China wages war on soaring piracy rates
Posted by Timmah on 12 April 2006 - 22:24 · 37 comments & 17091 views
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(1 reply)
#1 Posted by markjensen on 12 Apr 2006 - 22:37
- Easy. Linux. Done.
If the end user wants to keep it, fine. If not, they can choose another OS.
http://news.com.com/The+business+of+Linux+..._3-6060122.html -
#1.1 Posted by toadeater on 13 Apr 2006 - 17:36
- I'm surprised they don't preload that Chinese Linux distro they have. Strange that they would miss such an opportunity.
http://www.redflag-linux.com/eindex.html
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#2 Posted by Netrack on 12 Apr 2006 - 22:49
- 90% whoa....
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#3 Posted by Elite_graphix on 12 Apr 2006 - 22:49
- well obvioulsy its gonna be a high ratio of 90% piracy - look at the ratio of piracy to people that live in china :/
even with 187million online users (200
- there are going to be ALOT of pc's offline.
over a billion people, just imagine how many pcs there could be.
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#4 Posted by Croquant on 12 Apr 2006 - 22:54
- Easy way around this: Don't sell complete systems anymore. Just sell parts. The fact that those parts mysteriously seem to come pluged into one another and come packaged in a metal box doesn't mean that the user bought a "PC".
No, come to think of it installing a free throw-away OS is a much better idea.
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(3 replies)
#5 Posted by D.V on 12 Apr 2006 - 23:04
- Along with Canada and soon France, China is one of the world's piracy capitals. Can't say I'm very disapointed with it though... I'm pureblood chinese and while i think the country is completely awesome, i have no illusions about piracy in that country. in fact, whenever im there, i buy some fake rolexes, latest dvds, electronics, software,etc at uber cheap prices (one rolex was REAL, serial number, smooth ticking etc only 80 in chinese yuan, divide by 8 for usd). yea....
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#5.1 Posted by Octol on 13 Apr 2006 - 05:30
- You say you have no illusions about piracy in that country. But what you're really saying is that China is a nation of liars and thieves and that this is OK with you. Well, I've got news for you. If you bought a REAL Rolex at the price you stated, it was stolen; probably taken in a robbery, and quite possibly with the owner ending up dead.
That not only makes you a criminal that receives stolen property, but likely an accessory after the fact to robbery and murder. You think you have no illusions? I beg to differ. -
#5.2 Posted by Alex the man on 13 Apr 2006 - 11:15
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#5.3 Posted by Daffy_Duck on 13 Apr 2006 - 11:19
- nevermind
Last edited by Daffy_Duck on 13 Apr 2006 - 11:25
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(1 reply)
#6 Posted by reidtheweed01 on 12 Apr 2006 - 23:53
- Why are you try to act like you are proud of them for stealing.
I'm Irish, but i dont go around bragging that Irish people are known for being drunks.
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#7 Posted by Daugirdas on 12 Apr 2006 - 23:57
- linux. amen
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#8 Posted by Ji@nBing on 13 Apr 2006 - 01:50
- They do this once per year or so. It won't last. They usually loosen up again after a couple of months. They also do this with illegal internet cafe's. Once a year they promise a huge crackdown, but then it's back to normal. They will never get rid of piracy there due to the prices international companies charge in comparison to the wages the people make.
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(3 replies)
#9 Posted by advancedboy on 13 Apr 2006 - 01:54
- Quote - reidtheweed01 said @ #5.1Why are you try to act like you are proud of them for stealing.
I'm Irish, but i dont go around bragging that Irish people are known for being drunks.
At least it's legal to download pirated programs in Canada
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#9.1 Posted by madd_matt on 13 Apr 2006 - 02:00
- Quote - advancedboy said @ #6.1Quote - reidtheweed01 said @ #5.1Why are you try to act like you are proud of them for stealing.
I'm Irish, but i dont go around bragging that Irish people are known for being drunks.
At least it's legal to download pirated programs in Canada
No it isn't. -
#9.2 Posted by MrA on 13 Apr 2006 - 02:18
- I think our laws only apple to media (audio/video) and not programs. Anywho, that's gonna change, eventually. I've heard about the new legislation for a couple of years now and nothing's happening.
