Microsoft Admits to Piracy, Walks Free
In a recent announcement that should surprise no one, the Microsoft Corporation has admitted that its Chinese microblogging service uses code stolen from a similar service in Asia.
Hypocrisy anyone? It sure is confusing.
Only two weeks ago that the software giant announced that piracy is no longer a threat to them. Then, a week later, Microsoft launched a global campaign against the piracy that was supposedly no longer a threat to them. Today, it is Bill Gates himself that has become the pirate.
If you can’t beat them, join them?
On Monday, the Asian microblogging service Plurk publicly accused the corporation of stealing their code. On Monday night, the leader in the anti-piracy movement admitted to stealing the code. Early Tuesday morning, against the public stance Microsoft has taken, no charges were filed.
Whats good for the goose, it seems in this case, is not so good for the gander.
In true hypocrite fashion, the company laid the blame squarely on the shoulders of someone else. “It was the vendor!” they cried to any journalist who was listening. “They did it! We are innocent!”
We can only speculate on what is coming next from the software powerhouse. A new OS called Microsoft Ubuntu? A new game for the Xbox called Socom? Will they call the Xbox 3 the xxoozero, for great justice?
Nothing would surprise me anymore.
A line should be forming around the block for lawyers to sue them on this.
All this intellectual property b.s. is stupid.
We should copyright the dictionary and then sue Microsoft for speaking English.
microsoft hate is nice and all, but your summary is a little bit way too slanted.
microsoft accepted full blame for it and launched an investigation into both the vendor and their own quality control. and clearly, it was the vendor, a multi-billion dollar corporation isn’t stupid enough to steal someone else’s code. if they wanted it, they would have just bought plurk.
This is not the first time MS has stolen code. They have lost at least 8 court cases over this before. They didn’t just buy up the companies then so I guess your argument is kind of BS.
Maybe you shouldn’t be so biased next time you post.
money can’t buy you everything. not everyone is a sell-out
HI BILL!
Microsoft’s (hidden) Motto:
“Why BUY it – when we can STEAL it!”
This is getting ridiculous. At least patent infringements can’t be avoided… hehehehe
(ok, so I am a supporter or GNU/Linux and free software/open source and opponent to restrictive copyrights and patents, but that doesn’t mean I can’t laugh when the snake bites itself XD )
“a multi-billion dollar corporation isn’t stupid enough to steal someone else’s code. ”
You obviously have no idea how Microsoft got started.
Microsoft have recently hijacked the GPL licensed code and used it in their Windows 7 tool of some sort.
And they been caught. How many more Open Source projects are being hijacked my Micro-fking-soft as I am writing these lines?
AhAhAhAhAh! so Micro and so Soft.
Gentle reminder:
Bill Gates doesn’t even work at Microsoft anymore.
Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal
Spare the rod, spoil the child.
Yes, it’s all part of their evil plan. After all, what’s next?! Will their next Xbox console be named after a random blogger that lives on the Internet?! Too funny.
Microsoft has been doing this for years! They even stole Word! It’s always the one screaming the loudest that’s guilty!
Plurk is not an ‘Asian’ co, it’s from Ontario, Canada! It’s actually pretty awesome, too.
Microsoft has been getting away with stealing whatever they want, whenever they want since day 1. This seems to be one of their very best attributes – blatantly taking from others AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT!
It’s also simply amazing to me how much people tend to forget, look the other way, or just not pay any attention in the first place.
LET ME GIVE YOU A PRIME EXAMPLE:
Way back…many moons ago, I saw a prime-time news article that highlighted Apple’s brand-new concept, which they called “Macintosh” (yeah – the very first one – with the built-in b&w monitor). This computer sported a REVOLUTIONARY NEW USER INTERFACE that was extremely easy to use compared to ALL other “Line Interpreter” interfaces(DOS, etc.), with all their syntax and language requirements.
Apple’s brand-new system used these little pictures that they called “Icons”, and a “Point & Click” feature utilizing a “Mouse”. In addition, it could access several programs / screens simultaneously by displaying separate “Windows” for each one.
I ACTUALLY OWNED MORE THAN ONE OF THE ORIGINAL “MACS”
When powered up, it would display an animated arrow indicating that it needed it’s operating system disc inserted in the floppy drive. Upon completion of this task, the user was then greeted by Apple’s new operating system.
It DIDN’T display anything using the words “Apple” or “Macintosh”…
What it DID display is:
“WELCOME TO WINDOWS”
That’s it! – Pure & simple. The rest was Icons and a cursor.
And the rest is history – look it up, if you will…
They (microsoft) didn’t erase ALL traces of these facts (YET)
Microsoft’s #1 product – WINDOWS !
They STOLE THE ENTIRE CONCEPT – INCLUDING THE NAME – FROM APPLE!!
WELCOME TO WINDOWS
Not the first time that the self-proclaimed genius and his croonies at microsoft stole software but maybe the first time they had to pay for it: read this transcript from the “Australian Story” of Australian ABC TV of 24 August 2009
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2007/s2666148.htm