Gorbachev wades into piracy row

[mips]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6332441.stm

[Brainfart]

The thought of allowing a precedent for widespread institutional use of pirated software is depressing; however, it's quite likely that the guy is in fact innocent and that the distributor was using illegal licenses. Tough decision for MSFT, to let the guy go and risk it becoming a precedent (though $10k isn't much), versus prosecuting the wrong guy (and not solving the problem).

Somewhat interesting, since I remember reading recently that the President of some Eastern European country recently remarked to Gates that the nation's software industry relied heavily on cracked software... don't remember where the link was though...

[shining]

I don't understand the need of using illegal licenses when you have gratis alternatives.
Many people are pissed off by microsoft abusive prices, but it seems like they don't blame microsoft for it, and keep using their softwares. I don't get it.

[BWF89]

I don't understand the need of using illegal licenses when you have gratis alternatives.
Many people are pissed off by microsoft abusive prices, but it seems like they don't blame microsoft for it, and keep using their softwares. I don't get it.
A lot of people don't trust gratis (open source as well as freeware) software. My Dad is going to buy a new computer w/ Windows Vista and Quicken to do book keeping for work. I tried to get him to use GnuCash and Linux instead but he declined because if something goes wrong with a piece of gratis software theres no official place you can get support and it doesn't come with any sort of warranty.

[shining]

A lot of people don't trust gratis (open source as well as freeware) software. My Dad is going to buy a new computer w/ Windows Vista and Quicken to do book keeping for work. I tried to get him to use GnuCash and Linux instead but he declined because if something goes wrong with a piece of gratis software theres no official place you can get support and it doesn't come with any sort of warranty.

But that shouldn't be the case when you use cracked version. You can't trust the software in it (you already don't know what was in the original software, and you don't know how the cracked version change it), and you shouldn't be able to get support either.
In any case, wouldn't using open source software, and paying for its support, be much better? You pay, you get support and have a warranty, and you are using free software.

[Jiraiya_sama]

I don't care if it might set a precedent for illegal activity in the country, do you see the penalty??? The guy could be sent to a siberean camp for this, thats incredibly messed up.

[shining]

I don't care if it might set a precedent for illegal activity in the country, do you see the penalty??? The guy could be sent to a siberean camp for this, thats incredibly messed up.

That's for sure, it's incredible.

[Brainfart]

I don't care if it might set a precedent for illegal activity in the country, do you see the penalty??? The guy could be sent to a siberean camp for this, thats incredibly messed up.

The penalty is overly harsh, but that's under the jurisdiction of the Russian legal system, not my choice. I do think it's unfair to do that to an innocent individual. If the guy was guilty, let him be prosecuted according to the laws he's bound by. As I mentioned, I doubt this guy is actually guilty and it's a shame that he has to go through this at all.

[glotz]

My Dad is going to buy a new computer w/ Windows Vista and Quicken to do book keeping for work. I tried to get him to use GnuCash and Linux instead but he declined because if something goes wrong with a piece of gratis software theres no official place you can get support.

Not true. See http://www.ubuntu.com/support

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I could have sworn Mikhail Gorbachev passed away a year or two ago. I guess not. Who's that other Russian/Soviet Union guy who died not long ago? If Mikhail Gorbachev is out there in the open, who is the guy in prison (world court)?

I am seriously lacking Soviet Union/Russian history knowledge.

[paul6]

I could have sworn Mikhail Gorbachev passed away a year or two ago. I guess not. Who's that other Russian/Soviet Union guy who died not long ago? If Mikhail Gorbachev is out there in the open, who is the guy in prison (world court)?

I am seriously lacking Soviet Union/Russian history knowledge.

Slobodan Milosevic?

[BWF89]

But that shouldn't be the case when you use cracked version. You can't trust the software in it (you already don't know what was in the original software, and you don't know how the cracked version change it), and you shouldn't be able to get support either.
But my Dads not going to use the cracked version. He'd walk into BestBuy and purchase the legal retail version. That's where the majority of non computer savvy or non Unix-like OS users go to get their software.

In any case, wouldn't using open source software, and paying for its support, be much better? You pay, you get support and have a warranty, and you are using free software.
Some open source software comes with support. But GnuCash doesn't come in a box with a hard cd and a 1-800 number to call for support. If it had these things my Dad probably wouldn't object to using it. You don't want your financial security riding on a piece of software that looks like it came out of a two bit operation.

[steven8]

But my Dads not going to use the cracked version. He'd walk into BestBuy and purchase the legal retail version. That's where the majority of non computer savvy or non Unix-like OS users go to get their software.

Some open source software comes with support. But GnuCash doesn't come in a box with a hard cd and a 1-800 number to call for support. If it had these things my Dad probably wouldn't object to using it. You don't want your financial security riding on a piece of software that looks like it came out of a two bit operation.


Unfortunately, my financial security IS a two bit operation. :-) The penalty is mighty harsh, to be sure, but perhaps the judge could give a suspended sentence if it comes to that? Maybe they don't have that option in Russia.

What I'm wondering is, why Microsoft hasn't sued the whole of China for the same thing, since Bill has made such a point of it.

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Slobodan Milosevic?

That's the guy!

[Kateikyoushi]

Somewhat interesting, since I remember reading recently that the President of some Eastern European country recently remarked to Gates that the nation's software industry relied heavily on cracked software... don't remember where the link was though...

It was Romania. LINK (http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5961)