“We think it’s an approach that addresses the root of the problem”
Microsoft has signed a 3-year agreement aimed at making the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou “a model for innovation and protection of intellectual property.” Microsoft will set up a “center to focus on developing the local technology industry and for Microsoft to provide curriculum support, technology and training for teachers at Hangzhou Normal University through an institute set up to nurture local innovation.
Nice carrot, what about a stick?
Enter Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage program, which “turns the wallpaper of computers using pirated Windows software black and notifies users, urging them to get a legitimate copy.” I can only imagine how annoying this would be and I have to wonder: would this sort of approach work with other content, such as DVDs? Is guilt more powerful than threatened litigation? It will be interesting to see what kind of results the Genuine Advantage program generates.
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