Chinese fume at Microsoft anti-piracy
CHINESE USERS are furious at Vole for daring to launch a version of its Windows anti-piracy tool which targets Chinese computer users to ensure they buy genuine software.
Microsoft has released its glorious Windows Genuine Advantage programme into China where the software is hotter than a Chicken Vindaloo in the centre of a nuclear reactor.
The Chinese version turns the user's screen black if the installed software fails a validation test.
China's vocal bloggers seemed stunned that their computers seemed to have phoned Microsoft for the anti-piracy tool without asking.
"The computer is mine", one angry blogger penned, "Microsoft has no right to control my hardware without my agreement", the poor fool thought.
Another complained that the cost of authorised versions was too high. "If the price of genuine software was lower than the fake one, who would buy the fake one?" he said.
Er, someone who didn't want their screen turned black, perhaps?
According to Reuters , Dong Zhengwei, 35, a Beijing lawyer, dubbed Vole the "biggest hacker in China with its intrusion into users' computer systems without their agreement or any judicial authority".
He was convinced that Microsoft had broken Chinese law by introducing WGA behind the bamboo curtain.
Dong said that while he respected the right of Microsoft to protect its intellectual property, it is taking on the wrong target with the wrong measures. It should target producers and sellers of fake software, not users.
A spokesVole said that WGA was part of its commitment to help protect its intellectual property and to help punters avoid problems before they happen. µ
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Let them fume... too many in that part of the world have no sense of copyright or intellectual rights.

If they don't like it, they can start using Linux.
"A spokesVole said that WGA was part of its commitment to help protect its intellectual property and to help punters avoid problems before they happen." 

What, problems like your screen going blank, or updated versions of Microsoft files refusing to install? Indeed WGA "helps" people in exact same way that the War on Drugs "helps" people by forcing them to deal with the black market, fining them and imprisoning them.

"WGA helps to protect people."
That should read, "WGA attacks poor peoples computers."
it says in the windows eula that they can do this, thats kinda the point. im not supporting microsoft as such but in this instance they would be well within thier rights as when the software is installed, a eula was agreed to. if there was no eula then you get what you deserve for buying stolen property.
plus if you havent got the brains to disable automatic updates then get a proper version in the first place. (assuming it was an AU)
cable modems are the property of the provider, in japan sim cards are the property of the phone company, why not software the property of the software company?
if you want something you can truly control, go open sauce.
Do you get the same disclaimer from MS in a pirated copy?
I don't particularly like the DRM crap in windos, but hey, you gonna use it, pay the price.
Give me a break, they're bitching about their right to pirating? For once, and probably only once, I'm rooting for MS on this one. Piracy is out of control in China, and if they have that attitude about their right to pirating, then cry more & fail.
Why Microsoft wants to piss off it's biggest developing market is beyond me. But let them at it. Maybe China will do the Right Thing (TM) and force users to use Red Flag Linux. Maybe force HW manufacturers to have linux support as well.
"A spokesVole said that WGA was part of its commitment to help protect its intellectual property and to help punters avoid problems before they happen." 

Others may perceive it/realise it as a commitment to crush independent free intellectual property and streaming punters towards Vole problems.

New Thinking will never accept that Intrusion/Imposition/Impudence/Arrogance/Ignorance. 

The Thinking Spirit Delivers the Reality of Life when IT is Free to Fly with Open Shared Thoughts.

Let IT Be ...... for what is There to Fear other than what is Imagined in the Present and based on Past Horror and Terror Tales. ..... to Unduly Influence Future NEUKlearer Thinking with their Media Presence.
It is much easier to cheat dogs, cats, children and people then big corporation! I am wondering where lawyers are hiding when 80 US patients died after faked medicine produced “behind bamboo curtains” entered theirs blood vessel system?!…
Welcome to the real world, China. You're almost 4 years late.
Linux
Ubuntu being my favorite flavor.
When I look back at what Microsoft did when WGA was introduced here in America, my first reaction (then) was "How can they do this to us?"

