Bill Gates the implacable: fighting piracy
A Russian teacher, who has bought computers for his school with already installed software, faces up to 5 years in jail - the software was not licensed. Many in Russia are sure that this scandalous process was ordered and is a show-trial initiated by Microsoft in its ongoing fight against piracy.
Prominent people ask Bill Gates to drop the charges, to show mercy on the school teacher.
The case is heartily discussed all over internet, people call to refuse from using Microsoft at all and start to use Linux/FreeBSD which is not any worse than Windows.
The so big attention is understandable - without piracy there would be no Windows in Russia, only big companies can afford buying this so expensive software. People, getting 100-200 euro per month and spending it all on food and a place to live, would never afford Windows.
Nobody doubts that copyright violation should be fought, but maybe the prices should be more reasonable in Russia. Russians have enough brains to understand there are not just 20% or 30% of profit in Microsoft products, there are, supposedly, much much more. The software is sold to the whole world, practically having monopolized the world.
"To grab someone for buying a computer somewhere and start threatening him with prison is complete nonsense, simply ridiculous," President Putin said.
"The teacher, who has dedicated his life to the education of children and who receives a modest salary that does not bear comparison with the salaries of even regular staff in your company, is threatened with detention in Siberian prison camps," Gorbachev wrote to Gates in a letter posted on the Web site of Gorbachev`s charitable foundation.
The letter adds, saying there is no intention to "cast doubt on the principle of punishment for intellectual property violations." The letter, co-signed by the billionaire Alexander Lebedev, a member of the Russian Parliament, urges Gates to "show indulgence and to drop the claims against the principal arguing that Russian legislation did not distinguish between deliberate and accidental property rights violation."
Microsoft replied it`s not behind the case. A lot of Russians wonder why Bill Gates lost such a good chance to show off as a "good guy". But it`s clear - why should he care? He is practically the monopolist, however sad is that.
|
