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Microsoft Progressing Against China Piracy

By: David Utter
2006-04-10

The top three personal computer makers in China now ship with a pre-installed legal copy of Windows installed, instead of an empty hard drive just waiting for pirated software to be loaded.

Tsinghua Tongfang joins Founder Technology and Lenovo Group in adding authentic copies of the Microsoft (MSFT) Windows operating system to its OEM hardware, the Wall Street Journal reported. Microsoft has been prodding the Chinese and US governments to do more to thwart the software piracy Microsoft claims has deprived it of billions in license revenues.

That and other issues have made trade relations between the two countries a difficult and tense situation. Street vendors in China and other Asian countries sell software and movies for minimal amounts of money, and American interests have been furious at what they perceive as a lack of effort by Beijing to bring it to a halt.

The pre-installations of Windows on machines means Microsoft collects a fee for each OEM machine the vendors sell. Without the pre-installation, users were buying an empty PC and picking up a copy of Windows and other software from pirates at a minimal cost.

Tim Chen, Microsoft Corporate Vice President, CEO, Greater China Region, said in the report that "Microsoft is encouraging a healthy Intellectual Property environment which will enable China to grow as a knowledge economy."

Later in April, Chinese president Hu Jintao will visit Microsoft's Redmond headquarters during a state visit. This will follow the trade mission headed by Vice Premier Wu Yi, accompanied by Tsinghua Tongfang executives, that took place last week.

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About the Author:
David Utter is a staff writer for InternetFinancialNews and WebProNews covering technology and business.




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