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Russian School Teacher 'Pirate' Case Re-Opened
newtley writes "Russian school teacher Alexander Ponosov thought he was out from under after having been accused of 'criminally' using Microsoft product. A Russian court threw the case out, calling it 'trivial,' and Russian president Vladimir Putin said those who make "pirate" goods should be targeted, not consumers, calling the trial "utter nonsense". Now the BBCA Russian court has ordered a retrial, 'after pressure from the prosecution'. However, Ponosovhas now launched a web site. It's in Russian."
Microsoft has distanced itself from the prosecution, saying it had nothing to do with the charges and had opted last year not to bring any civil action.
Microsoft has said they're not interested in prosecuting... no wonder, that would be some bad press. The guy is a school teacher, using Windows on 12 computers in the school. It's probably good news for Microsoft that he's using their software - get the kids hooked on Windows while they're young, so they'll be accustomed to using it (and possibly paying for it) later in life.
I store my recipes online (the way nature intended)
This is why I am launching our school's computer lab with Edubuntu.
1. Built in Terminal Server - works well with donated (read: ancient) equipment
2. Great educational programs and games
3. It just works
4. Licensing - what licensing?
5. Maintenance and Administration - very little compared to a similar MS environment.
Perhaps more people in educational circles will see the benefit of switching from this poor teacher's incident.
One ring to bind them - should probably have more fiber and less rings in their diet.
But average Joe does not know what differs a pirated version from the real deal. My room mate has XP installed and all he knows is his friend back home fixed his computer, but it is not a real copy or install and he does not understand that. He tried to the the MS genuine verification thing and it failed and I tried to explain that to him but he just does not understand.
hello
'The administrator in question is enjoying this publicity and thumbing his nose at the authorities and Microsoft'
.. use of the product can land you a hefty jail sentence.
:)
:) you have got to be taking the piss!!
Like how, he is protesting his innocence. He likes having the threat of a jail sentence hanging over his head? This is the second time a school teacher is facing jail time for using Windows. See here where a 7th grade teacher gets arrested when porn images pop up in the browser on a Win98 desktop. The expert prosecution witness says there is no way such images could have got on without user interaction. Something we all know is a big lie.
The teachers union on both continents should have the schools sign a do not sue waiver before touching the computer. Or maybe the EULA should be updated
'there has been talk in Russian press that he was well aware that software was illegal on dozen of the machines but still decided to cut the costs and pocket the difference'
Do you have any evidence for this wacky anecdote.
'During a court trial he was asked to apologize and move on but he insisted of filing an appeal to "clear his name" and play a martyr of some sort. In sum, this guy is an asshole'
What trial? the first case was thrown out. Also the original claim changed from piracy to illegally using the software. Even so the Judge saw fit not to proceed. Where does it say he was asked to apologize. Why would he appeal a non case. Where does it say he appealed.
'If one were to put aside the bias towards Microsoft, it's clear that Panosov is being defiant, despite him being completely guilty'
What are you smoking, toad juice? What bias? How does defending oneself in a court of law equate to being biased? I thought even in your country people are deemed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 'Your honour the defendant is obviously guilty as he has chosen to plead innocent'
'I've checked his blog and he's asking his readers on how to partition the NTFS drive and install Linux alongside windows. I don't think he learned a lesson here. He's not the saintly school teacher who was unknowingly victimized by prosecutors as the media had initially reported'
What blog? Do you mind providing a citation to this blog where it actually says that. How in the alternate Bizarro world that you occupy does installing Linux equate to being guilty in a case of software piracy.
was Not the whole story... (Score:5, Interesting
davecb5620@gmail.com
I don't think thats clear at all. According to the Wikipedia article about this, Cnews.ru is the one reporting that he and a friend did this to embezzle money. He has denied it.
Without more evidence than journalistic hearsay, one cannot be sure.