What Would You Do? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

jorgelito · 02-05-2007, 08:44 PM

In this thread, I want to explore people's decision-making.

I found this article to be very interesting and provoked all sorts of fascinating questions, hence, "What Would You Do?".

Quote:

CNN.com

Gorbachev to Gates: Show software 'pirate' mercy

MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Monday asked Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to intercede on behalf of a Russian teacher accused of using pirated software in his classroom.

In an open letter, Nobel Peace Prize winner Gorbachev said the teacher, Alexander Ponosov, from a remote village in the Urals, should be shown mercy because he did not know he was committing a crime.

"A teacher, who has dedicated his life to the education of children and who receives a modest salary that does not bear comparison with the salaries of even regular staff in your company, is threatened with detention in Siberian prison camps," read the letter, posted on the Internet site of Gorbachev's charitable foundation www.gorby.ru.

"We have great respect for the work of Microsoft's programmers ... and are in no way casting doubt on the principle of punishment for intellectual property violations.

"However, in this case we ask you to show mercy and withdraw your complaint against Alexander Ponosov," the letter read.

"This noble step will be enthusiastically received by all those in Russia who use Microsoft products."

Prosecutors accuse Ponosov, headmaster of a middle school in the Perm region, of violating Microsoft's intellectual property rules by using computers in his school that contained unlicensed copies of the firm's software.

Russia has been mounting a high-profile crackdown on piracy as part of its efforts to join the World Trade Organization.

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/02/05/g...eut/index.html

So, then, "What would you do?"

1. Do you think: too bad, the law is the law. You have to send him a message, he must be punished for his crime/tort in accordance to the law and the complaint filed against him by Microsoft. Otherwise this will just open up a can of "bad precedent".

2. Well, there's the letter of the law and then there's the spirit of the law. Surely there's room for a little leniency and flexibility? Why not have the teacher apologize for his unintentional offense, uninstall all the "pirated" software, and then have Gorby buy legit copies for the school.

3. There's an opportunity here isn't there for Bill Gates and Microsoft to get some positive "feel good" publicity. Exploit this for some do-goody action. Give the teacher a break, donate some legit copies, reiterate how education in Russia and Microsoft can work together towards a brighter future and it is in line with the objectives of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

4. Steve Jobs beats him to it and donates a bunch of iMacs, software, iPods to the poor little Russian school picked on by the big corporation. Big photo op with all the lil' childrens beaming at the camera, proudly holding their shiny, stylish Apple products. Pixar buys the rights to the story and an animated feature is released in Fall 2008, in time for back to school.

5. Other

What do you think? What would you do?

Elphaba · 02-05-2007, 09:32 PM

jorgelito, I am the last one to defend Bill Gates, but hasn't he offered free hardware and software to the former Soviet Union and now the individual states and Russia? If one teacher has taken advantage of a pirated copy of Microsoft, I would think it unworthy of this level of news.

Quote:

Prosecutors accuse Ponosov, headmaster of a middle school in the Perm region, of violating Microsoft's intellectual property rules by using computers in his school that contained unlicensed copies of the firm's software.

Russia has been mounting a high-profile crackdown on piracy as part of its efforts to join the World Trade Organization.

Perhaps this is nothing more that a show?

jorgelito · 02-05-2007, 09:51 PM

Sure. In fact, I'll one up you. He has given tons to all sorts of 3rd world nations and didn't he also implement the $100 laptop. No, my point wasn't Bill Gates bashing etc, and I suppose it's not really newsworthy, but I found it to be interesting.

Precisely because this guy has demonstrated such generosity it seems a bit strange that he would go to such lengths to prosecute some poor school teacher in remote Russia. I guess to me, it's not so black and white a case of pirating (that's the part I find interesting).

And as you said, one teacher "taking advantage of a pirated copy of Microsoft", seems rather disproportionate in terms of newsworthiness doesn't it?

Then there's the Gorby angle too.....hmmm.....

Elphaba · 02-05-2007, 10:03 PM

Yep. As I highlighted, there would seem to be a reason to "crackdown" for entrance into the WTO, even if it is just one teacher with a pirated copy of Microsoft. I think this event has more to do with Russian politics than it does with Microsoft policy.

