The LA Times explains a few facts of life to a computer giant:
"After Microsoft shut down a popular Chinese-language blog recently, a barrage of anti-Microsoft messages began zinging around the blogosphere in China. One of them took that famous photo of a lone student blocking a line of tanks near Tiananmen Square and superimposed the Microsoft logo on each tank.
"Such an image is unlikely to improve Microsoft's reputation in China. It may even be more damaging to its prospects than irritating China's propaganda ministry, gatekeeper of all information-based business and the minder that Microsoft and other Western media companies are constantly trying to please.
"Doing business in China requires flexibility. The law, where it exists, is often irrelevant; it is the decision-making of individual officials that matters. Western businesses sometimes have to bend over backward to please officials in order to secure access to China's enormous market. Sometimes they go too far - and this appears to be one of those times."
Let's not forget that Bill Gates was recently anointed one of Time magazine's Persons of the Year.
"After Microsoft shut down a popular Chinese-language blog recently, a barrage of anti-Microsoft messages began zinging around the blogosphere in China. One of them took that famous photo of a lone student blocking a line of tanks near Tiananmen Square and superimposed the Microsoft logo on each tank.
"Such an image is unlikely to improve Microsoft's reputation in China. It may even be more damaging to its prospects than irritating China's propaganda ministry, gatekeeper of all information-based business and the minder that Microsoft and other Western media companies are constantly trying to please.
"Doing business in China requires flexibility. The law, where it exists, is often irrelevant; it is the decision-making of individual officials that matters. Western businesses sometimes have to bend over backward to please officials in order to secure access to China's enormous market. Sometimes they go too far - and this appears to be one of those times."
Let's not forget that Bill Gates was recently anointed one of Time magazine's Persons of the Year.
1 Comments:
Bill Gates is a very good man antony, do not fall into the habit of associating microsoft directors decisions whith the actions or intentions of Mr Gates.
The Bill & Linda Gates foundation provides educational supplies to millions around the world, and gates is nearly every year leading the donation tallies for many good causes world wide.
Microsoft is a corporation bent on making money, Bill Gates just recieves royalties now-a-days.
However he would probably be a great person to appeal to in a hope of stopping this kind of blog-censorship for corporate interests.
[olivebranch]
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