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Originally Posted by ecuas
Yea...but this doesn't make a difference to almost anyone over here.
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And I don't expect it to
that's why it is an intellectual exercise. Some people do this for fun: ever joined a debating society?
The exercise has some profit - for eg. some of my assumptions have been challenged - requiring me to rethink some of my ideas.
But you are talking about something else
Something that may make a difference would be to burn ans supply free software disks to the local cig shop operator. Produce one of OSS/FS windows apps and another of an easy to use disto you think fits the local mentality well. Suggest he gives them a go and point out that he is free to copy and sell as many as he likes.
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But theres' one thing I would like to point out, though it has nothing to do with the thread topic.
People here using pirated MS Windows copies aren't necessarily poor...
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Oh sure - same in NZ. But poverty is relative - what I mean is, if you don't have enough money to pay the damages, there's no
point suing you.
This is why major distros (mostly) do not ship with proprietary format support, but you can install that support yourself. The companies doing the distributing are rich enough (or make a more profitable target in other ways) to be worth suing. An individual, by and large, isn't.
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...they just seem to think that putting in a months' salary to get an original copy of Windows isnt worth it,
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This is pretty much what got me into linux, so I can relate.
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especially when even the neighbourhood cig shop owner will gladly give you a copy for Rs. 100 or less (Win Vista basic home edition without the Aero UI n stuff costs Rs. 8000 here). I had talked to a few ppl, and they dont know what it takes to write a good piece of software, or dont give a damn about it. They will gladly shell out Rs. 20K+ for the latest hardware, but wont buy an original copy of a game even.
Now I have no idea what M$ thinks about this, but sooner than later they will have to tighten the noose, considering the huge number of PCs using pirated Win copies. And Linux comes in over here...many of the distros are as good as Windows for most of the tasks...and it is free too.
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Yes - I've noticed a recent upsurge in interest in linux from your neck of the woods. We had a similar surge from Brazil when MS tightened their noose over there. As the cost of vista hits home, we can expect more to "see the light".
MS views the practices you have related as "theft". Pure and simple. And you are right: sooner or later they will tighten the noose!