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Ballmer Defends Microsoft In China

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the race-is-on dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Mr. Ballmer has recently posted on the official Microsoft blog discussing future business in China and defending Microsoft's stance of cooperating with the government even as other large IT companies have begun making public condemnations (Google and Twitter being the most prominent). Couple this with Bill Gate's speech on China's censorship being not all that bad (a speech very well received by Chinese media) and you've got people wondering: Is Microsoft aiming to take Google's place in China?"

6 of 162 comments (clear)

  1. google's "do no evil" was .... by h00manist · · Score: 2, Informative

    ... in contrast to who, and what attitude, did you think? ms always plays everything to get ahead, to it's advantage, legal, moral, ethical, technically smart, agreements compliant, ... or not.

    --
    Build your own energy sources from scratch. http://otherpower.com/
  2. Re:Of course by Greg+Hullender · · Score: 5, Informative
    Bill Gates made this comment at the new hire party I attended when I joined Microsoft in 1994, so I can vouch for its authenticity. I heard him say it with my own ears. However, it's worth noting that what he said, in full, was "As long as they're pirating software, we want them to be pirating ours. Sooner or later, as their economy develops, they'll switch to paying, and when that happens, ours will be what they'll want to buy."

    I think China is developed enough to pay for software now, and I'm very sure Microsoft's anti-piracy efforts are genuine -- even though I haven't worked for Microsoft for two years now.

    --Greg

  3. Re:Microsoft is desperate for new revenue... by interval1066 · · Score: 2, Informative

    and is willing to sell the corporate soul to obtain it.

    I agree, except to say that Microsoft has no soul to sell, making the sale that much easier. I think Krupp had the same easy path to collusion with the Nazis.

    --
    Python: 'And then suddenly you have a language which says "we're all stuck with whatever the whiniest coder wants".'
  4. Being Evil - Just Part of the Business Plan by careysub · · Score: 5, Informative

    With Google "Don't be evil" is a shibboleth that sets an aspirational goal which, as so often happens in the real world, may only be honored in the breech.

    With Microsoft "being evil" is, and has always been, at the core of their whole business model.

    --
    Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
  5. Re:i will remember this by geekoid · · Score: 3, Informative

    "Only to see their stock price plummet. "

    Based on what? Google's stock didn't.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  6. Pedantic Police Warning by zooblethorpe · · Score: 2, Informative

    I think American crossed the line into full-scale hipocracy(sp!!)

    I believe the correct spelling is "hippocracy", if you mean a nation ruled by large semi-aquatic mammals.

    Actually, the large semi-aquatic mammals aren't in the picture. The word "hippopotamus" is made up of hippo, coming from the Greek for "horse" (as in 'hippodrome'), and potamus, or "river" (as in 'Mesopotamia'). Hence, a (or 'an', depending) hippocracy would be a nation ruled by horses. Which we've almost had in history, if memory serves, when the mad Roman emperor Caligula had his horse appointed as a senator.

    Cheers,

    --
    "What in the name of Fats Waller is that?"
    "A four-foot prune."