By prosecuting copyright infringers in Asia, it drives consumers into the Linux camp. Better to ease up and build market share — for now.
On July 25, in a rare collaboration between U.S. and Chinese law enforcement, the FBI and China’s Public Security Bureau raided a southern Chinese operation that had allegedly pirated Microsoft Windows Office and Vista software. Microsoft praised the raid, saying it was a milestone in the battle against pirated software.
Two months ago, 350 independent computer dealers in Gujarat, India, held a one-day strike, protesting Microsoft’s (MSFT) raids of their stores. In these raids, Microsoft sent fake customers to request that the dealers load Windows onto their computers. The dealers did so at no charge — using pirated versions of Windows. Microsoft sent notices to six of the offending Gujarat dealers demanding substantial payments and fines.
Around the same time, Microsoft’s general counsel, Brad Smith, publicly alleged that open-source products Linux and OpenOffice infringe no less than 235 of Microsoft’s patents. Smith further announced that Microsoft was prepared to meet with offending parties to discuss the alleged infringements.
