RSSMicrosoft, US Disagree on China Piracy
By Ed Oswald | Published April 10, 2007, 11:27 AM
While Microsoft is confident that sales in China will increase as a result of a crackdown on piracy in 2007, the United States government is not. It filed complaints with the World Trade Organization on Tuesday.
Microsoft says sales during the year will increase some 20 percent in China, due to an overall decrease in piracy of its software. For example, 90 percent of Lenovo computers had pirated copies of Windows installed in 2006. This year, that percentage has decreased to 30 percent.
Other local manufacturers, like Founder, are pushing to eradicate pirated copies of the software from their assembly lines, which have trickled down to the Chinese divisions of other PC makers such as Hewlett Packard and Dell.
However, the United States government apparently is taking a different view when it comes to China's progress in combating piracy. It filed two complaints against the country Tuesday with the World Trade Organization.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab said that levels of piracy in China are still way too high, and said China's inadequate protection of intellectual property costs United States companies "billions" per year. Schwab added that talks have not resolved several concerns still held by the US.
"We will continue to welcome dialogue with China in an effort to resolve these issues," Schwab said in a statement. "Ultimately, it is in the best interest of all nations, including China, to protect intellectual property rights."
The government's action in the WTO goes beyond the realm of computer software, also including concerns about the sale of movies, videos and music. A second complaint targets what it calls unfair restrictions on the sale of U.S. goods within China.
Even with the hard line coming from Washington, Microsoft is singing a happy tune when it comes to the Chinese market. Vista sales are apparently brisk, and the launch of the new operating system has also buoyed PC sales within the region.
Another six software titles from Microsoft are set to debut in China this year, Microsoft's Chinese division said.
So how is the Chinese piracy affected by the WGA program?
That should put the lid on piracy one would think after MS touted it as the be-all end-all of their effort to eliminate piracy.
Does this mean that all of the users on pirated versions can no longer get Windows updates? Is there a work-around/crack?
Just asking because I thought that this was solved with technology...sort of like movie/music piracy (DRM).
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|I think the title should read "Microsoft and US Disagree on Chinese Piracy" and not "Microsoft, US Disagree on China Piracy". Then there would be much less confusion.
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|Here's an idea: ban Windows (or any US software) from China's prebuilt computers, saving the USA billions in lost revenue every year, and install Red Flag Linux. Problem solved, and less money lost by starving US companies.
As a bonus, the US will be able to demonstrate an estimated saving between the loss before banning US software, and the lack of loss after banning US software. It's a win-win.
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|Or china could make their own OS and stop pirating from everything that america has to offer. You sadly mistaken if you think that this is only a microsoft issue.
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|>Or china could make their own OS
What do you think Red Flag Linux is, eh?
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|I think the EU is ahead of China on plans to ban Microsoft Operating Systems from their region of control...
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|Other than a few high-profile show-busts to pacify companies like Microsoft, China isn't going to lift a finger to curb the real piracy in their country. Like the northern border is to Mexico, it's their lifeblood. The knock-off industry that piggy-backs on items created for the west is one of the main props holding up their fragile economy.
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|It's not holding it up, this stuff is jet fuel to their economy and they want to fan those flames as vigorously as possible without appearing singed from the flames when companies like Microsoft come in town and complain about it.
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|So the US isn't happy because China is pirating... This is news because yet Microsoft says everything is peachy...
Did I understand this correctly?
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|well Microsoft is not the US, while microsoft may be happy with the progress china is making, other US companies are still getting pirated something fierce.
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|Everything is peachy according to Microsoft? Hardly. They're just happy to be making *some* progress against piracy in China, compared to *no* progress in the past. Like giving a starving man a slice of bread to go with his glass of water. Still, it's a far cry from a three course meal.
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|"A second complaint targets what it calls unfair restrictions on the sale of U.S. goods within China."
Isn't that a bit like the pot calling the kettle black? The US is more 'protectionist' than most OECD countries. :P
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|While Microsoft is confident that sales in China will increase as a result of a crackdown on piracy in 2007, the United States government is not. It filed complaints with the World Trade Organization on Tuesday.
Did this, along with the headline, lead anyone to believe that the US had filed complaints with the WTO against Microsoft?
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|I thought the same thing PC_Tool.
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|uhh YES this is such a poorly written article. What happened to the writing staff??
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|ditto
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|Same here.
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|Someone suggested they get a crack writing staff. Due to a minor clerical error, they instead put their current writers on crack. ;P
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|I'm not sure why you say that, its pretty clear from the lede and the title that both sides disagree on the issue of Chinese piracy.
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|Yeah, and if you stop t think (even for a second) after reading the title and lead-in, you get the unmistakable impression that the WTO filed complaints against Microsoft.
You're the only one who can be sure as to whether or not it was intentional, but the fact remains that it leads the majority of readers to an incorrect conclusion.
..which is either bad writing, or great sensationalism, depending on how you look at it.
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