Eh...I sent my copy of Microsoft XP with a Romanian building an orphanage in her country. Romania recently got accepted into the EU, but I don't think my "pirated" copy of Microsoft is going to cause a fuss sometime down the road of it's economic aspirations. Perhaps I'm wrong.

ngdawg · 02-05-2007, 10:09 PM

I think it's the being sent to Siberia part that's most disturbing....I thought Russia was a bit more 'modernized' than to still do that to every little 'crime'.
Hell, then I'd be sent to Levenworth for my copy of Photosh......nevermind...

serlindsipity · 02-05-2007, 11:32 PM

Thats a toughy.... let him off, he's telling lots of people if you have a legit excuse its okay (gives room for people to be creative with their BSing and as my best friend says, if you cant dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with you bullshit).

What I wonder is if there is more than we are not hearing about and why arent they chasing after all the hackers who make this stuff available? Stop teh prob at the source, kinda like drug dealing???

What was the outcome? did he get punished?

Pip · 02-08-2007, 07:52 AM

I don't understand. It's Russia that's cracking down on software pirates, not Bill Gates. Maybe my grasp of legal English isn't as firm as it should be, but aren't prosecutors typically representing the government, not private companies?

I say let the Russians handle their own legal business and leave Gates out of it.

Seaver · 02-08-2007, 07:57 AM

Microsoft DOES show a lot of leniency in situations like this. Ukraine and Hungary just completely updated their government infrastructure with pirated Microsoft software and made no secret of it, yet they just let it slide.

This is Russia trying to get into the WTO/EU, nothing more.

02-05-2007, 10:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	I think it's the being sent to Siberia part that's most disturbing....I thought Russia was a bit more 'modernized' than to still do that to every little 'crime'. Hell, then I'd be sent to Levenworth for my copy of Photosh......nevermind... __________________ Don't blame me. I didn't vote for either of'em.

02-05-2007, 11:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
serlindsipity Psycho Location: Boulder Baby!	Thats a toughy.... let him off, he's telling lots of people if you have a legit excuse its okay (gives room for people to be creative with their BSing and as my best friend says, if you cant dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with you bullshit). What I wonder is if there is more than we are not hearing about and why arent they chasing after all the hackers who make this stuff available? Stop teh prob at the source, kinda like drug dealing??? What was the outcome? did he get punished? __________________ My third eye is my camera's lens.

02-08-2007, 07:57 AM	#8 (permalink)
Seaver Junkie Location: Fort Worth, TX	Microsoft DOES show a lot of leniency in situations like this. Ukraine and Hungary just completely updated their government infrastructure with pirated Microsoft software and made no secret of it, yet they just let it slide. This is Russia trying to get into the WTO/EU, nothing more. __________________ "Smite the rocks with the rod of knowledge, and fountains of unstinted wealth will gush forth." - Ashbel Smith as he laid the first cornerstone of the University of Texas

02-05-2007, 09:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	Sure. In fact, I'll one up you. He has given tons to all sorts of 3rd world nations and didn't he also implement the $100 laptop. No, my point wasn't Bill Gates bashing etc, and I suppose it's not really newsworthy, but I found it to be interesting. Precisely because this guy has demonstrated such generosity it seems a bit strange that he would go to such lengths to prosecute some poor school teacher in remote Russia. I guess to me, it's not so black and white a case of pirating (that's the part I find interesting). And as you said, one teacher "taking advantage of a pirated copy of Microsoft", seems rather disproportionate in terms of newsworthiness doesn't it? Then there's the Gorby angle too.....hmmm.....

02-05-2007, 10:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
Elphaba Deja Moo Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA	Yep. As I highlighted, there would seem to be a reason to "crackdown" for entrance into the WTO, even if it is just one teacher with a pirated copy of Microsoft. I think this event has more to do with Russian politics than it does with Microsoft policy. Eh...I sent my copy of Microsoft XP with a Romanian building an orphanage in her country. Romania recently got accepted into the EU, but I don't think my "pirated" copy of Microsoft is going to cause a fuss sometime down the road of it's economic aspirations. Perhaps I'm wrong.

02-08-2007, 07:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
Pip Likes Hats Location: Stockholm, Sweden	I don't understand. It's Russia that's cracking down on software pirates, not Bill Gates. Maybe my grasp of legal English isn't as firm as it should be, but aren't prosecutors typically representing the government, not private companies? I say let the Russians handle their own legal business and leave Gates out of it.