Microsoft is Embracing Big-Brother
October 27, 2008 by Kirin Knapp
Microsoft is watching you. Next time you automatically update your computer, you may get more than you anticipated. In Microsoft’s Windows XP and Vista, there has been a security feature utilized by the big company for a while now, however it was just recently that they upgraded it to be more intrusive than before. The target? China, for now.
Countless amounts of people in China are heated about the Microsoft update that detects whether they’re using knock-off or pirated operating systems. If they are not using a legit operating system it will turn their desktop black and display a warning message. It does not seem to effect the operating system’s performance in any way, and you can override the black screen, but it will reappear every hour.
Microsoft decided to start cracking down on the pirated software in China, specifically because there is such a high percentage of people using “free” versions. The people of China complain that Microsoft’s prices are too high for them to afford, so they resort to alternatives. Cheaper knock-off versions can be obtained for around 2 American dollars, or simply found for free. Why not get the cheaper version if it is readily available for the consumers?
Legality issues are certainly obvious here, but how far is too far? Microsoft says it’s within China’s laws on this one, but does that mean it’s right? Microsoft having eyes watching your every move, is a little too Big-Brother for many.
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