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Google Releases Software To Iran
eldavojohn writes "After working closely with US officials following the lifting of export restrictions, Google has announced that their Google Earth, Picasa and Chrome are now available for download in Iran. US sanctions once prevented this but now Google has created versions of its popular software that block all Iranian government IP addresses from utilizing them — thus satisfying the new restrictions."
I always love a government that tells me where I can and can't travel, where I can and can't sell my stuff, who I can and can't talk to--then proceeds to bad-mouth everyone else for not being free enough. Even when I was a kid and everyone was chiding the Ruskies with the "Papers please" and "In Russia you can't travel around or say whatever you want without government permission" I was stuck with the hypocrisy. Try telling the next cop who pulls you over that you don't need to show him your papers and see what happens. Try to take a vacation to Cuba sometime and see how free you are to travel anywhere. Try to export your software (or any other goods) to a country the U.S. doesn't like at the moment (i.e. countries who won't play ball) and see who comes knocking on your door.
What if the Google guys legitimately believe that the Iranian government is running a peaceful nuclear program and is being unfairly targeted by a hostile U.S. ally (Israel)? Not saying this is the case, but shouldn't they still be able to sell them non-weapon/non-military software if they want to? That's hardly an unreasonable "freedom" in a country that holds itself as a bastion of both personal freedom and glorious capitalism.
Maybe I would see it differently if the U.S. were actually at *WAR* with Iran. But if the criterion is "any country we don't like today," then exporting any product must be a goddamn nightmare for any international corporation.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
So, couldn't the Iranian government just use different IP addresses?
This seems like a pretty weak way to get around the export restrictions and sanctions, doesn't it?
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
This is either astonishingly naive, or propaganda. I can't quite figure out which.
From the US Government, I would believe naivete, given any of a large collection of equivalent moves that are demonstrably idiotic.
From Google, I have a hard time accepting that they aren't smart enough to understand the very many ways that IP-based restrictions can be circumvented by anyone more talented than a sixth -- no, wait -- fourth grader. This is Google we're talking about who have brought us a large number of amazing things that require lots and lots of smarts to implement, and "Hey Muhammed, go to the internet cafe around the corner with this laptop and download Google Earth, please, the US pigs have blocked our government IP address," is something that will occur to the people there. So, Google must be doing this with a wink in order to either further some political agenda, or increase their customer base. Since I am not aware of any political agenda, I'm leaning toward greed. Propaganda either way.
So naivite from the US, and propaganda from Google. Anyone have evidence to the contrary?
Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
Let's make a huge assumptions that this IP restriction actually works...
What must it be like to download and use a piece of software that you can use but your own government isn't allowed to use? Takes a way some of the perception of the gov'ts power I'd imagine. A bit emasculating even. Which of course might be the reason the USG is allowing this to proceed. A sanction that is truly against the government, not the people.
Sadly, I don't think a software release will result in a democratic Iran. But it would be nice.
Good thing the export restrictions were lifted, I seem to remember a story from the other day about the US government "releasing software" to Iran.
sic transit gloria mundi
When I put new shingles on my roof, I spelled out "Fuck you, Ahmedinejad" (It's a long house). Glad to see this was not a waste of time and effort.
Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
No, they actually just sent all Iranian, government IP addresses a real picture of Cheney's actual backyard which is basically the political equivalent of goatse. After that, the Iranian government said they, "didn't want to play anymore." And we wonder why other countries see us Americans as savages and infidels...
Motorcycles, Robots, Space Gossip and More!
Not petty BS. Principle. The government of Iran is a brutal, mysoginstic, thuggish theocracy that jails and kills people because they speak out against it. Google is saying, "Here, people of Iran, use our stuff. Government of Iran? We're taking a symbolic step to point out that we consider you to be illegitimate and evil." What's wrong with that? Nothing.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
One local example (I'm near Houston) was a guy being considered suspicious because he was walking down a long road that people rarely walk along, never mind there was a sidewalk there.
In some places people have always been considered suspicious if they have a flat nose, dark skin, and curly hair. 9/11 or no 9/11, that's against the constitution. A police officer cannot pull a car over if there is no probable cause for it. He cannot ask for your ID without probable cause.
The way police officers routinely act today in the USA is like Osama has won. He has terrorized a whole nation for ten years now. It's time to stop that bullshit. Th only problem is how. Any ideas?