Ballmer to Hu: 90% of Microsoft customers in China using pirated software

Re:Ballmer to Hu: 90% of Microsoft customers in China using ... by Roboprog on Friday January 21, 2011 @09:54PM (#2129772)

I'm sure somebody within the 1 billion people there in China could crack whatever protection they put on. Maybe even on day 1 :-)

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Re:Ballmer to Hu: 90% of Microsoft customers in China using ... by electromagnetic on Friday January 21, 2011 @10:35PM (#2129832)

Even still, assuming ludicrous 100% market penetration in the US and China. Microsoft would still be making 1/3 in China that it is in the US (assuming 0% piracy in the US).

I don't know a single person who has legal copies of Office or Photoshop that didn't come free and I've lived in the UK and live in Canada.

What MSFT has done in the Western world is to ensure that companies (who can afford to pay) can't have pirated copies. Essentially this is because corporations can be sued at the drop of an envelope. I somehow don't think China has the ease in filing suits for small amounts against companies.

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Re:Ballmer to Hu: 90% of Microsoft customers in China using ... by wisty on Saturday January 22, 2011 @12:50AM (#2130047)

Chinese lawsuits are said to be quicker, more document focused, and less witness-testimony focused than US suits.

Downsides? Not as much discovery (don't expect the court to force the company to do a software audit), and low damage (think money back, but no outrage).

No, I'm not a lawyer, and this isn't advice.

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