Chinese government forces all computer sold must install licensed Operating System
Offlinedetails here, text is in Chinese but it's basically saying what in the title :-( Although this will likely be non-enforcable, but we're one more step near to the monopolic computing world :-(
So a tough translation: (sorry, my English is not perfect. But you see, free software is not meant to be count here, except those bastardized GNU/Linux distros like "Red Flag Linux".)
1. All computer produced in China must install licensed Operating System software before leaving the factory.
2. Imported computer must install licensed Operating System software before being sold.
3. Operating System software provider should support computer producer s pre-installing licensed Operating System software, and make computer producers be able to get the license via a reasonable price and good service.
4. Imported computer needs to provide licensing document to the government accompany the number of the computers.
5. Computer producers and OS software providers must report the number of computers sold and copies of OS software pre-installed. Anyone who won't do so will be demanded to correct the problem.
6. Any organizations or individuals are welcome to report the activity to install pirated software to the goverment, the government will investigate.
7. The computer industry association, the software industry association should improve self-discipline and advocacy, actively promote and supervise the computer producers, distributors and related software enterprises to improve awareness of intellectual property protection, it is necessary to protect legitimate software.
... and so on.
Copyright © 2004 - 2008 Libervis Network - Some Rights Reserved :: Advertise :: Privacy Policy :: Contact
This is terrible. I thought China was one of the biggest supporters of GNU/Linux, but it seems that their government twists the whole thing. I wonder if GPL really applies in China?
Is this news this?
My Memeverse | My Music | Libervis promo video | Help spread the word
reply quote
I only see one problem:
5. Computer producers and OS software providers must report the number of computers sold and copies of OS software pre-installed. Anyone who won't do so will be demanded to correct the problem.
This means, for example, that Linus has to report the number of computers with linux preinstalled. (or more realistically, debian and other freely downloadable distributions have to do this)
For everything else, the producer can simply print copies of the GPL, no big deal.
reply quote
Yeah, actually, you're right. GPL is a license and therefore all copies of Free Software are "licensed".
But that fifth point makes the whole thing bad. Not only that its impractical, but it just shows how involved and controling Chinese government wants to be. That, in my opinion, never doesn't smell right and could lead to impeding of people's freedoms and government monopoly. Actually, Chinese gov already has a "monopoly on truth" so to speak that it excercises through their free political speech censorship.
My Memeverse | My Music | Libervis promo video | Help spread the word
reply quote
Post new comment