The week in your words: China's darkened Windows

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Posted on 24 Oct 2008 at 17:22

In a week that saw Microsoft insult everyone in China, the computer branded compulsory for children, and customers continue to be baffled by "unlimited" internet, we take a look back to see what PC Pro's readers have made of it all.

Microsoft branded "biggest hacker in China"

Poor China. It's seen some atrocities in its time. The savage quelling of the Boxer Rebellion by occupying British forces. The brutal communist regime of Chairman Mao, and now Microsoft's pitiless assault on the pirated software trade.

But the Redmond giant's not content to simply run over software pirates with tanks, oh no, Microsoft's turning their desktop black - that's right, black. As a method of combating rampant piracy we suspect Microsoft would have better luck facing down the four horsemen of the apocalypse with a spatula. Nonetheless, the move had the Chinese up in arms, not that our forums sympathised.

"While I have every sympathy with someone who has problems when they have a legit copy, if they have a pirate copy flog them," says bobbdobbs, before wandering off muttering something about a yardarm. "They can always get a licensed copy, or get a distro of Linux."

JJW009 was equally uncomprehending of the problem - though he was slightly less naval about the solution.

"A lot of pirate software will stop working when it updates to the latest version. It's normal. It's expected. It would be insane to suggest giving free upgrades to thieves!"

And the rout was completed by big_D: "Requesting that the updater should check the installation to see if it is valid is harldy hacking on Microsoft's part... If it is illegal, I can't see how they can complain when it is pointed out to them."

Computer "no longer an optional extra" for children

And on to the Government's fairly sensible proposal to offer poor families free computers. A topic which somehow stoked up more resentment than the new Mr Men character, Mr Glitter.

"Instead of making PCs compulsory, how about parents read to their children five nights a week. How about helping them with their homework? How about buying them a huge box of books for a fraction of the price of a PC? The best learning programme you can get are parents," notes bubbles15, rather missing the point that you can't buy parents with vouchers - at least, not good ones.

chr1stian was equally cynical: "What will the excuse be when this fails to produce a rise in entries to university from low income families? It has less to do with a lack of computers and broadband at home, and more to do with a culture of disinterest in academic achievement. Not easy to fix that by throwing money at it."

That's right. If only poor children could display the same gritty determination of middle class children, willing to fight tooth and claw to escape the shackles of their maids. Somebody should make a movie about it.

brumsta, however, wasn't buying any of it: "Every time I've had a question, for the last few years at least, my magic box supplied me with the answer. Yes, it's a tool. Possibly the most powerful tool we have in this day and age. Good to see all the usual poverty prejudices rearing their heads though. 'Get a job!' is still my favourite."