Software Piracy in China has increased with the use of Netac’s USB drives holding copies of Windows7. Netac, a USB hardware maker is the hardware of choice by software pirates.
Speed. That is the reason software pirates are installing Windows7 on computers from a USB is faster than CD or DVD. The price is about $14. Private individuals are interested in buying Windows7, but not a new computer with Windows7 pre-installed.
Windows7
Apparently, Microsoft had considered selling Windows7 on a USB drive earlier in 2009 but changed its mind about it. Instead they offered Windows7 via download or CD to those that needed a self contained version without including a computer purchase.
Netac Technologies
The Chinese Website www.tech163.com offers a description of the software practice. Here is Google’s interpretation from Chinese:
“User posted days ago, we received news that bought in Shenzhen, SEG Plaza, a CEO with Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer’s signature U-disk, in addition to Microsoft CEO’s signature in addition, this most daring move U disk is also pre-loaded with Microsoft’s flagship operating system, version of Win7, and is 10-in-One version of the.
From the packaging point of view, this is a U disk like Windows 7 Ultimate software, packaging, U disk is marked by Netac U208 words, a capacity of 8GB, but obviously it would not be authentic Netac U plate.
A net friend to spend 98 yuan to buy the “value” U disk, insert the PC after the U disk is recognized as USB-CDROM, and a 5GB mobile disk, USB-CDROM or a 10-in-One version.
Of pirated copies can achieve this, the cottage manufacturers had to admire the bold and creative, but for Microsoft, as well as Netac who simply wish to the anti-piracy really is not easy.”
Netac USB drives with Windows7
This report comes in the heels of Taiwanese police announcing the confiscation of large numbers of pirated copies of Windows7 at the end of November 2009.
But in a larger scope, Microsoft has initiated an anti-piracy inititative involving more than 70 countries. The initiative involves education and enforcement actions. Some of the Anti-Piracy inititives around the world include:
- Greece: a children’s online safety program
- Germany: an originals club for software resellers
- China: an intellectual property rights education program in schools
- Argentina: a study of piracy’s impact on small and midsize businesses
- Mexico: a risk-of-counterfeit training course for the consumer protection authority
