Microsoft said late Monday that is suspending access to an MSN China microblogging site amid allegations the service is based on code swiped from a rival.
Canadian start-up Plurk lashed out at Microsoft earlier on Monday, saying that 80 percent of the code for Juku appeared to be lifted directly from its service.
Microsoft reiterated late Monday that it is investigating the matter but issued a statement saying it was pulling down the Juku feature while it looks into things.
"Earlier today, questions arose over a feature developed by a third-party vendor for our MSN China joint venture," Microsoft said in a statement. "Because questions have been raised about the code base comprising the service, MSN China will be suspending access to the Juku beta feature temporarily while we investigate the matter fully."
Microsoft added that the investigation was slowed by the fact that when questions were first raised it was the middle of the night in China.
"Now that the day has begun in China, our teams are working hard to track down the information," Microsoft said.
The company also confirmed what a source previously told CNET, namely that Microsoft's MSN China joint venture "contracted with an independent vendor" to create the MSN Juku feature, which debuted last month and is still in beta.
Earlier on Monday, Microsoft said it was investigating the issue.
For its part, Plurk said it is still trying to decide how to handle things.
"We're not entirely sure but we are exploring our options," Plurk said in its blog posting. "We have been seeking advice from respected colleagues, responding to press inquiries and gathering facts on the timeline of events and parties involved here to understand why and how this took place."
It's the second time in recent weeks that Microsoft has been accused of lifting other's work in its products. Last month, the company was forced to pull down a tool for loading Windows 7 onto Netbooks after allegations that the product improperly included open-source code. Microsoft later apologized and last week re-released the tool under the GPL open-source license. Microsoft also blamed a third-party vendor in that case.
Plurk accuses Microsoft China of ripping off its design and code to create its Juku microblogging service.
(Credit: Plurk)Microsoft only just released final code for Windows 7 to manufacturers and the company is already facing a security risk.
The Windows Genuine Advantage antipiracy system in the Windows 7 Ultimate release to manufacturers (RTM) has reportedly been compromised by some Chinese hackers, according to a variety of Chinese forums, and first reported by Neowin.com.This means the user can fully activate the software offline without connecting to Microsoft's activation server.
The software's RTM code is generally the same as the retail code, which will be available to the public in October. PC makers tend to get the final product with plenty of time in advance of the launch to make their products ready on the launch date.
It must have been a complicated process, but in a nutshell, hackers reportedly used the leaked ISO file to get hold of the activation certificate that Microsoft digitally signed for the original equipment manufacturer, or OEM version of Windows 7. It's rumored that the key that got hacked is one that can be used to activate multiple OEM-branded installations, such as Dell's, HP's, or, of course, Lenovo's.
I am no fan of the activation, (it's a pain when you change computer parts, which I do very frequently) but this is rather upsetting news. I am sure, in no time, you will be able to buy a copy of Windows 7 in China or Vietnam for less than a dollar.
Addressing this, Microsoft released a this statement to CNET News:
We are aware of reports of activation exploits that attempt to circumvent activation and validation in Windows 7, and we can assure customers that Microsoft is committed to protecting them from counterfeit and pirated software. Microsoft strongly advises customers not to download Windows 7 from unauthorized sources. Downloading Windows 7 from peer-to-peer Web sites exposes users to increased risks--such as viruses, Trojans, and other malware and malicious code--that usually accompany counterfeit software. These risks can seriously harm or permanently destroy data and often expose users to identity theft and other criminal schemes.
Eleven counterfeiters have been given jail sentences of between one and a half and six and a half years by a Chinese court after being found guilty of producing fake Microsoft software.
The "ringleaders of the world's largest software-counterfeiting syndicate," as Microsoft described them in a statement on Wednesday, were sentenced on New Year's Eve. According to Microsoft, theirs were the longest sentences given for this type of crime in China's history.
The syndicate was charged with making and distributing more than $2 billion worth of fake Microsoft software, which had ended up all over the world. Nineteen Microsoft products were counterfeited, in 11 languages. A Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNet UK on Friday that the products had included Windows Vista and XP, as well as Office 2007 and 2003, and Windows Server.
The conspirators were identified and arrested in July 2007, following an investigation by the FBI and China's Public Security Bureau (PSB). Microsoft said in its statement that "evidence provided by Microsoft customers through the Microsoft (Windows Genuine Advantage) piracy reporting tool proved to be essential in tracking down this criminal syndicate." More than 100 Microsoft resellers helped trace the software to its origins and provide evidence.
"Microsoft greatly appreciates the work of China's PSB and the FBI in taking strong enforcement action against this global software-counterfeiting syndicate," David Finn, Microsoft's associate general counsel for antipiracy at Microsoft, said in the statement. "Unfortunately, software counterfeiting is a global, illegal business without borders. Criminals may be on the other side of the globe and may not even speak the same language, but they prey upon customers and partners all over the world. This case is a testament to the importance of Microsoft's commitment to close collaboration with government bodies and local law-enforcement agencies around the world to bring these criminals to justice, wherever they may be."
Microsoft's vice president for the Greater China region, Fengming Liu, said in the company's statement that there had been "a significant improvement in the environment for intellectual property rights in China." The country has long been widely seen as a haven for software and media counterfeiters, with one perceived factor being official laxity over the issue. Microsoft, as a company with extremely popular software, has always been a significant victim of this situation.
"We will continue to work with the relevant authorities in China to ensure that counterfeit software does not undermine the development of China's knowledge economy," Fengming said.
In November, Microsoft announced that it had decided to spend, over the next three years, in excess of $1 billion on research and development in China.
David Meyer of ZDNet UK reported from London.
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