"Alias" <aka@[notme]maskedandanonymous.org> wrote in message
news:etJHlXSEGHA.1404@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Vanguard wrote:
>
> You're a moron.

Yeah, I already knew that was coming. Big surprise. Your means of "proof"
got exposed. Your balloon popped.

> I gave you two urls of the biggests computer stores chains in Spain that
> sell OEM software

Who says pirates have to wee tiny peddlers constantly evading prosecution by
using temporary Internet sites? There are hundreds if not thousands of
sites peddling pirated software, some even in my own country. Just because
they create a site and provide a business doesn't qualify that they are
doing legal business. The legal means of shutting down illegal businesses
is slow and erratic.

> and you give me links to music and video/dvd piracy.

And software. Actually read the articles. "In 2004, the number of street
vendors selling pirate optical disc products has continued to grow." And
what did YOU get for distribution media for that software? Oh, yes, we are
all so confident that someone who steals music, videos, and "entertainment"
software would never ever steal "other" software, too. Uh huh. They have
all the equipment to press labelled CDs that look like the legal copies but,
of course, they would never use that equipment to store software on those
same CD blanks. Of course pirates who are involved in producing fake music
and video CDs and entertainment software would always become morally upright
when it comes to other software piracy. Uh huh. I didn't realize that
pirates were so select in what they steal.

There are changes coming in Spain but it doesn't seem like they did anything
until sometime in 2003.

> These stores are completely legal

In Spain perhaps. But peddling 12-year old kids to pedophiles might be
legal in some countries but it is still wrong. Legality and morality are
not always in sync. Spain, Indonesia, and other countries, whether legal or
not within their own domain, are a pariah to the rest of the international
community.

> and they get their OEMs from Microsoft who has offices in Spain.

Maybe but you don't have proof that the CDs sold from those stores actually
came from Microsoft. You think all pirates are some joker sitting in his
seller using his CD-RW drive and using a Sharpie marker to label CDs to sell
pirated software? Professionally produced pirated software can be
indistinguishable from the real thing, just like you can get fake IDs that
are perfect copies using even the same technology used to produce the real
IDs.

> I was not pointing you to the music, videos, dvds, etc. sold on the
> street. So, if these computer stores are pirates, Microsoft is too.

It is impossible to pirate yourself. If you have proof that these stores in
Spain have a non-standard OEM contract then do so. Otherwise, you have no
clue as to whether the copies are legal or not. From articles by Microsoft
regarding Spain, Microsoft *is* attempting to stop the pirating there but
they also work within the law which means they are attempting to change the
laws there. You really think if pirates weren't producing their own copies
that they would buy them direct from Microsoft who could shut down the
supply channel in an instant?

The fact that these stores have to go to such great lengths in an attempt to
prove their claim that their product is legitimate makes them suspicious by
that act. "Methinks thou doust protest too much" (William Shakespeare).
You don't have the proof as you claim. I don't, either! How many
legitimate sellers do you visit that have to go to such lengths to proclaim
their innocence? Your proof wasn't proof at all. It can be damn hard if
not impossible to determine if you have a legitimate copy of not.