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Online Piracy Gets Back at China

Having your software featured on more than 60 millions PCs is one thing, but getting paid for it seems to be a completely different matter. Kingsoft has its English-Chinese dictionary installed on many of China`s computers, but 90 percent of those copies originate in online piracy. Online piracy is starting to affect the Chinese market as well and Chinese software developers are showing loses.

Kingsoft has changed their objectives and now all 600 Kingsoft`s programmers are working on ways to offer versions that can`t be copied-online. The new platform will be based on a network of anti-virus programs that have to be linked to its own computers in order to function. "Piracy has had a big impact on us, making it so we can`t get powerful and compete with Microsoft," said Ren Jian, a former Microsoft manager who is Kingsoft`s chief operating officer.

Kingsoft is not alone. The entire Chinese online market has to deal with online piracy just like the United States market. Chinese companies are unable to sell their products for domestic markets because of online piracy and therefore stand no chance in competing on the global market with against US and European rivals. China is the leading force in online piracy and the source of most illegal content, such as movies, music and applications. It`s ironic to learn that now they are destroying their own markets.