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Re: [News] China Cracks Down on Piracy - Good for GNU/Linux

In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Roy Schestowitz
<newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
 wrote
on Fri, 18 Aug 2006 08:12:35 +0100
<2137768.iDNIH20kXW@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> __/ [ The Ghost In The Machine ] on Friday 18 August 2006 01:00 \__
>
>> In comp.os.linux.advocacy, Oliver Wong
>> <owong@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>  wrote
>> on Thu, 17 Aug 2006 19:01:10 GMT
>> <W13Fg.11604$tP4.1240@clgrps12>:
>>> "The Ghost In The Machine" <ewill@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
>>> message news:namer3-82b.ln1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>>
>>>> There's also the issue of how an
>>>> agent, when seizing a pile of discs allegedly containing
>>>> pirated stuff, can differentiate between a burned Livedisc
>>>> of Linux (perfectly legal worldwide, AFAIK), a sloppy
>>>> system backup (which could contain a messed-up mixture),
>>>> and a burned copy of pirated Windows, pirated movies,
>>>> or even child porno (which is presumably as illegal in
>>>> China as it is here), just by looking at the disc at the
>>>> time of the seizure.
>>>
>>>     I'd imagine that if you're walking around carrying unlabelled CDRs,
>>> you'll generally be left alone.
>>>
>>>     If you're sitting at a shop front, selling CD-Rs which have "Microsoft
>>> Windows Enterpise Server 2003" silkscreen printed onto them, and a little
>>> paper price tag saying "8 Yuan" next to it, and shouting for people to
>>> come over and check out your warez, then you'll get into a bit more
>>> trouble.
>>
>> Wouldn't surprise me.  But suppose he's selling unlabelled CDRs in
>> jewel cases with a little handwritten slip of paper inside --
>> underneath the CD so that nobody can see it?
>
> I very much doubt that the same people will be distributing Linux CD's.

I was thinking unlabelled pirated music and Microsoft Windows CD's
actually.  The agent looking over this collection wouldn't have a
clue as to what's where.

> It's
> not impossible, but somewhat improbable.

Extremely improbable if one believes the Winvocates.
Not that it matters; there's little profit in selling Linux
CD's anyway.  The profit is in the support and possibly
the shipping (CheapBytes sells the individual CD's for $2
but the shipping is more like $8 or so; most people buy
a number of CD's since the shipping is the same until a
certain point).

> Either way, not only will Windows
> software become difficult to obtain (encouraging people to raid SourceForge
> and FreshMeat), but Windows games will go out of reach
> (relatively-speaking). This ought to accentuate the differences in terms of
> /cost/ between OSS and CSS. At present, they are often negligible
> differences as, in most regions of the world, the difference is "legality"
> versus "illegality" (or piracy), as opposed to "free" and "pricey".

It will be mildly interesting to watch, though I frankly don't know at
this point whether Windows WGA will succeed or ends up shooting
Microsoft in the foot (again).  It's certainly not being well-received
by customers and prospects, as far as I can tell.

>
>
> And Microsoft does not seem to have minded piracy [footer] until recently
> (WGA).

Probably because they want to get rid of that competitor,
Linux.  To some extent Linux might be considered a "pirate
OS" -- and certainly if WGA will require an authenticator
or TDC, Linux might be a little hard pressed to provide
one.  (The distros will probably take up the slack in
that case -- one will have a RedHat server/checker,
a Fedora checker, a Gentoo checker, a Debian checker,
a Novell/SuSE checker, etc.)

>
> Footnotes...
>
> ___
> Walkthrough: Microsoft Office for Free (Legally)
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | As the start of school approaches, many students find themselves
> | shelling out as much as $300 for Microsoft Office 2003. This Walkthrough
> | will provide an in-depth way to LEGALLY use Microsoft Office for free. I
> | am not ashamed to admit that I have now been using Office for almost ay
> | ear through this method. Walkthrough after the Jump.
> `----
>
>                         http://livewavecam.com/walkthrough.htm
>
>
> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-micropiracy9apr09,0,414067.story?track=tottext
>
> (Link broken)
>
> 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.
> `---- 
>


-- 
#191, ewill3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Windows Vista.  Because it's time to refresh your hardware.  Trust us.

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