Pirated Software: Legalised For $1/Copy In Indonesia

[nakulgupta 0]

The Indonesian government has struck a deal with Microsoft whereby government computers running pirated software will be legalised at a dollar each, according to Information Minister Sofyan Djalil.

"Microsoft will certify the already-installed illegal software. But in the future, all government computers must have legal software produced by the company," he told the Jakarta Post.

The plan apparently evolved in a meeting between Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Microsoft founder Bill Gates in Redmond.

More than 50,000 PCs are in government use, the JPost said, and there are no records of which are running legal software -- so the deal might take some time to execute.

All computers running Windows would have to be certified under the plan, which is seen as a pragmatic first step toward encouraging an end to piracy in Indonesia.

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[jerre 0]

nice, i think you go move to that country

[Jackel 0]

X_X Thats bad and good at the same time. Isn't it still illegal though? I mean, the software was stolen, and now its being sold. So isnt that illegal?

[[i]_R_Crazy_Idiot 0]

The Indonisean(sp?) government is paying $1 dollar to make the illegal copies legal in other words.

[CaptainRon 0]

Hah... MS is desparate to hold its market share.It's legalization of the existing MS OS is just a base to make sure that the people don't move to Open source systems following the MS anti-piracy crackdown.Plus most of indonesian govt employees must be comfortable only with MS Windows so now they(MS) have kinda assured that their Windows Vista will make them bucks thru Indo Govt when they stop support of 98 and then at a later point of time XP.

[finaldesign1405241487 0]

Nice. I wonder If other people that do not have enough money to buy windows itself, can make a little sweet-talk with Mr. Bill Gates, and make arrangement with him to buyout pirated copy for 1$

[sparx 0]

Merely moving to Indonesia won't do anything, you need to be working for the Government there on a GOvt. - owned PC. :-)A fairly obvious plot to hold on to the PCs before the governement there decides switching to an alternate OS would be a cheraper and better idea.

[Jeigh1405241495 0]

If the gov was willing to pirate windows to a point where M$ made this deal with them, I'm sure they weren't worried about whether or not software would cost them money hehe

[yeh 0]

I think it is a win-win deal. Microsoft gets some money(not that they need it) which they otherwise would not without this deal and the Indonesian government gets to legalise their software. Definitely a step forward in reducing the rate of piracy.

[Chesso 0]

They get it for $1? and we have to pay over $100? if this story became well known I could imagine some very pissed off people would be more then happy to speak their mind....I suppose they can't just say you can buy it for $1 if you pirate it.... alot of people would be doing it heh. But isn't pirating (based on VHS) technically the distribution in an attempt to gain money as opposed to plain using it....

[yordan 10]

They get it for $1? and we have to pay over $100?

I guess it's a symbolic punishment. They pay $1 for each "old" pirated version, and starting from new every time they install Windows they will pay the full $100 price.

[zomowiec 0]

I guess it's a symbolic punishment. They pay $1 for each "old" pirated version, and starting from new every time they install Windows they will pay the full $100 price.

uhh i hope so ..it looks unfair 4 me

[Quatrux 4]

Well, I don't see anything bad about it, it is an agreement which both sides are "happy".. So I guess it is alright, besides piracy is very high in Asian countries even in the government and official companies.. Some of them even is moving to Linux, I read some article about it some time ago.. But with time this will change and piracy will get lower, it is getting lower in for example my country, it is very dangerous to register a company or similar with pirated windows or software, some use Linux, but it is minority.. Furthermore, I think piracy will still remain in the home market, because it is against my rights to come for somebody into my house and check my software, so I or other people don't need to be afraid using something illegally, even though it is recommended to buy software.

[Chesso 0]

I believe it's mostly businesses and those making money from pirating software that need to be cracked down. Obviously they have no excuse at all and selling someone else's work in this case has been wrong and rattled through our heads for decades.Anyone remember the ads that ended up on most VHS tapes about pirating?

[demolaynyc 0]

Wow, I was surprised to find out that even some government computers use illegal software. I thought it would be only to private owners and maybe a handful of small businesses but the government? Well I guess since it's Indonesia, there could be a reason. Not being racist or anything but I too am a Pacific Islander. I guess MS selling it a dollar per copy=50,000 dollars is pretty fair compared to charging them retail price per illegal copy which would be estimated around 5,000,000 dollars considering they have at least 50,000 gov computers using illegal copy and the software is sold for 100 dollars.