Comments on: Microsoft Insults the People of China, Oman, the Newly-elected President

By: Roy Schestowitz

Roy Schestowitz — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:06:55 +0000

I ought to add that I corrected this post, changing the text from “Jordan” to “Oman”. I confused Amman with Oman.

By: Needs Sunlight

Needs Sunlight — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:02:03 +0000

It gets better. In 2006 on his first to the US as president of China, Hu didn’t even rate a welcome at the White House until he first was called on the carpet and made to answer to minor politicians like Gates:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/04/19/77549_HNprezhuandgates_1.html

So from the get-go, Hu has been kowtowing to Gates.

By: pcolon

pcolon — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:48:40 +0000

IIRC, a couple of years ago South Korea was trying to negotiate better pricing on Microsoft products. The people negotiating said if they couldn’t get better deals were going to have to use FOSS instead. Not clear as to who said it whether it was Gates or Balmer, but the gist of the message was who needs their business, let them use FOSS, they’re small potatoes anyway.

I think they regretted that move since South Korea has been negotiating with Hansoft and proceeded to substitute windows & office. Now Microsoft’s playing the “dumping” strategy in that area without much success. I think China is a tad bigger than South Korea.