Russia Realizes That Free Software Beats Sending Principals To Siberia For Piracy

from the good-job,-Microsoft dept

Fri, Oct 24th 2008 8:55am — Mike Masnick

You may recall the story last year of a Russian school principal who was arrested for buying computers for his school that had counterfeit versions of Windows. Even though he had no idea that the software was not authorized, he was threatened with being sent to a Siberian prison (seriously), leading to some international outrage. Even Mikhail Gorbachev got involved, begging Microsoft to drop the case (unfortunately, Microsoft wasn't actually involved in the case and couldn't do anything). While the original case was dropped, many were surprised when the charges were refiled and the guy was found guilty. While he wasn't sentenced to a Siberian jail, he was fined over one-month's salary.

Of course, if Microsoft and the BSA thought that these sorts of moves would help deter piracy, they might want to adjust their thinking.

What happened instead, of course, was that many schools started looking into alternatives, such as Linux and other open source offerings, that came with a much lower likelihood of having them dragged into court and threatened with Siberian exile. And, the latest news (found via Slashdot) is that Russia has now made it official policy that all schools should use free software. If they want to use proprietary software, they can't use gov't funds to buy it.

It seems that all that "cracking down" on piracy worked wonders, huh? It sent the entire Russian school system directly into the hands of the competition. Good work.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: copyright, free software, russia, schools, software
Companies: microsoft

36 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Alex, 24 Oct 2008 @ 9:29am

Damn, I would love to see reaction of Microsoft now. 95% of Russian schools are government operated. If this is continue, Linux will be come a major platform. Good move Russia.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Brut, 26 Oct 2008 @ 10:19am
  
  Re:
  As long as Linux dont run all the games windows run, it wont become the major platform,
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Crosbie Fitch (profile), 24 Oct 2008 @ 9:31am

Copyright is Toxic
The more dangerous copyright becomes the longer the barge poles people touch it with.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- JB, 24 Oct 2008 @ 9:49am
  
  Re: Copyright is Toxic
  The more dangerous copyright becomes the longer the barge poles people touch it with.
  
  I must have missed something; was that supposed to be English? Perhaps it was supposed to read, "The more dangerous copyright becomes, the longer the barge poles people use to touch it become." Even here the wording is just wrong; I can't begin to imagine how it should be fixed. You are on your own.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Cixelsid, 24 Oct 2008 @ 12:14pm
    
    Re: Re: Copyright is Toxic
    There was nothing wrong with that sentence.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Me, 24 Oct 2008 @ 1:06pm
    
    Re: Re: Copyright is Toxic
    I had to read it twice to figure it out. In my opinion, though, the comma that you added after "becomes" was enough to clarify it. If you really want it 1800's-style grammatically correct, I think this MIGHT work:
    
    "The more dangerous copyright becomes, the longer the barge poles with which people touch it."
    
    I consider the blog response environment about two steps above phone texting, so if I can understand it, I don't quibble much over grammar.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Crosbie Fitch (profile), 24 Oct 2008 @ 5:12pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Copyright is Toxic
      You can put the comma in if you want, but leave the words in the same order.
      
      When you're typing fast, sometimes the comma gets missed out... and you still miss first post. ;-)
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - mike allen, 26 Oct 2008 @ 9:33am
    
    Re: Re: Copyright is Toxic
    who gives a toss it made sence to those of us with a brain.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
reed, 24 Oct 2008 @ 9:55am

Unstoppable movement
Honestly if it wasn't for Microsoft's strong arm tactics I don't think open source would have ever taken off. Microsoft literally left those in the computer world with no choice but to pursue an entirely different course than they were on.

Why? 'Cause Microsoft won't play nicely with anyone. Like Techdirt has pointed out, Microsoft prescribes to the big (pointy) stick methodology. They don't have partners, they have prisoners. You can never cooperate with them because they are just waiting to stab you in the back.

I applaud Russia and ever other country that steps forward and says that computers are more than just Windows. They see a real future away from the proprietary world where everything is designed to squeeze that much more money out of the customer.

Windows, however prevalent and useful, has been detrimental to the future of personal computers as a whole. The spam generated by "botted" and "zombied" Windows based computers costs almost $20 billion a year to fight alone.

