In the small town of Fang where I live, my Thai friend has run a successful computer shop for the last ten years. He recently got a letter from some police dept. which informed him of the possible visit by representatives of the Micros@ft company. They would be checking for any computers on the premises which do not have licensed Windows installed.

So he has had to close his main repair business and can only sell accessories and printer stuff now.

Another stupid idea from somebody who is getting paid to ruin his own country and the people's chance to advance in modern technology...

I bet they wouldn't dare try it in China.....

In the small town of Fang where I live, my Thai friend has run a successful computer shop for the last ten years. He recently got a letter from some police dept. which informed him of the possible visit by representatives of the Micros@ft company. They would be checking for any computers on the premises which do not have licensed Windows installed.

So he has had to close his main repair business and can only sell accessories and printer stuff now.

Another stupid idea from somebody who is getting paid to ruin his own country and the people's chance to advance in modern technology...

I bet they wouldn't dare try it in China.....

So why not just sell the PC's with Linux or dos on them - everyone knows where they can get dodgy OS to put on themselves - if they want to take the risk - no reason why he can't sell the hardware. He could also ask to see search warrants - even here public does not have the right to search another persons home or business, why would M$ employees be any different?

Agree with wolf.

There's little functional difference that the average Thai person would be able to see from Windows and Linux.

At the same time....why the defense for someone who's stealing intellectual property? F/OSS writers are overjoyed when you use their products and get others to use it (they're even happier if you paypal them some money now and again).

I find this story a bit fishy; if he is really a "repair business" than Microsoft can't say anything to him about other people's computers. Furthermore no company can make it on just selling systems--it's the repairs and support that are the real money earners (unless of course you're pirating software and charging customers the full Microsoft price for it).

So all-in-all not much sympathy for the guy.

In the small town of Fang where I live, my Thai friend has run a successful computer shop for the last ten years. He recently got a letter from some police dept. which informed him of the possible visit by representatives of the Micros@ft company. They would be checking for any computers on the premises which do not have licensed Windows installed.

So he has had to close his main repair business and can only sell accessories and printer stuff now.

Another stupid idea from somebody who is getting paid to ruin his own country and the people's chance to advance in modern technology...

I bet they wouldn't dare try it in China.....

So if someone stole your property you would not do anything about it?

So if someone stole your property you would not do anything about it?

Er ... shouldn't this thread be merged with http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-Post...10#entry3049510

So every computer shop in the country must close...because he is not allowed to handle any computer with non-licensed Windows on it!?

Fang sounds a little off the beaten track for such checks?

Fang sounds a little off the beaten track for such checks?

Having computers on your premises for repair that have an unlicenced OS on them is not an offence.

pirating and Installing unlicenced software and using it is the offence.

Edited October 9, 200916 yr by cyb

Fang sounds a little off the beaten track for such checks?

i find this story to be very hard to believe.

Fang sounds a little off the beaten track for such checks?

i find this story to be very hard to believe.

It does seem a little odd.

A business should get legal or get out of the business. He can always install Linux systems rather than illegal Windows systems.

Edited October 9, 200916 yr by Gary A

A business should get legal or get out of the business. He can always install Linux systems rather than illegal Windows systems.

The op is talking about a computer repair business that has customers computers on site with non licenced OS.

He cannot legally install another system without the owners permission.

I think this story is either:

1. Untrue.

2. A misunderstanding.

3. Someone either intimidating or having a laugh at the shop owner in question.

Just out of curiosity. If you lost your sticker and mislaid the original installation disk how would the M$ police know you were not using a genuine copy?

Just out of curiosity. If you lost your sticker and mislaid the original installation disk how would the M$ police know you were not using a genuine copy?

There's software for that.

Many genuine cyber operators have gone Linux - its a no-brainer - a browser is a browser.

Just out of curiosity. If you lost your sticker and mislaid the original installation disk how would the M$ police know you were not using a genuine copy?

There's software for that.

It's called windows validation.

In the small town of Fang where I live, my Thai friend has run a successful computer shop for the last ten years. He recently got a letter from some police dept. which informed him of the possible visit by representatives of the Micros@ft company. They would be checking for any computers on the premises which do not have licensed Windows installed.

So he has had to close his main repair business and can only sell accessories and printer stuff now.

Another stupid idea from somebody who is getting paid to ruin his own country and the people's chance to advance in modern technology...

