Hurray!! foss users..... On 2/27/07, Bipin Gautam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Subject: [Reader-list] Microsoft lost! Linux wins? > > There has been moderately active Linux community in Russia, with > availability of cheap hardware and good programming skills. However, > there has been little government or institutional support, and a lack > of understanding of why one would want not to use Windows. But not > anymore. > > Runet and Russian official media have been flooded with discussions > and instructions on open source, and what it would take to drop > Microsoft 'soft' altogether. All this has been prompted by the recent > legal case of 'Microsoft versus Ponosov'. Alexander Ponosov is a > school director from a Perm' region (Ural mountains), who does not > seem to be an 'advanced' Windows user himself (which in Russia > usually means word, exel and powerpoint). However, he was charged > with violating Microsoft copyright, and under the current legal > provision could be sentenced for 5 years in jail. Plus Micrisoft side > demanded 266.593.63 roubles (presumably calculated to equal 10.000 > dollars, but the dollar is falling), from a school director whose > salary is probably 200-300 dollars per month (at best!). > > What is it all about? 20 computers in his school computer lab, with > illegal copies of Windows, claims Microsoft side, that violates > piracy law and its IP. > > It started as a quiet case, but gradually became a matter of national > concern. It became about "American multi-national mammoth > corporation" against "a little man" of our own. The fact that Ponosov > (whose name, curiously, might be translated both as related to 'nose' > as well as 'diarrhea' that is widely referred to in Runet) looked > like he had no clue what it is all about, was an 'ordinary' man, > making very little money in a remote secondary school, unconnected to > IT sector, showed how unwise Microsoft actions were. Until then > Russia was demonstratively trying hard to fit Western IP laws. But 5 > years in jail for 20 computers in a school lab? > > First, Russian bloggers started flooding Microsoft with letters that > they all use pirated Windows, and that they are ready to go to jail > for Ponosov. He had no idea what was on those computers, while they, > real programmers and IT geeks, know what they are doing. Take me! > Leave a poor school teacher alone! they were typing and e-mailing off. > > Second, Russian television and press jumped on this out of control, > pressing local authorities to think further (at first it seemed as if > Microsoft surely had the case, and would win it. Ponosov was visibly > worried that he would lose). > > Microsoft corporation still had no comment, saying it is handled by > its office in Moscow. > > Third, Gorbachev wrote an open letter to Bill Gates, asking him to > personally interfere, and stop the case. Putin called the case "dog's > rubbish". > > It was becoming an international scandal for Microsoft. And Bill > Gates in his reply to Gorbachev distanced himself and his corporation > from this case, arguing that it was started by Russians against > Russians, and Microsoft had nothing to do with it. > > Meanwhile, Ponosov was becoming more and more visible and vocal, > giving interviews to BBC and other major media. > > About two weeks ago a judge ruled that this case should be dismissed, > since the charges (10,000 dollars and 5 years in jail) were > unreasonable. > > Ponosov is unhappy and plans to appeal, he wants to be declared > 'innocent'. Microsoft lost a very important case, made more important > by its own making. And Russian officials, schools and Runet are busy > discussing what it would take NOT to use Windows. They are not sure > yet, and they feel it is a difficult task (Office price is about 5 > dollars for a pirated copy). But they've started discussing it. For > the first time so seriously and openly. > > Irina Aristarkhova > > PS. This is a short extract from one of the letters to Moscow > Microsoft head Olga Dergunova: > > "Respected and Dear Olga, > > My name is Sasha, I live in Mitischi (near Moscow), and I am 30 years > old. I have never - you hear me? never - bought any licensed > software. And I never will. Let me know if you want my passport > number, my address, and go ahead, sue me. I'd be only happy. I have > about 15 unlicensed Microsoft products installed on my laptop. All of > it - pirated. I am not ashamed, and please do not tell me about > programmers who want to eat. ... Sue me, not Ponosov. And sue another > one million people like me. It is not about love: that we do not love > you personally, or Bill Gates - abstractly. We love everybody. It is > you who hate us." (translated from a full letter and a blog at > http://forum.msk.ru/material/news/19486.html) > > > >
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