Microsoft sells only 244 copies of Vista in China

Somehow I doubt MS's strategy of a cheap XP version would work in China. I'm guessing MS still prefers the current situation to a strong alternative coming from China.

allow me to grin me arse off. China dont care 2 bits of a tadpole's arriere if microsoft complains or not. as long as they arent involved themselves.

An unchangable problem at this time. Though no one really uses Vista, Windows XP Pro & Office is like shareware:D. The difference between piracy here and in England or Le states is that most people (and more importantly businesses) still buy the legitimate way where as China only has the illegitimate way.

If all the businesses and Schools in this country paid what we pay for Windows and office, well.... They'd change to Linux!

I think this has more to say about Vista than software theft in China.
You could give me copies of XP and Vista (I have been with XP) and I would not use them, Win2000 is still by far the best M$ OS, and going to be the longest supported from the last time I read the M$ lifeline page.

Originally Posted by Nature

If all the businesses and Schools in this country paid what we pay for Windows and office, well.... They'd change to Linux!

I`ve seen a documentary about the Chinese Government changing complitly to Red Flag linux, a redhat based linux specially coded for them. I like the idea.

Ok back on topic. 244 copies? You must be kiddin. There most be stores who sold more then that in the launch week.

lol unless there was a lucky lucky man outside every store selling knock offs :P

that is pathetic.

What a perfect place to hold the IDF then!

Even though that probably has no relevance what so ever :)

I think some stores got offer a better % of profit, per Vista copy sold.
Yet that does not come from MS but some counter-fit group.
That COULD be one of many reason it only sold ~200 copies.

Also, I think that even if Vista was sold at 50$ for the Ultimate... they would have similar results. Just spread to other countries (as export of the 50$ copies would be done)

Even if MS made a special version with extra software protection, the pirates would simply use the Europe or US version of Vista.

This problem, I beleive, is due to the lack of intervention of piracy in China by the government. (probably because MS is a western company)

I love how nobody really reads the article accept the guy above me. This is not a sales issue it is a piracy issue.

^^^ I think we had already figured that out and thus did not see a need to repeat it.

People are also forgetting that Vista costs the same over there as it does in the states, yet a huge number of people earn hardly anything.

So, lets think about this. If MS had not wasted money on advertising there, probably millions, how much less would ultimate have cost the rest of us? Even fifty bucks off the current price would be nice, though it still feels like highway robbery.

That's ridiculous! A whole country only purchases 244 legit copies? The population is massive and isn't China a major holder of many net surfers so shouldn't they at least have bought a home edition? The numbers should show rather then a measly count of two hundred rather compared to a million possible users. However, Ramble's right about the cost and how an extreme majority of them can not afford it. Still... the thought just puts me out of place, especially where 90% of the country just cheats the system. It just doesn't settle. I can see what L2wis stated happen but I have this relentless nagging guess that even retailers there (who look official) are doing the same thing. It'd explain MS' short comings in my opinion based on the fact that more then half the country are pirates.

^Yarg. :p (Sorry couldn't help myself.)

Originally Posted by Lenny_Nero
I think this has more to say about Vista than software theft in China.
You could give me copies of XP and Vista (I have been with XP) and I would not use them, Win2000 is still by far the best M$ OS, and going to be the longest supported from the last time I read the M$ lifeline page.

Well, I'm willing to bet anything there were more copies of Vista being used than 244. It's true that some people have reservations about upgrading, but for one of the fastest growing economic centers, the largest population, and undoubtedly millions of computer users, you'd think there would be more than 244 legitimate keys distributed to a long-awaited OS.

Well, Vista isn't probably worth buying until at least sp2 comes out, around 2010

OFF TOPIC:
------------------------------------------------------
zndkwin
wtf?!?

in 2010, I think MS would release a new version of Windows...
The ONLY reason why XP had XP2, was because Longhorn was not ready, yet. So basically SP2 had some of bug fixes and feature (Windows Firewall) that were supposed to be for Longhorn.

I think if you have a end-2005 to now, computer and you spend at least 1k Can (custom build), you should be good for Vista. Maybe a RAM upgrade at most but that IS ALL.

Anyway, I don't think that SP1 will come out for Vista. Or it will just be an update pack... (so you have 1 update instead of 1000) no new features.
We have to wait and see...

The problem with you and many, is that you look at the cover, and go "oh a new skin, that sucks..." BUT THAT WAS THE SAME FOR XP! You have to look under the hood:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_features_new_to_Windows_Vista
AND
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_Windows_Vista

I don't know about you, but the list is VERY long.... And for me I find it VERY interesting.

Just the fact of having this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vista_Shutdown.gif
and
"Skip file" button on the CUT/COPY/DELETE/MOVE dialog box
and
All the annoying bugs like application stealing focus, tool tip does not appear above Start-bar, and others, fixed
and lastly,
DirectX10, SuperFetch, ReadyBoost (both of them, explains why it uses more RAM), ReadyDrive, and way better resource management
is already enough for me to buy the retail copy of it.

If you think it's useless... well here the perfect windows for you:
http://www.cadenhead.org/workbench/gems/ms-windows-1.jpg
In fact I think that might be a bit too much for you ;)
Sorry just kidding!

And for the fun of it:
http://carcino.gen.nz/images/index.php/35a796d8/2a5917cd

END OFFTOPIC:
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Just to illustrate the state of piracy in China.

I have a friend doing his placement out there and he gets offered any piece of software new or old for 0.50€ (50 cents).

Why would someone spend $3 for a crippled windows when they can get a full working one for $1.50? startling

I wouldn't pay a single cent for pirated software..

in third world coutries i believe that statement doesnt apply :( in the philippines though microsoft is going to sell to the GOVERNMENT ONLY.. thus canot be obtained by mere normal people.... a $3 version of windows vista starters edition as well as starters edition of microsoft office for $3 as well. Not much but that should help a lot in making sure installed software on schools etc without that much funding can get a legit software on their pc's without having to resort to piracy which is not helping anyone at all.

I wonder how many actually even got vista. pirated or not you would need to pay me to use that **** over xp. I would like to see what their sales rates for xp were and have been in china. In the end china is to smart to get ****ed by vista so they are simply kicking it with xp and a nice chink of free ram so they can actually run other programs.

Originally Posted by ZERO <ibis>
I wonder how many actually even got vista. pirated or not you would need to pay me to use that **** over xp. I would like to see what their sales rates for xp were and have been in china. In the end china is to smart to get ****ed by vista so they are simply kicking it with xp and a nice chink of free ram so they can actually run other programs.

Oh gosh, how many times does this have to be said RAM is there to be used

If there's a lot of spare RAM then the OS isn't using it properly leading to wasted money.

*nix based systems have been using 99% of RAM since birth.

Exactly. The OS is supposed to use as much RAM as possible, that's how PCs can run quickly. If they don't use all the RAM they have to use more swap, which is a lot slower.

Yep, heck Vista run perfectly smoothly, without disabling any feature on my:
AMD Athlon XP 2500+
with 512MB of RAM (~40-50% is being used)
and a Geforce FX 5900
Nforce 2 Mobo. (yes even with the XP driver hack)
Games are slightly slower over XP, but you can clearly see it's a driver issue, as all my big time application like Photoshop, Flash, AVG, etc.. takes less time to load over XP.