On BNET: 5 classic computer pranks
BNET Business Network:
BNET
TechRepublic
ZDNet
TalkBack 21 of 61:
Next »
« Previous
Not really
IP (so called) is just a franchise monopoly that governments may decide to grant if they find it to be in the public interest; it was not regarded as a fundamental right anywhere in the world until very recently (it is now promoted as such by those with large financial stakes in it). On the other hand, the privileges of speaking one's mind on all subjects and of worshiping in accordance with the dictates of ones own conscience are considered to be fundamental rights in the US and every other western democracy ahd have been for a very long time. Citizens of countries where such rights are guaranteed (and corporations chartered there) may indeed participate in their negation elsewhere in the world, if they choose, but by doing so, they undermine it at home. IMHO, defending tyranny abroad is the same as advocating it at home; doesn't matter if the tyrant is Communist, Fascist, militarist, Islamist or anything else. We can't easily change the policies of foreign governments we find repugnant, but we don't have to help those governments to carry them out either.

If participation in political repression is a prerequisite for doing business a foreign country, then it is better not to do business there. Others may single MS out, but I consider Google and Yahoo to be just as guilty.
Posted by: John L. Ries   Posted on: 07/21/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
Reply to Story Reply to Message

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

Capitalistic greed versus ethics  whisperycat | 07/21/05
In China you play by China's rules  voska | 07/21/05
Nevertheless...  John L. Ries | 07/21/05
I guess...  jdahs@... | 07/21/05
I live there  John L. Ries | 07/21/05
Besides...  John L. Ries | 07/21/05
SO MS should ignore the laws, even in the EU?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 07/21/05
No.  John L. Ries | 07/21/05
Missed something  Loverock Davidson | 07/21/05
Microsoft DOES NOT NEED anyone to  michael_t | 07/21/05
OMG  Loverock Davidson | 07/21/05
fair and balanced???  stormdoor | 07/21/05
OMG like Dude, Like we agree, ya know  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
Well it is a full moon tonight (NT  Loverock Davidson | 07/21/05
Try reading the links I posted before sounding off ...  whisperycat | 07/21/05
Just responding in kind  rapson | 07/21/05
And what of the actual articles I linked?  whisperycat | 07/21/05
Are you saying...  rapson | 07/21/05
I did  Loverock Davidson | 07/21/05
Funny how...  rapson | 07/21/05
Not really  John L. Ries | 07/21/05
Misdirection  rapson | 07/21/05
Apples and oranges  John L. Ries | 07/21/05
MicroSoft - Google - Yahoo SAME SAME  RobertoSalazar | 07/21/05
China is their group of beta-testers for what is going to be released upon  HypnoToad | 07/21/05
Capitalistic Ethics  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
Your opinion, my opinion  whisperycat | 07/21/05
My opinion  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
Not so thin  whisperycat | 07/21/05
Fair Enough  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
Ethics cause you to quit  voska | 07/21/05
I have no problem with that Voska  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
Indeed, the stars have aligned...  Confused by religion | 07/21/05
One Love (NT)  Loverock Davidson | 07/21/05
Democracy?  jdahs@... | 07/21/05
Who's talking about democracy?  John L. Ries | 07/21/05
If anything  qingshuo | 07/21/05
Google out of their league....  Mike Cox | 07/21/05
Hillarious(nt)  Real World | 07/21/05
Yo MJB  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
ROFL  Real World | 07/21/05
Your post proves it: You've been sarcastic and sardonic all along!  HypnoToad | 07/21/05
Finally  shallow_diver | 07/21/05
Welcome to the Dark Side of the FARCE  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
and now you figure that out ? ;_) nt  michael_t | 07/21/05
Good one  Loverock Davidson | 07/21/05
Message has been deleted.  itanalyst | 07/21/05
Pop a Prozac and chill.  shallow_diver | 07/21/05
Feeling a little tense itanalyst  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
ZDNet Has Been Deleted  itanalyst | 07/21/05
Promises, promises  rapson | 07/21/05
9.78645382 Fortune cookies!!!! ROTFL  Squawkbox | 07/21/05
My Unix Rep Says "Mike Cox Dresses Like A Catholic Schoolgirl"  itanalyst | 07/21/05
Your Unix Rep had..  jdahs@... | 07/21/05
Agree with Mike  grincity2003 | 07/21/05
MS s/w assurance is in the fortune cookies ONLY  michael_t | 07/21/05
I didn't know communists were in such hot demand.  HypnoToad | 07/21/05
So you're anti-communist?  voska | 07/21/05
It seems to me that...  BitTwiddler | 07/21/05
Or like having the water concession in the desert.  Anton Philidor | 07/21/05
Google bought credibility...  Anton Philidor | 07/21/05

What do you think?

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

advertisement
advertisement