After bad PR in Russia, Microsoft issues a blanket software license to NGO

[thewayne]

Microsoft will issue a blanket software license to nonprofit groups and journalist groups outside the U.S. after the New York Times reported that Russian police have used software copyright raids to seize computers of activist groups.

Good for Microsoft! Apparently they've had a donation program for NGOs and such in place for a while now where such groups could get free software.

http://www.itworld.com/print/120477

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/09/13/221216/Microsoft-To-Issue-Blanket-License-To-NGOs

Comments

[silveradept]

Good move on Microsoft's part. Both ethically and tactically. Wish that our own copyright laws could be so simplified.

[thewayne.livejournal.com]

Big Biz has too much money invested for something sensible to be done.

[silveradept]

Yeah, I know. Although it would be a pretty ballsy move on the legislators' part if they said "Look, we fix this, or we revoke all your charters and let your stuff all pass into the public domain."