There is no excuse for the lack of security built into Windows. This is the true legacy of Microsoft. Through externalizing these costs they have managed to turn a profit, but at what cost to everyone else?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:01am

Slightly Confused
I love to beat on Microsoft as much as the next guy, but you said in the article that Microsoft wasn't involved in the case...? If that's the case, then even if Microsoft's "cracking down" leads to the same place, this isn't really an example of that.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
linus, 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:12am

sweet! super sweet!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Alex, 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:25am

Microsoft was a part of big lobby group that pushed US government to push on Russia to crack down on piracy. Maybe in the case of the teacher they had nothing to do, but in the whole picture..... Hey, if you drop a small snowball on a top of the mountain and it causes an avalanche.... You still guilty, even if you didn't know of the consequences.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:29am

RE: Slightly Confused
Yea the end of this article made me go "buaaah?" as suddenly an insane line is drawn between two points. I personally would love to convert the office I work for all to open source programs so I don't have to worry about keeping track of licenses, keeping the software locked up, transferring licenses to other machines... All of this would be a non issue if I could copy and distribute without a care in the world! But no, I'm going to be one of the first logs in the fire if there is some licensing issue.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Steve R. (profile), 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:34am

Go Linux
Where I work, we are getting hit with the yea olde budget short fall lamentations with the usual appeals to cut costs. The irony, we are getting an enterprise license from Microsoft for Office 2007. For 90% of us Open Office would work just fine. Its free!!!!

Since Russia stimulated us to get our space program together, maybe our government can get stimulated to look at free software. Might help our budget deficient.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Steve R. (profile), 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:37am
  
  Re: Go Linux
  Oops. I meant>> "budget deficit". But then we are deficient in solving this problem anyway.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:42am

You know what this means right?
yay for another world/cold war!
you really think we have anything against russia except for the fact that they don't like our corporations as much as we do? oh pushing away microsoft means reports of russia attacking its own people or various regions unpromptedly - even if those people are terrorists (relatively speaking, of course, considering how broad the definition of the word is these days) or enemy nations, funded and armed by us, that prompted the violence
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Mark Shuttleworth, 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:44am

LEAKED-- Top Secret Leaked Windows 7 Demo
Don't know how much credence to lend to this, although the video makes it pretty credible.

If Windows 7 is indeed going to look like this, then we have an unstoppable proprietary operating system which could kill Linux.

The Top Secret details revealed here.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Cixelsid, 24 Oct 2008 @ 12:27pm
  
  Re: LEAKED-- Top Secret Leaked Windows 7 Demo
  Wtf? That video is a comparison between Vista and Ubuntu Beryl. Nothing to do with Windows 7.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 24 Oct 2008 @ 2:47pm
  
  Re: LEAKED-- Top Secret Leaked Windows 7 Demo
  Uh, yeah, the video CLEARLY states it's Vista's Aero interface compared to Linux's Beryl (now Compiz). Windows 7's interface will be a refresh of Aero. Early (legitimate) beta screenshots are already available, so this is pretty clear.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Ferris Bueller, 25 Oct 2008 @ 1:11am
    
    Re: Re: LEAKED-- Top Secret Leaked Windows 7 Demo
    Uh, yeah, the video CLEARLY states it's Vista's Aero interface compared to Linux's Beryl (now Compiz). Windows 7's interface will be a refresh of Aero. Early (legitimate) beta screenshots are already available, so this is pretty clear.
    
    Really? Who is Mark Shuttleworth?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sheree, 24 Oct 2008 @ 10:50am

I was under the impression that, in the USA, where Microsoft resides, that copyright infringement was a civil matter.

I'm not as versed in copyright politics as maybe I should be, but if Microsoft wasn't even involved in the case, what motivation (and under whose authori-tah) did the BSA have to go chasing after him?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
AOC, 24 Oct 2008 @ 11:00am

at home
if the russian kids use linux at school they probably will use it at home too, because that's the OS they´ll know best
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 24 Oct 2008 @ 11:02am

i was in Romania last year, and even though the Internet cafe's were running winXP, none had MS Office but they were fully loaded with open office and other open source or free programs.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Simple Mind, 24 Oct 2008 @ 11:05am

never in USA
Given the economic state of things this should also be the policy in USA (to mandate schools use free software). But Microsoft probably "owns" enough politicians that this will never happen. Corporations have too much influence on government decisions. The economic problems we have right now are a direct result of this. It isn't possible to solve problems when you are constantly kowtowing to special interests.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Gracey, 24 Oct 2008 @ 11:11am

If windows 7 looks like this...
I don't care how windows looks. I care how it works.

Fancy bells and whistles are useless to me.

As for the Russians...if it's true the I applaud them.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Docrings, 24 Oct 2008 @ 11:14am

Here's the setup...
1) Ubuntu Linux
2) Open Office
3) Firefox
4) Thunderbird
5) Azureus to share peer-to-peer educational software/books/etc.
6) All the free Linux software at schoolforge.net/education-software

Have fun, Comrades! We'll all benefit!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 24 Oct 2008 @ 11:20am

Let me get this right, because maybe I'm missing something here.