I came to realize that the company I was working for at the time was selling new computers with hacked copies of Windows on it and no OEM license sticker. When I found out I was furious and presented the ultimatum of license Windows properly or I'm out-- I won't have customers coming back complaining of problems in the future because the company was stealing from Microsoft. They changed their ways and yeah they did have customers come back with WGA-related problems and spent the money (at a loss) to fix it.

Then I realized why Microsoft introduced WGA - and good for them. 

There will always be issues of Cost vs. Value; subsequently that's why there will always be knock-off or pirated products. One visit to NYC's Chinatown will prove my point (pun intended). 

Microsoft has to make money or they can't develop decent products that reliably work; and they have to work with customers to allow them freedom. They also have the right to digitally enforce the EULA that we all click YES on 'I Agree To These Terms' when we first turn on our new PCs. If you don't agree to it, install Linux- it's free. 

Linux = competition to anyone who makes an OS and that's healthy. There is no "WGA" mechanism in any linux distro, so go there, and for most people once they get past that learning curve, Linux "ain't that bad." 

I presently work in a company that's nearly entirely a Microsoft shop. MS Servers, MS Web Servers, MS SQL Servers, MS Dynamics Servers, MS Exchange Servers, MS all over the place.. even on the 7 Macs & 186 PCs we have. We do our due dilligence and have never had a problem with WGA, because we recognize the value in legally licensing software no matter the vendor. And the level of support we receive has been nothing less than exceptional.

If you don't have the money, there are plenty of alternatives and places to go; especially if you have a few developers on staff. 

So personally-- if you don't own/license it, then you get what you deserve, end of story.
you're missing the point. Hopo28 noted the EULA and has a great point there. But WGA has been out in the US and other countries for years. Sorry it took 2 years to hit China. I think they were being nice about it.

And what's this about poor people's PCs? There's something I like to call... Linux. And if you want office? Use OpenOffice.org. Wnat else do you need? Can't afford an entire graphics/audio/video suite? Get Ubuntu Studio. It's not perfect, but it works.

Look at the "Making of Elephant Dreams". They used The GiMP and not Photoshop because they didn't have enough money. Why do I note that? Well they didn't go "we don't have much of a budget so we thought it'd be a great idea to pirate Photoshop". I remember when I was a kid, and I'd wait a year or so until a new game's price would drop to 30% of its original sale price and that would be the game I bought for next few months.

That's the point. If you pirate anything, you're eventually going to have to pay for it. Don't steal something and complain that it doesn't work. You got it for free and not by any permission or consent of the author. Sorry I'm less fortunate and learned to use Linux because of it.
Poor people in China and the rest of the World couldn't afford to use a computer if they had to buy MS Windows as well. Does that mean that these computer users provide nothing to the online world, and are just a drain on it's resources? No, of course not, they stimulate the economy by paying their ISP, help the on-line economy by buying from on-line shops, and help the virtual communities by contributing to on-line forums.

Just because people are poor, doesn't mean that they should be denied the same opportunities to participate with the internet that richer people get. And any calls for them to be cut off or imprisoned for using pirated software is like telling impoverished peasants rioting over the price of bread, to eat cake instead.

Besides, which costs society more, allowing individuals who can't afford Windows to keep on using it, or wasting tax payers money on all the police, the court and legal fees that it would take to catch and punish them.
This is great, and I'm not joking. It will help keep the riff-raff off the internet. Now these people can either buy a legitimate copy--which is effectively an "entrance fee"--or they can switch to open source alternatives which will probably be more secure than the counterfeit versions, which are often pre-infected with viruses and malware.
"If the price of genuine software was lower than the fake one, who would buy the fake one?"

Did you mean hardware? Something may be lost in translation.

Priceless.

Did you have at an advantage ?
Microsoft is right. Piracy is bad. People shouldn't pirate software.

If you can't afford software, and you want to be honest and legit. Switch to Linux.

