Gorbachev urges Microsoft to stop piracy suit

[redfish]

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

Gorbachev wades into piracy row

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has urged Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to intercede in a computer piracy case against a Russian headteacher.

The plea came in an open letter published on Mr Gorbachev's website.

Microsoft representatives in Russia brought the case against Alexander Ponosov, accused of running pirated software on school computers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also criticised the prosecution of Mr Ponosov, in Perm, east of Moscow.

Mr Gorbachev's letter, on the website run by his charitable foundation, said "many people in Russia regard this scandalous case as trumped-up, launched on the initiative of Microsoft corporation to set a precedent".

'Show mercy'

"We have great respect for the work of Microsoft's programmers... and are in no way casting doubt on the principle of punishment for intellectual property violations.

"However, in this case we ask you to show mercy and withdraw your complaint against Alexander Ponosov," the letter read.

Mr Gorbachev said that under Russian criminal law the teacher could face "imprisonment in Siberian camps".

The Perm region lies in the Ural Mountains, between Moscow and Siberia.

Microsoft accuses the teacher of knowingly using pirated Windows software in the school and causing the company losses put at 266,000 roubles ($10,000; ?5,000).

Mr Ponosov says he is innocent, that the software had been pre-installed and he did not know it was unlicensed when he obtained the computers.

At his news conference on 1 February, President Putin said investigators should "go after the distributors, not the users".

"It's ridiculous to just arrest a chap for using computers," he said.

[Aero Ultimate]

At his news conference on 1 February, President Putin said investigators should "go after the distributors, not the users".

"It's ridiculous to just arrest a chap for using computers," he said.

He's completely right there. Going after the users doesn't do anything.

[hornett]

Microsoft accuses the teacher of knowingly using pirated Windows software in the school and causing the company losses put at 266,000 roubles ($10,000; ?5,000).

Haha, well done Microsoft! Was it worth the bad publicity for ?5,000?

The possibility of somebody to a "Siberian Camp" for such an offence seems a little over the top as well, on the part of the Russian courts:wacko:o:

[fatjon]

long live ubuntu

i dont know why people dont use on schools linux .it has every thing you need,

[Eisbaer]

I agree. Such harsh punishment for someone that might have been unaware that the copies of the software were actually not legit. I don't think it should be hard for Mr. Gates to squeeze both eyes shut on that one ... He'll indeed be better served with finding the source of the pirated copies, rather than the little guy at the end of the chain that is using the software.

[C++]

Haha, well done Microsoft! Was it worth the bad publicity for ?5,000?

The possibility of somebody to a "Siberian Camp" for such an offence seems a little over the top as well, on the part of the Russian courts.:wacko::

Bad publicity in the eyes of whom, you? Microsoft doesn't care what you think, or what any music downloading brat thinks, or what any Mac zealot or Linux freak thinks. They also don'tcare about this teacher.

Microsoft markets to business, and this shows business that they mean business. And if you have a business, you better damn make sure your software is legal, because if it isn't, your door will be knocked on the same as any criminal's.

[strekship]

I don't think Bill Gates has the power to just say "ok, we will let this guy off".

[.Ark]

I don't think Bill Gates has the power to just say "ok, we will let this guy off".

Oh, he has the power. I don't know if he has enough authority though.

[Dervish]

Oh, he has the power. I don't know if he has enough authority though.

Money is Power. Power is Authority. Strange that a former Russian Tsar is requesting compassion and mercy from a major U.S. Corporate Tsar, No?

[SadJoker]

Money is Power. Power is Authority. Strange that a former Russian Tsar is requesting compassion and mercy from a major U.S. Corporate Tsar, No?

You seem to portray him as evil and greedy, yet the reason he retired was to persue philanthropic efforts, no?

[revvo]

Microsoft markets to business, and this shows business that they mean business. And if you have a business, you better damn make sure your software is legal, because if it isn't, your door will be knocked on the same as any criminal's.

So if you decide to one day go to BestBuy to a buy a software and then you learn that the owner of that bestbuy illegally acquired a shipment of extra softwares to sell that he bought dead-cheap, who is the criminal? The buyers? Not likely. You know your software is legal, it activates, but the source of how it got in ur hands is the problem.

Especially in Russia with those crazy polonium-infecting goverment men, it's too much hassle for no gain. What kind of a gain is that for MSFT 5,000 pounds? That's probably how much each developer (DEVELOPER DEVELOp.. k too old) over there has as pocket change.

[Mr. Gibs]

Yes blame Bill Gates yeh....

I don't see bill in his office telling microsoft lawyers who to sue. Do you even know what a CEO does? He does not look after day to day jobs.

[samirb]

i think that he should be spared. atlest he was using the softwares for educational purposes only.

[.mcman]

oh, come on... We have shops selling pirated software every 100 meters here. It's not that hard to go there and put everyone in jail. Why the hell they are not doing that and suing some teacher in Perm instead?

stupid country :angry:

[mightyflight]

BBC:

Piracy case collapses in Russia

"A Russian court has thrown out a criminal case against a rural headteacher accused of using pirated Microsoft software in his school."

"...dismissed the case of Alexander Ponosov as "trivial"..."

Well at least sometimes the "Right" thing happens.

[.Ark]

Money is Power. Power is Authority.

Umm... not always.. no.