I attended this screening in Shenzhen and did not notice any of the security measures reported in the article.
I had to hand over my mobile phone but that was it.
I didn't see anyone openly vidcaming the movie, but pirate DVD copies of Hero are readily available in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing for about 7 Chinese yuan (US$0.80).
Not really on-topic but, despite the recent move by the Chinese government to "unblock" access to Google, all cache functions are still inaccessible for those of us living on the mainland.
This is a rip from the Xinhua Financial Network newswire from July 17:
China produces alternative to DVD format
Beijing, July 17, XFN - Mainland China-based Beijing E-world Technology Co Ltd has developed a new video disc format that could compete with the DVD format, the China Daily said.
The newspaper said the new format, Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD), will allow Chinese DVD producers to avoid paying royalties to current DVD patent holders. Chinese DVD makers are required to pay around one billion yuan (US$120.48 million) a year in royalties for producing DVD players.
It said EVDs, which are expected to have higher storage capacity than DVDs, will be manufactured by Shanghai-based SVA Group and should be on the market this year.
Chinese DVD player manufacturers and the DVD6C Licensing Agency have been arguing over patent royalties for more than two years.
The DVD6C Licensing Agency represents the six founders of the DVD Forum (formerly called the DVD Consortium) in the area of patent licensing.
Chinese DVD player manufacturers are only willing to pay between US$2.00 and US$6.00 per player, while the royalty fees demanded by the technology developers were around US$20 per unit.
The average price for an exported Chinese-made DVD player is less than US$130.
The Australian government's Department of Foreign Affairs website was blocked in China sometime in 1997. The story goes that the Australian Embassy in Beijing made repeated requests for the block to be lifted only to be told that it was the result of a "technical problem" and not deliberate blocking by the Chinese government.
Finally in mid-2001, a representative of the Chinese government, based in either Canberra or Sydney, was called in to provide an explanation as to why the "technical problem" had not been resolved after some four years.
Within hours of the meeting (I understand that it was 2-3 hours) the website was available for viewing in China.
Having lived in China for a while now, I find that it is not the fact that some international news sources are blocked, but that the only source of Chinese language news comes from official sources. It is illegal, and rigorously monitored, to publish 'news' in China that does not originate from the official Xinhua News Agency (or one of its sister publications). This means that Chinese readers get the sort of view of China that an American would get if they only watched CNN.
For what it's worth, one of the sole benefits of living on the Chinese mainland is DVD's for 7 Chinese yuan (US$0.84)! Sold at foreigner-friendly restaurants - you get to flick through a huge selection of DVDs (little prOn though) and settle the bill for food and movies together.
New releases are available about 2-3 weeks before debut screening in the US.
Deng Xiaoping first used the expression 'socialism with Chinese characteristics' in the mid-eighties and it remains the line that the current leadership adheres to.
It's always funny to hear people still refering to China as being a 'communist country'. China is not a communist country anymore than the US or the UK are.
The Chinese government refers to the construct as being 'socialism with Chinese characteristics' - a term first used by Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s. Mao is turning in his grave at the abandonment of the communist ideal.
Interestingly MS recently agreed to set up two R&D centers in China - one in Shanghai the other in the northwestern city of Xian. Total investment of around US$40 million.
Slashdot Mirror
Wen Ho Lee is not "Chinese" either - he is Taiwanese. Big difference.
I attended this screening in Shenzhen and did not notice any of the security measures reported in the article.
I had to hand over my mobile phone but that was it.
I didn't see anyone openly vidcaming the movie, but pirate DVD copies of Hero are readily available in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing for about 7 Chinese yuan (US$0.80).
I am currently living in Beijing, China and just tried to access the freenet webpage. Blocked of course. Google searches for "freenet" return 404.
I am currently living in Beijing, China and all of the apartments in my area have continuous 100MBit connections.
We pay zero installation and 150 RMB (US$18) per month for unlimited, uncapped, unrestricted service.
Actually, I think:
"Ore no atama ni ono ga sasateruyo"
is better for spoken.
Not really on-topic but, despite the recent move by the Chinese government to "unblock" access to Google, all cache functions are still inaccessible for those of us living on the mainland.
Recent posts to this important announcement newsgroup include:
17 Sep 2002 Blind Vigilantes
23 Apr 2002 Art and all that Jazz
16 Oct 2001 My car was recently struck by a United Parcel
Maybe not a such a great source of breaking news - there are no Sept 11-related posts at all.
Mod it up for sure, but get the facts right.
The average urban worker in China earns about 4,500 Chinese yuan per month (US$542), not the 1,000 yuan stated.
A desktop PC based on the P4 costs about 25,000 Chinese yuan.
This is a rip from the Xinhua Financial Network newswire from July 17: China produces alternative to DVD format Beijing, July 17, XFN - Mainland China-based Beijing E-world Technology Co Ltd has developed a new video disc format that could compete with the DVD format, the China Daily said. The newspaper said the new format, Enhanced Versatile Disc (EVD), will allow Chinese DVD producers to avoid paying royalties to current DVD patent holders. Chinese DVD makers are required to pay around one billion yuan (US$120.48 million) a year in royalties for producing DVD players. It said EVDs, which are expected to have higher storage capacity than DVDs, will be manufactured by Shanghai-based SVA Group and should be on the market this year. Chinese DVD player manufacturers and the DVD6C Licensing Agency have been arguing over patent royalties for more than two years. The DVD6C Licensing Agency represents the six founders of the DVD Forum (formerly called the DVD Consortium) in the area of patent licensing. Chinese DVD player manufacturers are only willing to pay between US$2.00 and US$6.00 per player, while the royalty fees demanded by the technology developers were around US$20 per unit. The average price for an exported Chinese-made DVD player is less than US$130.
For what it is worth, Shenzhou translates as Holy Vessel or Holy Ship.
The Australian government's Department of Foreign Affairs website was blocked in China sometime in 1997. The story goes that the Australian Embassy in Beijing made repeated requests for the block to be lifted only to be told that it was the result of a "technical problem" and not deliberate blocking by the Chinese government. Finally in mid-2001, a representative of the Chinese government, based in either Canberra or Sydney, was called in to provide an explanation as to why the "technical problem" had not been resolved after some four years. Within hours of the meeting (I understand that it was 2-3 hours) the website was available for viewing in China. Having lived in China for a while now, I find that it is not the fact that some international news sources are blocked, but that the only source of Chinese language news comes from official sources. It is illegal, and rigorously monitored, to publish 'news' in China that does not originate from the official Xinhua News Agency (or one of its sister publications). This means that Chinese readers get the sort of view of China that an American would get if they only watched CNN.
For what it's worth, one of the sole benefits of living on the Chinese mainland is DVD's for 7 Chinese yuan (US$0.84)! Sold at foreigner-friendly restaurants - you get to flick through a huge selection of DVDs (little prOn though) and settle the bill for food and movies together. New releases are available about 2-3 weeks before debut screening in the US.
Deng Xiaoping first used the expression 'socialism with Chinese characteristics' in the mid-eighties and it remains the line that the current leadership adheres to.
Michelin uses a three star rating system for restaurants not five stars.
It's always funny to hear people still refering to China as being a 'communist country'. China is not a communist country anymore than the US or the UK are. The Chinese government refers to the construct as being 'socialism with Chinese characteristics' - a term first used by Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s. Mao is turning in his grave at the abandonment of the communist ideal. Interestingly MS recently agreed to set up two R&D centers in China - one in Shanghai the other in the northwestern city of Xian. Total investment of around US$40 million.