No, I don't deny that there is indeed a learning curve. But that's a short term thing. The work and effort you apply in getting to know Linux pays off in the long term.

That is, the system you pay for and learn from is YOURS!
"The computer is mine", one angry blogger penned, "Microsoft has no right to control my hardware without my agreement"

I'm ROFLMAO!!!

Yes, the computer is yours foolish one. Obviously the "copy" of Windows isn't. And. sadly for you, you gave consent for Windows to control your hardware the second you installed the drivers.

Suck it up and go buy a legitimate copy of the OS or pick a flavor of linux and run that. Crying shame that Linux won't let you play your pirated windows based games tho. LOL!!!

LoCatus.
As an owner of multiple legitimate copies, I don't like DRM schemes at all. They hinder hardware and make ME, a legitimate user- Feel like a criminal. What if the WGA is faulty? There was instances of false positives going on. there are also other people generating microsoft serials using cuda, What if they generated mine? How am I responsible for it?

WGA is a blanket DRM attack that fails to really address the issue.

Although, I hate the dumbshits that whine about their pirated copy when it doesn't work properly.

Have to pay if you play.


A nice showing of american ignorance (now no longer exclusively american!) in this comment-thread, keep impressing the world guys, palin-style.
I am all for the "We want Software at a cheaper price" Movement!

HOWEVER I would not expect to get it for free, Nor would I Steal it if I could not afford it, Dave you are abit of a Nuttcase, Comparing windows to the price of bread is stupid and way off the point.

In one example, I want a Ferrari, for $50,000 So if the Ferrari Dealership does not want to sell it to me for that price does that mean I Steal it instead, then subsiquently Complain that it breaks down because I am unable to take it to get serviced, (IE WGA Updates).

Everyone At some point in their lives has used Pirated Software either Directly or Indirectly.

BUT those who Bitch and moan about being Shutdown as a result of stealing should just Cry a river and buy a legitimate license or Install Linux.

As I say again, I am all for the whole "I want Windows Cheaper" BUT in the big scheme of things, you get what you pay for, If you want your installation of windows to be as reliable as it ever will be then you perform the updates.

If you steal software by cracking it, copying it, Downloading whichever way you feel suits your habbits then expect to get what you pay for (Nothing)!!!!!

I am not a big fan of Microsoft but put the shoe on the other foot and see how you would feel if someone was breaking into you house and stealing your stuff and using it. 

Microsoft have every right to protect their Intellectual Property.

NOW Imagine how you would feel when they throw the excuse "Im too poor to afford this 50 Inch LCD"

As for the comment Only the Rich can afford Legitimate Software, Tatal Rubbish, If you cant afford $150 (Aussie Dollars) Then Install Linux.



Pirating software, then complaining when it doesn't work?

Not ROFL, not ROFLMAO, but ROFLMAOZEDONG!
Reverse engineer it and throw a made in china sticker on it. 

Free trade..... lol
They have the gall to steal software, then shriek in high-pitched tones of the Great Satan actually having the nerve to actually violate their HUMAN RIGHTS?
Where were they when the Chinese Government was mowing down the grass in Tiananmen square, then realizing it was their people, with at least one article of green clothing on?
Yeah, China. Land of civil rights. Just the payoff from this bunch of thieves alone could drop the price of Microsoft Windows by half!
I can't believe with all this discussion no one has mentioned that WGA ("Windows Genuine Advantage"...a truly hilarious name) can be prevented from being installed in the first place, and even if installed, is relatively easily defeated and/or removed. I've watched people do it, and they're not computer experts. Any script kid can do it. As a matter of fact, anybody who can search the web and follow basic computer instructions can do it. No kidding. And, you can set Windows Updates where it does not install updates automatically, where you can you review which updates you want. After you refuse WGA several times, it will give you the option of never being presented with it again, and case closed. This isn't rocket science, folks ... so stop wringing your hands, dissing this or that, and get real, and then, get back to work!