Mikhail Gorbachev begged Microsoft to drop the case, and the rights-owner, Microsoft, played ostrich and allowed the case to proceed? Nothing was done? Over a piracy case?

Oh my.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Yogi, 24 Oct 2008 @ 11:32am

M$ prisoners
"Microsoft prescribes to the big (pointy) stick methodology. They don't have partners, they have prisoners."

That's a great line, Reed.

Exactly how I feel. Sadly, sometimes the prisoners are entire countries, conquered without one shot fired!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Travis, 24 Oct 2008 @ 12:44pm
  
  Re: M$ prisoners
  I c wut u did thar!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Lonnie E. Holder, 24 Oct 2008 @ 12:33pm

Huh?
I have to admit to puzzlement.

o Claiming that Microsoft pressed Russia to improve enforcement and because of that this guy was convicted seems like guilt by association since Microsoft was not involved and even Gorbachev was unable to have any affect. Unless we have a better link between Microsoft and the teacher's arrest and conviction, Microsoft seems like a relatively innocent bystander.

o Potential customers avoided a costly software alternative for an inexpensive (essentially free) software alternative; raspberries at Microsoft, told you so, etc. Competition works. Ain't it great? Instead of sitting here claiming that the sun has properly risen in the east, and claiming that is a validation of anything other than the principles of competition, why not encourage that kind of competition? As long as Microsoft has 90% of the market they are not going to feel threatened by open source software. Now, if the world suddenly stampeded to open source software and Microsoft found itself with a 10% share, perhaps Microsoft might learn a new business model.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Kiba, 24 Oct 2008 @ 8:28pm
  
  Re: Huh?
  Masnick is simply saying that pursuit of said "anti-piracy" measure is dumb and might lead to bad press. As such the company of said "pirated" software get the flak.
  
  Also, he is a blogger, not a venture capitalist. I doubt he have million of dollars to spend on startups. Even if he does, his money would better be invested in his company.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 25 Oct 2008 @ 3:09am

IP Blood on our hands
I wonder if Mikhail Gorbachev's contemporary, let's say a sane, younger, more alive version of Ronald Regan called Microsoft with the same request Mikhail did, if it would have yielded the same outcome.

Now, some people don't understand politics outside of the office, which is pure idiocy. "Oh let the BSA do it. We have our hands tied." they probably yelled. Seriously, who the fuck made these decisions? As acting Counsel for copyright holders, they need to be fired and hung.

If the man who actually carried out the actions of Regan, who said "Tear down this wall" called me or anyone I worked for, I'd say "This guy tore down the Berlin Wall, Shit, this man deserves my undivided attention."

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
I wouldn't be surprised if this inability to see outside of the walls of 98052 starts questions to the validity of US IP in the world's eyes.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Dill Nates, 25 Oct 2008 @ 6:16pm

You are only warned once!
I have detected that you are using the Linux EULA and/or the GPL.

You must abide by the terms stipulated and “open source” your organization/websites to me.

1. You have to provide the source code on request to any Linux-based technologies used *if* that technology is public facing.
2. You have to provide and “open-source” any patches/modifications made to those technologies, regardless if that technology is used only internally or is public facing.
3. You have to provide the raw source code and database data for all public facing websites running on those technologies.

I now stipulate that you should provide me with all the above and also submit to my GNU/FOSS audit.

Sincerely,
Dill Nates

P.S. If you don't comply you will be sorry!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anon, 26 Oct 2008 @ 3:20am

*APPLAUDS* Awesome. It's good to see those milk them of everything they've got types get what they deserve.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
MS???, 26 Oct 2008 @ 9:01pm

Come on...
Why should software be free? I mean people work HARD to develop this stuff and while there is the free alternative it is not as polished as propriety software. Also the free stuff is not generally supported. Say what you like, but most of the world is not stupid and they use MS stuff for good reason. In fact I bet most of the people criticising MS are doing so using MS software. Linux platforms have some advantages (and disadvantages) but they have not unified into a few basic systems and there are too many variants to choose from . As for security... MS stuff is pretty secure if its set up right just like linux systems are. The key is being set up RIGHT from the beginning and not allowing anybody root or admin rights.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Neverhood, 27 Oct 2008 @ 7:56am

Not bad
Not a bad outcome at all... Geeks have tried to convert the general population for decades from using proprietary software, promising better and cheaper software.

But I guess it's hard to beat the "You go to jail if you use proprietary software" argument.

Congrats to the BSA.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]