Job Discussion Forums

Sara Avalon · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 254 Location: On the Prowl

I love that song. Very Happy

But seriously, in these stores you can't be too sure if you're buying an original CD or a copy. I've wanted to buy some of my favorite artists, but can't really condone copyright infringement. (Even if the CD only costs 2 bucks!)

But copyrights are completely ignored by governmental officials, even when an entire store is selling bootlegs! Anything that can be burned onto CD (programs and music) is taken advantage of.

Does anyone else notice any of this kind of thing in the countries they're teaching in?

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Actually, I can't even buy LEGAL copies in mainland China; those that sell at 5 times the street values are pirate-copies as well, that afford you but one advantage: you can bargain the price down. Sometimes from 50 kuai to 15 kuai!
So, if I want to buy the real thing, I must trek to Hong Kong, and pay twice the price of the bargainable one.

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 11:26 am Post subject:

I also find the copied crap so obvious. I mean, I wanna buy an original copy of Microspft office and I so happen to live near the biggest computer district in China. I goes there, and nothing but burned copies. DVDs are from 2 to 6 yuan and it's just a complete joke.

I don't personally condone coping but there must be limitations. Especially when it's so damn obvious.

LA

saudade · Joined: 11 Feb 2004 Posts: 48 Location: Campinas, Brazil

Strangely enough I haven't had that problem here. I saw more bootlegged DVDs in one day in New York City than I've seen my whole time here. The political issues of illegal copying usually make my brain hurt, since I am both a consumer and someone who creates things that could be bootlegged. But I wouldn't mind a little bit of piracy, if only so I could buy things that are out of print/old/unavailable.

waxwing · Joined: 29 Jun 2003 Posts: 719 Location: China

Sara Avalon · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 254 Location: On the Prowl

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 2:34 pm Post subject:

waxwing - You're probably right.

Sara - Could you please tell us more about this SONMAY company?

I'm extremely interested!

LA

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

I just googled(is that a verb?) sonmay. 4,600 sites came up! I had never heard of it either.

thelmadatter · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 2:46 pm Post subject: busted

TV in the part of Mexico I live in puts on a show of how they bust pirates in the open-air markets. I m not sure if it is for real or just to make certain business interests happy.

Yes, people who create things need to be compensated but lets face it many ppl either cant afford or are unwilling to pay 120 pesos (or 10-11 US dollars) for a CD or hundreds of US dollars that some software programs cost.

Technology is a dual-edged sword. Record companies, etc. were able to charge what they like because the public had no way to copy with decent quality. Yes a lot of what is out on the market is crap but it is possible to decent quality copies ( a la mp3s). The price of CD's, DVD's and such will have to come down.

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 2:49 pm Post subject:

<yes, googled is now a technical computer term, as is cyper-stalking>

Sara Avalon · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 254 Location: On the Prowl

(Taken from various websites)

Sonmay (SM): The "Professional" bootlegger.

First, their cds are cheap (they cost like $10). If they are more then they are probably rip-offs. Imports generally cost between $24 and as much as $60. This company is actually legal in Taiwan but illegal out side of Taiwan. It's the same with DVDs. If they are less than $25 then they are probably rip-offs. Because, DVDs (imports at least) generally cost on the upwards of $40 to $200 even more if they are rare DVDs.

They sell bootlegs and try to fool their customers into believing what their buying is legitimate buy packaging their bootlegs almost exactly the same way that the American or Japanese companies do. They are getting better with the quality of the packaging even mimicking the holograms and copyright info.

Website: http://www.sonmay.com.tw/index2.html

saudade · Joined: 11 Feb 2004 Posts: 48 Location: Campinas, Brazil

That's really interesting about Sonmay, Sara. Thanks!

I have noticed that "real" movies here are priced less (in dollars) than they are in the States, so perhaps companies are learning. I agree that using the same pricing structure that you use in North America or Europe for, say, Brazil or Mexico seems wrong. I think that's one reason there's so much piracy, although in China the amount of piracy seems cultural somehow - maybe the people in China could say. Especially for music CD's, where I don't think the money is even going to the artist anyway. I tried to buy Microsoft Word recently and I couldn't buy it because it was RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE. It made me want to fly to China.

Aramas · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2004 3:39 pm Post subject:

I would happily pay extra for pirate dvd's if they got rid of all the crap at the start that bypasses the dvd controls and makes people sit through warning screens, stupid pointless animations and that damn Dolby clip! I hate that stuff!

I want to put the dvd in and have the movie start. Why is that so hard?

Atlas · Joined: 09 Jun 2003 Posts: 662 Location: By-the-Sea PRC

A major software package costs what, half a month's salary to the average Chinese yuppie?

So while piracy is a major issue China will have to face as it settles into the WTO, the market for these legally-priced products here is just so small.

These companies might do well to lower the price on their overpackaged plastic disks, and offset the profit loss in sheer volume of consumers here. Because the rising economic tide is not up to par with inflated western costs.

I for one am for paying for products--so that the creators have incentive to keep creating--but piracy is quite naturally a mitigating force that offsets blind corporate greed. As a consumer in Shanghai, I have a choice between a 1000 yuan soft and a 20 yuan soft, in a market where returning merchandise for customer dissatisfaction is practically nonexistant. When people buy here, it's for keeps. Caveat emptor.

I can't speak to export, or the diluting of domestic markets in the west, but it seems to me the internet is doing a good job of that, in terms of digital apps.

If a hacker creates a program I like as freeware, and asks for a $15 registration fee, I'll pay it. Keep the guy in ramen noodles and pampers for his kid.

Bill Gates, on the other hand,
I suspect hasn't eaten ramen for a while....

Lanza-Armonia · Posted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 2:10 am Post subject:

The thing is, Gate-sy ol' boi doesn't make much money on the new software packages. He makes money on his money. Does that make sense? Basically the computer/internet bubble burst a little while ago and so has stopped making money. He tried putting codes and serial numbers on the discs but what good is that? I could name you twenty sites that offer the codes for nothing!!! And if you googled it, I guarentee there'd be a lot more. He just investes money now, and the computer thing is like a hobby. (www.mirror.co.uk)

LA