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#9.3 Posted by plastikaa on 13 Apr 2006 - 08:48
- Lol... you think its legal? Infact file sharing is illegal on copyrighted material no matter where you live, as anywhere they sell the stuff will have copyright laws. Canada have simply written into law that file sharing is legal... not file sharing ANYTHING is legal.
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(7 replies)
#10 Posted by youyou on 13 Apr 2006 - 02:14
- in US, you are paid minimum $8 an hour, a WinXP cost you $150ish and that is about 20 hours of working
in China, most people are paid below $10 per day (even a lot of the family earn $10 a day), a WinXP is $200(include other fees) and that is about 20 days of working. you expect people not to eat and pay rent to buy legal copy of WinXP? Hell NO~the Chinese don't like pirate softwares either, however we have no choice. -
#10.2 Posted by plastikaa on 13 Apr 2006 - 08:52
- Sorry if you apply this rule then... well I cant afford a car so does that mean I should go steal one? Oh and as XP is the most expensive operating system then maybe I should go steal a really expensive car too? No I simply have to do without... if these people cant afford an OS that costs they should either not have a PC or use a free OS.... what your saying is that becasue these people cant afford to pay for XP, they should go steal it?
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#10.3 Posted by epple on 13 Apr 2006 - 12:02
- plastikaa, look at it this way..
You have two car lots. One in where the cars cost $200 and one in where they cost $10. Pretty cheap cars, but work with me here..
I've been to a couple of asian countries, and the piracy is almost everywhere if you go to a market and want to buy something. Seems like the police/authorities doesn't really care that much, or it just doesn't show.
But no one will say anything if you go and buy that car for $10. It looks the same and it feels the same as the $200 car. It might just be the same.
Now I don't know how much the average monthly salary is in China, but I can guess it's not up with 'western standards'.
What would you do if you could choose between the two car lots like this, with a salary like in China?
See where I'm trying to get at? -
#10.4 Posted by plastikaa on 13 Apr 2006 - 12:19
- No I don't really see what your getting at... you first say piracy is everywhere... so okay big companies are working with the government to try and cut that down... that can't be a bad thing, the police probably dont care because... well who wants paper work when you can just walk around and doing nothing all day?
The OS dont look and feel the same... like you say THEY ARE THE SAME... in other words the $10 is stolen, would you really go buy a car if you KNEW it was stolen? I doubt it because youd get caught. Now as its hard to catch people with stolen OS's the easiest way to do this is MAKE people buy them, then if you have to buy one there is no point in stealing one, and hence piracy drops a lot...
Usually the only people with real need to buy an OS seperate and don't want it preinstalled are.... those using linux, and the average linux user probably builds their own PC or uses an older PC, those upgrading... which you could still do, and those who built a PC themself. None of which would be re buying the OS, so forcing new PCs to come with a preinstalled OS isnt that bad. The only people re buying an OS would be those who already own a PC with XP on it. Maybe a good scheme would be if you proved you owned a copy then you could trade in your old PC with XP installed and then you get it knocked off the price.
Okay the average salary in china probably isnt as much, but if you can't afford something you have to do without it. However with the new version of Vista, windows are going to be offering more basic versions of the OS... i bet people dont think, okay thats an okay price.... people will think ah this doesnt offer as much as im used to I'll still steal a better version. -
#10.5 Posted by markjensen on 13 Apr 2006 - 12:55
- cars != software
Cars are "goods" that consume resources to create, and when one is "stolen", another person cannot buy that item.
Sofware can be copied and reproduced at little or no cost. You may make an "illegal copy" of software, but you cannot "steal" it. (you can, however, steal a boxed set off a shelf store, but the box and CD are goods, after all).
Trying to make a logical discussion when terms like "steal" are used will fail because your premise is flawed. -
#10.6 Posted by epple on 13 Apr 2006 - 12:56
- You have good and valid points, so I won't argue that..
Just like you said in the end there, I also think that's what people think, and that's probably why the piracy is so huge in most parts of Asia, ofc with 'help' from a lower salary and a high price on the software.
All I'm trying to say is, I guess, is that people are not as honest as one would like them to be.
I also think alot of people just doesn't care if they knew the car was stolen or not, they'd still save $190 - even if they knew it indirectly would hurt the $200 cardealer.
