Russian Court Finds Village School Principal Guilty of Using Pirated Microsoft Software

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Associated Press

Russian Court Finds Village School Principal Guilty of Using Pirated Microsoft Software
05-07-2007 9:35 AM
By ALEX NICHOLSON, AP Business Writer

MOSCOW (Associated Press) -- A court Monday found the principal of a village school guilty of using bootleg Microsoft software and ordered him to pay a fine of about $195 in a case that was cast by Russian media as a battle between a humble educator and an international corporation.

The trial of Alexander Ponosov, who was charged with violating intellectual property rights by using classroom computers with pirated versions of the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office software installed, has attracted wide attention.

Russian officials frequently allege that foreign governments, including the U.S., are meddling in Russia's internal affairs, and Russian media reports have portrayed the case as that of a Western corporation bringing its power to bear on one man _ in this case, a principal who also teaches history and earns $360 a month.

Microsoft, however, has said repeatedly it has nothing to do with the charges, which were brought by Russian prosecutors in the Ural Mountains region where Ponosov's school is located.

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[RogueBandit]

1. How much did MS pay?

I wonder how much those Russian prosecutors were paid under the table to further this prosecution. Clearly no one benefits but, perhaps, Microsoft. Put the fear into them, that's the ticket. Then maybe they'll realize Ubuntu is their friend. Maybe we'll all realize that sooner rather than later.

[silverojo]

2. If I could tweak the fonts in Ubuntu or Kubuntu to look half decent

I'd be switched full-time to Linux in a heartbeat!

When I must use Windows, I use an older version--screw Bill Gates, I'm not going to line his pockets every time he wants to unleash a new, bug-infested OS on the public.

[hunter]

3. Well, there's a lesson...

Don't use Microsoft, and you won't be arrested.

Just as the war on drugs increases the profits of the drug trade, the war on users increases profits in the software trade.

If it's free, it's not nearly so interesting. If good marijuana grew in every weedy ditch free for the taking nobody could make any big money selling it. A dime bag would be worth about a dime, and the biggest fraction of that cost would be the price of the zip-lock bag.