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Microsoft defeat in Chinese suit bans Windows XP

updated 03:15 pm EST, Tue November 17, 2009

MS loses lawsuit over Windows fonts

Microsoft today lost a lawsuit that could temporarly block it from selling netbooks and other PCs in China (registration required). A Beijing Intermediary People’s Court determined on Tuesday that two fonts used in Windows 98 SE, 2000, XP and Server 2003 weren't properly licensed from Zhongyi Electronic and that Microsoft must pull sales of any of those releases from the Chinese market. The two companies already had a license agreement but have disagreed over what it covered.

While 98 SE, 2000 and Server 2003 have effectively left the market, the move could put a temporary halt to many budget PCs in the populous nation. The launch of Windows 7 will likely let companies continue to offer netbooks, but many designs released before Windows 7, or those that won't meet it requirements, could be forced out of the market unless Microsoft provides a workaround.

The American company hasn't said whether it plans such an approach but plans to appeal the verdict and claims that it has values intellectual property rights and only uses technology when it believes it has a license to do so.

 
Previous Comments

Muwahahahaha

11/17, 04:11pm reply

And this in a country where Copyright is translated as the right to copy.....

tortenteufel

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2007

+4

Should not cause a sales drop

11/17, 05:02pm reply


Everyone pirates XP over there anyway, MS shouldn't notice any loss of revenue from this move. lol.

DeezNutts

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2008

+5

Young Republicans

11/17, 06:01pm reply

Nice to see the young republicans posting their xenophobic drivel... and with correct spelling too!

Feathers

Forum Regular

Joined: Oct 1999

-7

I'm not Republican by a long shot

11/17, 06:16pm reply

and I live in China. There is plenty of "xenophobic drivel" out there, especially from Republicans, however what they say is true. Walk down a street in any Chinese city and you will see Win-dohs bootlegs everywhere. I have a Chinese wife and close ties to this place in many ways, but Chinese piracy is a fact not a deluded pipe dream (like the Obama birth certificate b.s.)

thebiggfrogg

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2007

+9

Republican ?

11/18, 03:54am reply

I'm from a country where we can chose from more parties than two......

tortenteufel

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2007

+3

Hmmmm

11/18, 04:55am reply

No correct spelling this time. Blast.

tortenteufel

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2007

+1

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