And as you say it's hard to catch people with stolen software, people probably would feel even safer in buying the $10 piece. -
#10.7 Posted by tiwaris on 13 Apr 2006 - 14:53
- Why don't they adopt a discounted pricing for software. My univ (in India) provided me with WinXP (pro) + Office XP (academic) + Antivirus software (all 100% legal and up-to-date) in around 20USD (1000 Rs) so long as I am a bonafide univ student and am using it on my personal machine.
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(1 reply)
#11 Posted by frogworm on 13 Apr 2006 - 03:18
- Yo, where's my bro at? Anyone seen my Wang?
on a serious note, i call BS!!!!!!
trying to fight piracy in China is like trying to fight illegal immigrants from invading the U.S.
undocumented originals and undocumented immigrants -
(3 replies)
#12 Posted by super_evil_8_ball on 13 Apr 2006 - 03:48
- @ youyopu
Quote "in US, you are paid minimum $8 an hour" /Quote
Show me where in the US you are paid a minimum of $8 an hour. Last I checked MINIMUM WAGE is $5.25 an hour. Please get your facts straight.
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#12.1 Posted by youyou on 13 Apr 2006 - 05:53
- Quote - super_evil_8_ball said @ #10.2@ youyopu
Quote "in US, you are paid minimum $8 an hour" /Quote
Show me where in the US you are paid a minimum of $8 an hour. Last I checked MINIMUM WAGE is $5.25 an hour. Please get your facts straight.
still, versus $10 a day. -
#12.2 Posted by reidtheweed01 on 13 Apr 2006 - 11:06
- I think it changes from state to state, but anyways most companies pay more a few dollars more then minimum wage.
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(2 replies)
#13 Posted by Ferret on 13 Apr 2006 - 06:38
- All these people saying that you should put on a "throw away OS", or Linux or something like that, what you have to remember is that there are people who buy PC's who don't have the first clue about reinstalling an OS.
You might, but they don't ! -
#13.1 Posted by plastikaa on 13 Apr 2006 - 08:58
- Suggesting a throw away OS is just suggesting that people buy a PC with a free OS then they install another illegal version of the OS?
If they manage to get XP starting to be installed on PCs then maybe it will bring down the price... but as so many people already buy it, then I dont blame MS keeping it the same price and just increase profits.
When you buy a PC for anything up of $1000 then go buy an OS too, stop being cheap. I have no idea what PCs people use in china but im guessing that of the PC users, more than 10% can afford to pay for the OS. Okay some people will be using really tighh budget pcs probably really old ones and things.... but if they were that bad then XP wouldnt even run.
Some mentioned earlier than someone should work 20 days without food or anything just to pay for the OS... well some of them to pay for the PC did they not eat or anything for about 100 days? No I dont think so... and IF they did then maybe they should wait another 20. -
#13.2 Posted by markjensen on 13 Apr 2006 - 11:07
All these people saying that you should put on a "throw away OS", or Linux or something like that, what you have to remember is that there are people who buy PC's who don't have the first clue about reinstalling an OS.
Huh?
Are you saying it would be bad or confusing to have Linux preinstalled on a PC? And that people who buy a pirated CD off the street will have problems installing it (when this is what is already commonly done)?
I really have no idea what your point is...
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(2 replies)
#14 Posted by msxcms on 13 Apr 2006 - 10:01
- in china, many DELL PCs pre-installed FreeDOS. That's a good idea
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#14.1 Posted by rm20010 on 13 Apr 2006 - 15:34
You'd expect them to live with a command line interface?-
#14.2 Posted by markjensen on 13 Apr 2006 - 16:46
- When the previous type of PC sold in that place was one that had no OS, it certainly makes sense and complies with the new law.
Obviously those users choose to install their own OS (whether legal or illegal).
The news comes after trade talks between the USA and China in Washington on Tuesday, though China have denied that the move is due to foreign pressure. The much needed move hopes to tackle China's alarming software piracy rate, which stood at 90% in 2004 - as opposed to the world average of 35%.
The new regulation will affect both Chinese and international PC manufacturers, who - along with operating system providers - will have to report the number of systems sold and installed to the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry (MII).
Wanq Ziqiang, who works for the State Copyright Bureau insisted: "This is about the country's economic development."
The country's internet-savvy population is expected to reach 187 million by 2008.
The new law co-incides with Google's official launch of their Chinese service, "Gu Ge".