Microsoft Goes After Pirates in China

      by Wyatt Walter

Thousands of computers in China are reportedly being crippled by a new software update Microsoft applied in the country. Microsoft has released the update in other countries, but decided to release it this month in China which is estimating to be running 82% pirated software. Often consumers purchase software from sources who pirate the software, therefore the user has no real knowledge of the fact that the software was stolen. Microsoft released the patch for Windows Vista which will try to validate the Windows license as legitimate. If it is found to be illegitimate, the machine will change the background to a black background with constant warning messages alerting the user that the software is not “genuine”.

A Chinese lawyer, Dong Zhengwei, told China Daily that the action could be considered illegal according to Chinese law. Zhengwei says that the move is considered illegal since they “intruded” into users systems without their agreement or any government authority. It seems like a bit of a stretch to accuse a software making of protecting their investment while the government of China has been spying on its citizens’ Skype conversations; and filtering their Internet for years.

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Filed under News : Comments (1) : Nov 3rd, 2008

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