On Thu, 2 May 2002 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >Can you imagine China, Russia and the Arab world basing their strategy > >on US controlled IT technology ? I can't. > > > > Here I must disagree. Look at China. MS rules the desktop there. Note > I didn't say they buy MS software, they simply pirate it. So the cost > stumbling block is of no concern. One can easily download any piece of > MS software for free. I'm not saying it's legal, but it's a fact. Fire > up any p2p file sharing app and check it out if you don't believe me. > And it's not just China, it happens globally, so the price issue is > only of concern to those ethical enought to pay the MS tax. As far as > relinqueshing control, look around you, even in the countries you list, > MS is everywhere. Far from OSS being the cancer MS espouses, I'd say > Windows is a far more malignant cance than OSS could ever be.
I'm afraid you entirely missed the point. A country cannot build is long term IT strategy on bootlegged software. It may work for a while and as long as it's not widespread. Eventually bootleggers hurt themselves in the long run. Otherwise you could argue that you will build your retirement plan on the premises that you will steal whatever you will need when you will retire. I personally don't recommend you this path ;-) As for "MS is everywhere": yes it is _now_, so what is your point ? Cheers, -- Ryurick M. Hristev mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Computer Systems Manager University of Canterbury, Physics & Astronomy Dept., New Zealand
