__/ [ 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. It's
not impossible, but somewhat improbable. 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".
And Microsoft does not seem to have minded piracy [footer] until recently
(WGA).
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.
`----
|
|
