Russian schools thinking going linux after piracy scare
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| henke54 Feb 06, 2007 7:39 AM EDT |
Quoting:Rather than attacking mobsters who peddle pirated copies of Windows directly to companies, the Russian coppers decided to lock up a Sepich headmaster who bought hot Windows software which came from Perm region’s Capital Construction Administration.http://uk.theinquirer.net/?article=37460 |
| Sander_Marechal Feb 06, 2007 7:47 AM EDT |
Quoting:Praising Russia's enforcement of intellectual property rights, Microsoft sought to distance itself from the prosecution in a statement issued by the U.S. company's public relations agency in London. "Mr. Ponosov's case is a criminal case and as such was initiated and investigated by the public prosecutor's office in Russia," said Microsoft, whose European operations are based in Paris. "We are sure that the Russian courts will make a fair decision." And yes, the teacher is indeed facing 5 years imprisonment in a siberian prison camp over this. That wasn't an overstatement on The Inquirer's part :-/ |
| henke54 Feb 06, 2007 7:58 AM EDT |
yep...that's maffia$oft all the way.....Quoting:The letter says the teacher bought the computers for the school with pre-installed software on them. But Russian piracy laws allow for punishment even for people who are unaware they are breaking the law.http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/06/gorby_writes_to_gate... |
| tracyanne Feb 06, 2007 12:26 PM EDT |
I'm completely in favour of Microsoft pursuing and prosecuting software pirates, especially those that pirate Microsoft software, to the full extent of the law. In fact I think Microsoft should become even more proactive. They should offer large bounties, set up or hire a large private detective agency, or agencies in each country that uses Microsoft software, and lobby governments for even more draconian punishments for software piracy. And they should go after the user of pirated software. |
| hchaudh1 Feb 06, 2007 12:47 PM EDT |
Software politics aside, 5 years in Siberia! That's a bit much. Where our munificent overlord with a multi-billion dollar charitable fund when you need one. |
| Sander_Marechal Feb 06, 2007 12:54 PM EDT |
Quoting:They should offer large bounties, set up or hire a large private detective agency, or agencies in each country that uses Microsoft software They already do that. It's called the BSA and they offer $20.000-$50.000 bounties to snitches. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39266018,00.ht... http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1987396,00.asp |
| tracyanne Feb 06, 2007 6:51 PM EDT |
I think we should all jolly well dobb in a pirate, in that case. |
| wattsne1999 Feb 07, 2007 4:41 AM EDT |
Just switch to Linux and you will not have this problem. I do not support Microsoft in this at all. I switched to linux to get away from Micrsoft. People here forget in a third world Country. 100+ Dollars for software is more thenhalf of a familys take home pay for a month. Windows XP is over rated. I use only free software and it works great. |
| tracyanne Feb 07, 2007 12:27 PM EDT |
I'm actually advocating helping Microsoft prosecute pirates so that people will stop using Microsoft products, and look for alternatives, because it's just too damn scary to use Microsoft products. And if one can make a few dollars out of Microsoft on the way, well why not. I say turn up the screws, help Microsoft be really obnoxious. |
| jsusanka Feb 07, 2007 5:34 PM EDT |
"They should offer large bounties, set up or hire a large private detective agency, or agencies in each country that uses Microsoft software, and lobby governments for even more draconian punishments for software piracy. And they should go after the user of pirated software." I totally agree and will do anything I can to enforce licenses of microsoft software. I think they should go full force and really start applying the pressure. this piracy really has go to stop before they go bankrupt and they really should be getting the most for the board of directors and the rest of the shareholders. |
| tuxchick Feb 07, 2007 5:48 PM EDT |
Law enforcement is the same everywhere- go after mean scary mobsters? No way. Nice foofy schoolteachers are much easier targets. |
| jdixon Feb 08, 2007 5:09 AM EDT |
> Nice foofy schoolteachers are much easier targets. Not to mention that the mobsters have more money for payoffs. |
| wattsne1999 Feb 08, 2007 8:41 AM EDT |
Microsoft go bankrupt due to piracy get real. The software is way over priced does not work well at all. |
| helios Feb 09, 2007 2:24 AM EDT |
"...Microsoft go bankrupt due to piracy get real. The software is way over priced does not work well at all. " Someone didn't get the memo. http://www.answers.com/topic/tongue-in-cheek |
| wattsne1999 Feb 16, 2007 5:13 AM EDT |
Here is a update on this story. Below Court smack down for Russian piracy epic Perspective regained By Gavin Clarke in San Francisco → More by this author Published Thursday 15th February 2007 21:11 GMT A tiny Russian software piracy case that ended up pitting Mikhail Gorbachev and Vladimir Putin against Bill Gates has been thrown out of court. The judge in Perm, one of Russia's larger cities, dismissed the case against schoolteacher Alexander Ponosov as "trivial". Ponosov, who told AP he was going to celebrate the dismissal by drinking champagne, was charged with either ordering or knowing of the installation of bootlegged copies of Windows and Office on 12 PCs. Prosecutors charged Ponosov with major copyright violations, causing damages of $10,000, but sought a mere $100 fine instead of seeking full recovery or the maximum five-year prison sentence Russia is one of the largest centers for counterfeit software. Despite a decline in piracy in 2005, It still ranks number nine in the top 10 list of offenders, with 83 per cent of software being pirated, according to the BSA. Vietnam is top on 90 per cent. The case gained notoriety after Mikhail Gorbachev, the last premier of the Soviet Union and Nobel Peace Prize winner, appealed personally to Microsoft's Bill Gates to "show mercy and withdraw the claims against Ponosov". Vladimir Putin, Russian president Vladimir Putin took time out from lambasting US foreign policy last week to dismiss the case as "complete nonsense, simply ridiculous...The law recognizes the concept of someone who purchased the product in good faith," he said. Microsoft distanced itself from the case by expressing its confidence that the Russian courts would "make a fair decision...Mr Ponosov's case is a criminal case and as such was initiated and investigated by the public prosecutor's office." The case highlights Microsoft's difficulty in bringing the legal systems of former Eastern Bloc countries and emerging economies into line on piracy. Romanian president Traian Basescu recently told Gates to his face that software piracy had helped build his country's software industry. The irony is that pirated copies of Windows benefit Microsoft's overall strategy of excluding Linux from desktops and servers. ® |
| tuxchick Feb 16, 2007 5:21 AM EDT |
Yaaay! For once, sanity prevails, sheesh. And Gates is still a ****head. |
| jezuch Feb 16, 2007 2:41 PM EDT |
Sanity in Russia? That's something new... ;) |
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