkasm Wait. A legit copy costing less than a pirated version? Do they want MS to pay them to use Windows?

Also, lol over the "no right to control a user's hardware."
23 Oct 2008 ~ 10:52am TT LOL, cue the Benny Hill music.
23 Oct 2008 ~ 10:55am Linc The Chinese are also outraged every time we find a clone of Icrontic hosted on one of their servers and have to fill out the paperwork at Google to get it removed
23 Oct 2008 ~ 10:58am Thrax Information is free behind the bamboo curtain, didn't you know? The bytes just want to be free!
23 Oct 2008 ~ 12:47pm devyn LMAO@Benny Hill Music
23 Oct 2008 ~ 2:32pm Jengo you guys have no idea how bad piracy is in China. But their situation is similar to mexicos, there are many street vendors that sell all sorts of pirated media, and yes they cost money. BUT they are MUCH cheaper then the original legit media.

Another thing to keep in mind: Not everyone has access to high speed internet.
23 Oct 2008 ~ 2:35pm Snarkasm

Jengo wrote:

Another thing to keep in mind: Not everyone has access to high speed internet.

If you're going to make a point, make sure that you've made your point. What is it?
23 Oct 2008 ~ 2:35pm Thrax Clearly if you can afford a complete desktop computer or laptop, you can afford the $30 it costs to purchase Windows XP or Windows Vista in China.

I'm also fairly certain the entire world knows how bad piracy is in China. It's the rule, rather than exception for everything up to and including actual hardware.

What does broadband penetration have to do with software prices or piracy?
23 Oct 2008 ~ 2:49pm Jengo

Snarkasm wrote:

Wait. A legit copy costing less than a pirated version? Do they want MS to pay them to use Windows?

Not everyone can download pirated version of windows for free. Most people have to pay for a pirated version. Why? Because high speed internet isnt as readily available over there.

And yes 30 dollars is a lot of money to many people in china. Seeing as how many people live off of less then $1000 a year. imagine their hardware... and you are seriously suggesting vista?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9424936/
23 Oct 2008 ~ 2:58pm Thrax Why should anyone be able to obtain a pirated copy? Buy a legitimate product or use one of the dozen free alternatives that work just as well. Broadband or no, hundreds of people worked millions of man hours to create the Windows products that million of people responsibly pay for each and every day.

If Chinese users who clearly have a computer and pay for internet access are not willing to respect intellectual property, they have no right to complain when that bites them in the ass.
23 Oct 2008 ~ 3:01pm Snarkasm There you go. Wasn't sure what link you were going for; if you had gone with the "they don't have the net to get a Linux distro," I would have countered with a free Ubuntu CD. Sure, it takes a while, but it IS free...

While I appreciate many of the Chinese' financial plight, I still find it amusing that they feel outraged enough to complain about how Microsoft doesn't have the right to limit the use of software they didn't pay for, especially when the biggest complaint is that the background turns black - not an actual functionality or performance degradation.
23 Oct 2008 ~ 3:31pm Jengo

Thrax wrote:

Why should anyone be able to obtain a pirated copy? Buy a legitimate product or use one of the dozen free alternatives that work just as well. Broadband or no, hundreds of people worked millions of man hours to create the Windows products that million of people responsibly pay for each and every day.

If Chinese users who clearly have a computer and pay for internet access are not willing to respect intellectual property, they have no right to complain when that bites them in the ass.

Well, in MY opinion Microsoft is just as dirty as those "pirates". Microsoft's Business ethics and morals are questionable, their monopolistic business practices that started in the '90s make me sick. Microsoft is no better then the people they are banning through WGA.
23 Oct 2008 ~ 3:35pm Thrax That's not a validation for piracy.
23 Oct 2008 ~ 4:15pm Jengo

Thrax wrote:

That's not a validation for piracy.

There is no validation for piracy.
23 Oct 2008 ~ 4:18pm Thrax And now we agree on the matter.

/me tips his hat.
24 Oct 2008 ~ 2:27am Leonardo "And yes 30 dollars is a lot of money to many people in china." Very true. And of course, if the news accounts I've read are accurate, there is a great outcry over the nasty, evil, Microsoft in all its greed giving a black screen to stolen copies of Windows. Imagine that! Who dare Microsoft stand up to stealing. But I guess stealing is acceptable if one isn't wealthy. Hmm.

One would think Linux would be very popular in China.

Don't get me wrong, theft is theft whether the thief's monthly income is $300 or $30000, whether the thief is American or Chinese.