China signs agreement to crack down on piracy
,----[ Quote ]
| Bill Gates, however, voiced his "optimism" at the beginning of this year
| that software piracy in China should be mostly under control within ten
| years. If the NCA actually follows through with this agreement though,
| such resolution to piracy issues in the country may come sooner than
| later.
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http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061215-8430.html
For context:
How Piracy Opens Doors for Windows
,----[ Article's summary ]
| Bill Gates may not be entirely dismayed by software thieves. They
| seed the world market and make Microsoft a standard.
`----
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-micropiracy9apr09,0,414067.story?track=tottext
Microsoft seals its Windows and opens the door to Linux
,----[ Quote ]
| Now comes the really interesting question. With Vista's activation
| technology, Microsoft has the power to stamp out piracy everywhere. But
| will it choose to do so everywhere? After all, if folks in China or
| Thailand or Ethiopia have to pay for Vista, they won't be able to run
| it because they won't be able to afford the licence fee. In which case
| they may finally wake up to the attractions of free software such as
| Linux - and it's easy to imagine what that will do to Microsoft's
| plans for world domination.
|
| It's a delicious prospect: Microsoft impaling itself on the horns
| of a dilemma it has created for itself. Roll on Thursday.
`----
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,1956941,00.html
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