Indian dealers are squealers over Microsoft piracy raids
Feel OS vendor has them by their Rupees
Agentless Backup is Not a Myth
Computer dealers in Gujarat, India held a one-day strike to protest ongoing anti-piracy raids from Microsoft.
India news portals itVARnews and CIOL report about 350 dealers joined in a statewide bandh (that's a general strike) initiated by Surat-based South Gujarat Information Technologists Association (SITA).
This month, six PC dealers in Gujarat received notices from Microsoft for selling pirated copies of Windows. Microsoft demanding a payment of 200,000 Rupee ($4,955) and a fine of 1,600,000 Rupee ($39,638) if the vendor continued to sell pirated copies of the OS.
Microsoft conducted the raids by sending a dummy customer into the stores asking for a copy of Windows be installed on their PC.
The resellers are demanding an end to Microsoft's OS offensive.
"We are not against piracy but against the way Microsoft is working to stop it," SITA president Bharat Randheri told itVARnews. "Moreover, if they want to do business in India then they should change their prices and policies according to the Indian market. We are the one who are promoting their products in the market and if they will behave in such a rash manner with us then we will stop business with them.”
One retailer told CIOL that they are just doing a service to the customer by installing illegitimate copies of the OS.
"Since we are are not charging anything extra for installing the software, it means that we are actually not trading in pirated software. For us this is just a sewa (selfless act) that we are offering to our customers. Besides, the pricing of their operating systems is way too high for the Indian markets."
The resellers have also planned boycotts against Microsoft. Those participating in the strike agreed to stop all purchases of Microsoft products for this quarter.
Brian Campbell of Microsoft India sees the raids as a firm, but loving hand; guiding the vendors to the world of IP Shangri-La.
"Microsoft, though its own efforts in partnership with other industry groups, is committed to increasing the understanding and appreciate for intellectual property rights and original software," he told CIOL. "Further, Microsoft is committed to working with the channel to help them understand the benefits of original software. We expect our channel partners to support us in further spreading the message of the value of original software among the end-consumers, and we will continue to support all initiatives to do so." ®
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COMMENTS
Cost of Vista
In France you have a legal right to refuse the preloaded Windows OS and ask the shop to deduct the true cost of the software from the PC price. The shop can't refuse to sell you the PC without Windows. That said, only a few diehard Linux enthusiasts have ever exercised this right because it is easy to buy a PC without Windows from an assembler.
Personally, I am quite happy to pay 100 euros that MS charges for Vista Home Premium OEM in France. For me it represents reasonable value for money when compared to the total cost of a modern PC system. Especially Vista seems a bargain compared with the prices that some charge just for an anti-virus or DVD program (and then they expect more cash every time a minor update is issued). How some firms can think that their DVD software is worth at least twice the price of a DVD player (hardware, firmware and MPEG licence included) is a mystery to me. Perhaps someone should start a campaign aginst the likes of Cyberlink, Nero and the like.
Windows is value for money
In France you have a legal right to refuse the preloaded Windows OS and ask the shop to deduct the true cost of the software from the PC price. The shop can't refuse to sell you the PC without Windows. That said, only a few diehard Linux enthusiasts have ever exercised this right because it is easy to buy a PC without Windows from an assembler.
Personally, I am quite happy to pay 100 euros that MS charges for Vista Home Premium OEM in France. For me it represents reasonable value for money when compared to the total cost of a modern PC system. Especially Vista seems a bargain compared with the prices that some charge just for an anti-virus or DVD program (and then they expect more cash every time a minor update is issued). How some firms can think that their DVD software is worth at least twice the price of a DVD player (hardware, firmware and MPEG licence included) is a mystery to me. Perhaps someone should start a campaign aginst the likes of Cyberlink, Nero and the like.
Mandate Preloaded, Factory-Supported Linux Option on ALL Notebooks
Laptops should come preloaded with Linux with factory-supported drivers supported by the factory, not the consumer. Any PC seller offering a laptop with no factory-supported Linux drivers should be imprisoned for aiding and abetting the illegal Microsoft monopoly. Most consumers are not smart enough to choose Linux and then write their own drivers. It is the obligation of the manufacturer. Microsoft's Ralph Reed and his business partner Jack Abramoff and George Junior want to make sure that laptops are sold without factory-supported Linux preloaded. That is predatory and monopolistic.
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