08.10.09
Microsoft Caught ‘Stealing’ Music, Accuses Others of ‘Stealing’ Office
Summary: Hypocrisy from Microsoft and aggression towards sellers of its software
THE FOLLOWING story totally failed to make it into the mainstream press, but blogs are actively discussing Microsoft’s ‘theft’ (copying) of someone else’s work.
Oh my God! Microsoft STOLE LittleBigPlanet’s music!
Today, on what must obviously be an incredibly slow news day, Microsoft has come under fire for BLATANT THEFT, shamelessly stealing the music that was 100% totally invented for LittleBigPlanet. This incalculable controversy has swept up the gaming blogs in such a whirlwind of confusion that the videogame industry may never recover.
Shame on Microsoft, especially for being hypocrites who accuse others of imitating. This includes GNU/Linux as a victim.
Speaking of ‘stealing’ or ‘pirating’ (counterfeiting), watch what Microsoft does to people who spread its software. In essence, Microsoft is sending former partners to prison or driving them into bankruptcy [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The owner of a small computer repair shop in Torrington has been going toe-to-toe with Microsoft after the software giant accused Johnson last year of selling pirated software and infringing on the company’s copyrights and trademarks.
[...]
According to court filings, he sold the software to Patricia Ubran, a Microsoft investigator who specifically asked him to buy a copy of Office 2003 from e-Bay and install it on two computers for her because Office 2007 was too expensive.
How reputable a trap/bait. Microsoft has investigators masquerading as customers who lure people into little scams. Microsoft’s scapegoat, Kent Johnson in this case, ought to just sell GNU/Linux and Free software (such as OpenOffice.org) on those PCs. █
“It’s easier for our software to compete with Linux when there’s piracy than when there’s not.”
–Bill Gates
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Charles Oliver said,
August 10, 2009 at 8:41 am
It seems that you missed the second paragraph from the story you quote at the top
“On a more serious note, Go Team’s “Get It Together” is a song that existed long before LittleBigPlanet came along, and has been a staple in commercials and television trailers for years. I had heard “Get It Together” long before LittleBigPlanet existed, as it’s been used to promote all sorts of things, at least in Britain. That Microsoft would use it for an advert may be a tiny bit notable for we hardcore gamers and fanboys looking to start a fight, but it’s not that big a deal.”
http://www.destructoid.com/oh-my-god-microsoft-stole-littlebigplanet-s-music–143064.phtml
So I presume this is a case of Microsoft using the same music as LittleBigPlanet but that this doesn’t mean that Microsoft did not pay for it’s use or that they used it in some way illegally.
Roy Schestowitz Reply:
August 10th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Charles,
See my scare quotes around ‘stealing’. Microsoft has also been accusing GNU/Linux of ‘stealing’ stuff (that did not come from Microsoft at all).
“This is not a case of some accidental, unknowing infringement. There is an overwhelming number of patents being infringed.”
–Horatio Gutierrez
The whole thing is a mockery of the notion of ‘stealing’.
“Hey, Steve, just because you broke into Xerox’s store before I did and took the TV doesn’t mean I can’t go in later and steal the stereo.”
–Bill Gates, Microsoft
zatoichi said,
August 10, 2009 at 3:01 pm
See my scare quotes around ’stealing’.
See Roy’s irresponsible and misleading “reporting”.
Again.
(Still wondering about your FSF support, Roy. And your response to Verofakto’s timeline. And your response to my timeline around your retraction and apology. And about a thousand other things, but those would be good for a start.)