I bet they wouldn't dare try it in China.....

Tell him to open as usual,Microsft does not even know where Pai is,let alone check.

Be I paranoid,I would consider the local BIB a possible.

And as for you ar-ewipes who are going on about a little bloke in Pai trying to make a Baht to make ends meet versus Bill Gaites,the richest man in the World pull your head out your ar-es.

The next post you will make will be to tell us all here how you enjoy and understand the Thai people.

Try understand their desparation.

Tell him to open as usual,Microsft does not even know where Pai is,let alone check.

Be I paranoid,I would consider the local BIB a possible.

And as for you ar-ewipes who are going on about a little bloke in Pai trying to make a Baht to make ends meet versus Bill Gaites,the richest man in the World pull your head out your ar-es.

The next post you will make will be to tell us all here how you enjoy and understand the Thai people.

Try understand their desperation to feed their families.UP YOUR'S.

What you mean, it's stealing. There is no need to sell illegal software for anyone to feed their families. Money comes from the machine in the wall and everyone has the card. Ask any 12 year old, they will tell you.

Tell him to open as usual,Microsft does not even know where Pai is,let alone check.

Be I paranoid,I would consider the local BIB a possible.

And as for you ar-ewipes who are going on about a little bloke in Pai trying to make a Baht to make ends meet versus Bill Gaites,the richest man in the World pull your head out your ar-es.

The next post you will make will be to tell us all here how you enjoy and understand the Thai people.

Try understand their desperation to feed their families.UP YOUR'S.

What you mean, it's stealing. There is no need to sell illegal software for anyone to feed their families. Money comes from the machine in the wall and everyone has the card. Ask any 12 year old, they will tell you.

If there is no money in the bank then that well you call hole in wall comes up dry.

I thought this was about Fang, not Pai? Anyway....

Microsoft is funding the BSA which is an organization that's supposed to fight copyright infringements. And the BSA might very well have people in unlikely places. Most of the time they are pretty toothless but of course in Thailand that may be different if they have connections to the local Police - this is not a country where the rule of the law or due process is respected.

Anyway, rather than closing up shop (?!?!) the owner could for one, take the stance that he's not responsible for customer's computers, or for policing customer's computers. And he could install Linux on the systems he sells.

A business should get legal or get out of the business. He can always install Linux systems rather than illegal Windows systems.

The op is talking about a computer repair business that has customers computers on site with non licenced OS.

He cannot legally install another system without the owners permission.

Nor would he need to. Under that scenario, it would the the customer who sent his computer for repair who would be in violation of copyright law, not the repair shop. The only reason that the shop might be liable would be if the customer had bought the PC from that shop and that they did not know that copy of Windows installed on it was illegal.

Just out of curiosity. If you lost your sticker and mislaid the original installation disk how would the M$ police know you were not using a genuine copy?

There's software for that.

It's called windows validation.

I have heard that even some illegal copies can pass the M$ validation

Well maybe there's be a silver lining, I won't have to listen to people whinning about the PC they purcahsed X days ago now has an vista activation warning, the virus software that was installed has now an error window saying the key is counterfeit.. blah blah blah..

Regardless of how much money bill gates has, it's simple case of if you dont want to pay for it, then dont use it, there are good many *nix alternatives.

As for the story it sounds a bit fishy, is your "friend" overreacting? has this scenario actually occured? He cant help it if the customer brings in a PC for attention that has an non genuine license, but then if the problem if related to resetting the activation, changing the key, or any of the other xp/vista hacks then sure he shouldnt be doing that. Tell the customer over the life time of an OS/computer, saying maybe 5-7 years, that the cost of OEM home edition of xp/vista/win7 outweighs the attention a hacked version will need (who knows how aggresive the next service packs will be)..

Edited October 11, 200916 yr by mattcodes

Just out of curiosity. If you lost your sticker and mislaid the original installation disk how would the M$ police know you were not using a genuine copy?

There's software for that.

It's called windows validation.

I have heard that even some illegal copies can pass the M$ validation

Not true an illegal copy cannot pass windows validation, Only circumvent the validation procedure.

few weeks ago here in pai, they sent undercover whatever with hiddden cameras into all the telephone shops and got them on tape loading up telephones with 'illegal' mp3s

the police then showed up a week later with the video and demanded 40k baht per shop

I think all the shops ended up paying 10k each.