Microsoft China steals Plurk site code and design!

Microsoft China steals Plurk site code and design!
Dec 18, 2009 01:20
JIMMYB Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: offline	Plurk, a popular microblogging service in Asia, claimed that Microsoft China stole the code of its site and slightly changed it and used it on MSN Juku, also called Club MSN site. Yesterday, Microsoft China made a statement, saying that the code of MSN Juku was offered by an independent vendor. Two network engineers copied the code of Plurk site and used it on MSN Juku. Meanwhile, Microsoft China made an aplology to Plurk for the intellectual property infringement. It is also said that Microsoft China has indefinitely suspended MSN Juku testing. Actually, it is not the first time that Microsoft has been involved in intellectual property infringement. Last month, Beijing No.1 Intermediate People′s Court judged in its first trial that Microsoft was found guilty of infringing the intellectual property rights of Zhongyi Electronic Limited in China. According to the judgement, Microsoft has infringed the copyrights of Zhongyi's typefaces.

Dec 18, 2009 01:20

JIMMYB
Points:
Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
Status: offline

Plurk, a popular microblogging service in Asia, claimed that Microsoft China stole the code of its site and slightly changed it and used it on MSN Juku, also called Club MSN site.

Yesterday, Microsoft China made a statement, saying that the code of MSN Juku was offered by an independent vendor. Two network engineers copied the code of Plurk site and used it on MSN Juku. Meanwhile, Microsoft China made an aplology to Plurk for the intellectual property infringement.

It is also said that Microsoft China has indefinitely suspended MSN Juku testing.

Actually, it is not the first time that Microsoft has been involved in intellectual property infringement. Last month, Beijing No.1 Intermediate People′s Court judged in its first trial that Microsoft was found guilty of infringing the intellectual property rights of Zhongyi Electronic Limited in China. According to the judgement, Microsoft has infringed the copyrights of Zhongyi's typefaces.

Jan 23, 2010 23:26

APAULT
Points:
Join Date: Mar 11, 2006
Status: Offline

But the main point is that Microsoft did not deliberately infringe property rights as it bought the code from a business which claimed it owned the intellectual property rights. The business that sold the 'rights' to Microsoft seems to have acted fraudulently. Microsoft did the correct thing by ceasing testing the product and will not put it into production. It acted totally properly.

Anyhow, isn't it rather a case of the 'pot calling the kettle black'? There is so much pirating of copyright material in China that it is somewhat hypocritical to point a finger at an accidental breach by a foreign company?

A

Jan 23, 2010 23:28	#2
APAULT Points: Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Status: Offline	I should also have asked the question 'How many businesses in China are using unpaid for copies of Windows?' "Physician heal thyself" is a well known biblical quote (meaning the same as 'the pot calling the kettle black' that I used earlier.

Post a Reply to: Microsoft China steals Plurk site code and design!