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Google Faces Plagiarism Questions Over Chinese Software

Posted by Zonk on from the i'll-just-take-a-look-and-yoink dept.

yaohua2000 writes "Google's laboratory in China has launched its first product, a Pinyin Input Method Editor. The software allows the romanized characters to be translated to more traditional Chinese symbols , via entering on a QWERTY keyboard. Users soon discovered that the data Google used for the product was unusually similar to the data used by a Chinese rival, Sogou. Google has evaded the question about software similarities, reports PC World. 'The similarities, which included an error involving the name of a celebrity, were noted on a Google Labs discussion board about its Pinyin IME. Users noted that entering the Pinyin pinggong into the Google IME incorrectly produced the name of Feng Gong, an actor and comedian.'"

3 of 187 comments (clear)

  1. Google Should Defend Themselves the OpenBSD Way by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Blame the Sogou authors, and call them inhuman. Also say it isn't plagarism because it's beta.

  2. I'm a stupid American, so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let me be the first to say... WHAT?

  3. Google evolves by Lorean · · Score: 5, Funny

    Google has learned how to do business in China.
    Congrats to them.