Slashdot Mirror
Chinese Government to Use Only Local Software
owlmon writes "CNET Asia is reporting that China has outlawed foreign software in government applications. I expect that software buyers outside of the government will have to follow this lead. It's the same "network effect" that has powered Microsoft's growth for years. When the entire Chinese government is using WPS Office, anyone doing business with the government will feel mighty encouraged to follow suit. Otherwise, how will they exchange documents?"
What if they decide to ignore the GPL and start stealing code without offering sources?
Guess what, We cant afford our software, you go buy photoshop, I'll use Gimp.
Do you think I care if they dont buy our intellectual property when I dont own any of it and dont profit from any of its sales? Do you think I care if they pirate music when artists dont even own the copyrights on the music?
Its not a matter of them buying our goods, if their goods are better and cheaper why not buy theirs? Sure I prefer to buy goods made in the USA to support the US economy, but I'm not rich, so a choice must be made, if our products are equally as good and the same price I'll always buy ours, but if their products are better and cost less I'll be forced to buy theirs.
Either way their cheaper products will force the price of our products down, this will help the economy.
If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
It is interesting to see an oppressive government fighting for its freedom from an oppressive corporation.
It looks like both sides are getting a taste of their own medicine.
All data is speech. All speech is Free.
You should not despise that easily, just come by and visit and you will see what this so called "comunists" are doing. Just as a token of reference, I've been 2 weeks here (beijing china) and seen lots (I mean lots!) of Mc Donald's, KFC, TJI Fridays etc etc.. They are everywhere! Coffee at any of the local Starbucks is about 23 Yuen (US $3.00) and the places are packed! (of local chinese kids ) I've never seen a more capitalistic place than this! (and believe me I'vee been all over the world) Considering than 10 years ago people where marching against tanks, the current government has done an incredible job of transformation with a minimum of pain (Just look at the USSR) Granted, there are still a lot of human right pending issues, but it is pretty hipocritical to complain about it while very similar behaviour is going on in the US (read guantanamo, etc etc.) Those who fail to study their history, are doom to repeat it. alx.
How is calling it Red Flag nationalistic? The red flag has a history as a symbol of socialism and revolution and the labor movement worldwide ever since the French revolution, and is still used worldwide. You may not like the symbolism or it's use, but how one could label it nationalistic is beyond me.