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neu5eeCh
September 13th, 2010, 02:25 AM
I'm really surprised no one has linked this story yet?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/world/europe/12raids.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss

And:

http://blogs.computerworld.com/16929/microsofts_newest_partnership_dictators

I'm normally not the bash-Microsoft type, but this behavior is reprehensible - no better than Yahoo's behavior in China. It disgusts me. Microsoft and its apologists can make whatever argument they want, it's disgusting.

If there was ever an argument for Open Source Software, this is it.

JustinR
September 13th, 2010, 02:57 AM
Hey,

I'm not sure what the article was called, but a journalist asked Microsoft's Bill Gates about the growing piracy of its Windows Operating System in Russia, back in the 1990's - he said he didn't care, that they would crack down on Russia in the future - when Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy would be fully developed.

Guess he kept his promise.

Dustin2128
September 13th, 2010, 04:36 AM
Extremely disturbing, hopefully these groups will swap to a free OS. But the mere fact that 'political' is in the title=thread closure.

Redblade20XX
September 13th, 2010, 04:38 AM
One statement: Suppression of information from the masses.

MasterNetra
September 13th, 2010, 04:44 AM
Hey,

I'm not sure what the article was called, but a journalist asked Microsoft's Bill Gates about the growing piracy of its Windows Operating System in Russia, back in the 1990's - he said he didn't care, that they would crack down on Russia in the future - when Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy would be fully developed.

Guess he kept his promise.

Bill Gates left Microsoft years ago, Steve Ballmer runs the show sense 2008.

Chris1274
September 13th, 2010, 04:56 AM
An article describing how MS licensing policies are being used for evil ends:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39136836/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/

kamaboko
September 13th, 2010, 05:00 AM
It's pirated software. How is enforcing a license agreement evil?

Chris1274
September 13th, 2010, 05:46 AM
The point is that the Russian gov't is using "pirated software" as an excuse to suppress dissent. If all software were open source, then at least this excuse for crushing dissent wouldn't fly. Not to mention, as the article points out, the activists were careful to purchase their MS software legitimately, and yet they were still targeted for a search and seizure raid.

CharlesA
September 13th, 2010, 05:53 AM
The point is that the Russian gov't is using "pirated software" as an excuse to suppress dissent. If all software were open source, then at least this excuse for crushing dissent wouldn't fly. Not to mention, as the article points out, the activists were careful to purchase their MS software legitimately, and yet they were still targeted for a search and seizure raid.

"open source" doesn't necessarily mean "free" as in beer.

FOSS have licenses too.

MasterNetra
September 13th, 2010, 05:56 AM
Bad russian government. You still have a ways to go before your like the US. I mean at least the US Government keeps this stuff under wraps better. (Most of the time.)

TNT1
September 13th, 2010, 06:54 AM
The mooooderators are sleeping again, I see...

v1ad
September 13th, 2010, 07:03 AM
bad russian government. You still have a ways to go before your like the us. I mean at least the us government keeps this stuff under wraps better. (most of the time.)

:]

K.Mandla
September 13th, 2010, 08:12 AM
Aw, and this was such a promising thread. ... No politics please.

andymorton
September 13th, 2010, 08:18 AM
Extremely disturbing, hopefully these groups will swap to a free OS. But the mere fact that 'political' is in the title=thread closure.

Don't the mods allow political discussion as long as it's within the context of computers? Personally I think this thread should stay unlocked!

K.Mandla
September 13th, 2010, 08:18 AM
It's unlocked. It was merged with another one like it.

But if it goes political, it'll get locked.

julio_cortez
September 13th, 2010, 08:27 AM
In before it gets closed: it's a thread about politics, not about Microsoft.

By the way, I think Microsoft is just trying to enforce those people not to infringe copyright.

Then, Microsoft helping the Russian government operating against those environmental groups can be described well by a rhyme that is in an Italian song:
"Arroganti coi più deboli, zerbini coi potenti"
which means "arrogant with the weakest, very humble with the powerful" and it's something that in terms of business many people/companies do.

Sporkman
September 14th, 2010, 02:15 PM
Microsoft Changes Policy Over Russian Crackdown

By CLIFFORD J. LEVY
Published: September 13, 2010

MOSCOW — Microsoft announced sweeping changes on Monday to ensure that the authorities in Russia and elsewhere do not use crackdowns on software piracy as an excuse to suppress advocacy or opposition groups, effectively prohibiting its lawyers from taking part in such cases...


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/world/europe/14raid.html

sydbat
September 14th, 2010, 02:57 PM
Read your history - It's Russia. Nothing has changed. Just like China swapping one feudal system for another, but calling it something different.

Microsoft, while mentioned in the stories (and likely doing unethical things, as is their wont), really has little to do with it.

And, as per Sporkman's post/link, Microsoft has decided to change their policy regarding this after the story became public. Read into that what you will.

barney385
September 14th, 2010, 04:33 PM
I'm no MS fan for sure, but I think it's just the Russian .gov using the pretense of piracy laws to shut down opposition.

Of course, MS could care less.

endotherm
September 14th, 2010, 04:36 PM
It's pirated software. How is enforcing a license agreement evil?
because it is not always pirated. there are allegations that corrupt cops and fake lawyers are shaking people down, by holding their computers hostage on bogus allegations that the software is illegitimate. besides, in a country where piracy is the status quo, does it seem right that only the governments political enemies seem to have legal issues regarding their licensing?

i don't really blame MS for this, and I'm glad they are responding to the issue as altruistically as they are, by granting a blanket license immunity to (legit) russian NGOs and NonProfits.
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/09/13/221216/Microsoft-To-Issue-Blanket-License-To-NGOs

NCLI
September 14th, 2010, 05:10 PM
Bad russian government. You still have a ways to go before your like the US. I mean at least the US Government keeps this stuff under wraps better. (Most of the time.)

Russia is a dictatorship disguised as a democracy. The US is still nowhere near that, despite Bush's best efforts.

fatality_uk
September 14th, 2010, 05:14 PM
And bye bye thread...

Dixon Bainbridge
September 14th, 2010, 06:46 PM
It's unlocked. It was merged with another one like it.

But if it goes political, it'll get locked.

It already is.

KiwiNZ
September 14th, 2010, 08:22 PM
We asked for this to remain non political in order to remain open, I guess some just wished it closed for others.

Sorry folks

Closed.