Microsoft settles with Chinese Internet Cafes

CAPITIALIST RUNNING DOG software outfit Microsoft has settled a copyright infringement lawsuit in the Glorious People's Republic of China.

The Vole took a leading Internet café company in Guangdong Province to court claiming it was running unlicensed copies of its software.

Tonecan Network Communication Company, the biggest Internet café chain in Dongguan, signed an agreement with Microsoft Tuesday in Dongguan Intermediate People's Court.

Under the deal the Internet outfit will buy 700 pieces of copyrighted Windows software and pay 100,000 yuan ($15,053) in compensation to Microsoft.

According to the Guangdong-based Information Times, it is a lot less than the 600,000 yuan ($90,320) in compensation that the Vole wanted.

The Chinese firm had refused to replace illegally copied Windows software with legal copies for five years and apparently stuck to its guns until the backed off a bit to settle the case.

Although the two sides are not saying much, it appears that Huang Peihong, the owner of Tonecan managed to get Microsoft to agree to a price cut.

The market price of a licenced copy of Windows is 630 yuan ($94) in China, but Cheng Chunhua, the chief judge of the case, said Tonecan paid less than that. We guess that this one can be chalked up for the workers. µ