Microsoft Blocks Messenger In Five Embargoed Countries 194
Spooky McSpookster writes "Microsoft has turned off its Windows Live Messenger service for five countries: Cuba, Syria, Iran, Sudan, and North Korea. Users in these countries trying to log in get the following error: '810003c1: We were unable to sign you in to the .NET Messenger Service.' Why now, since this flies in the face of the Obama administration's softening stance on Cuba? This isn't the first time the US trade embargo has had questionable outcomes. US-based Syrian political activist George Ajjan created a web site promoting democracy in Syria, only to find GoDaddy blocked anyone inside Syria from seeing it. The article argues, 'Messenger is a medium for communication, and the citizens of these countries should not be punished from such a basic tool because the US has problems with their governments' policies.' What does this say for the wisdom of non-US citizens relying on US companies for their business or communication?"
is the problem really US companies? (Score:5, Interesting)
The slashdot article writes: "What does this say for the wisdom of non-US citizens relying on US companies for their business or communication?"
It's not so much that it's a US company, but closed source product.
Microsoft activation has disabled plenty of US citizens who upgraded some components of their hardware that WGA didn't like.
And even if you buy from other companies you're not safe from US sabotage in closed source software. Remember the Soviet Oil Pipeline software bought from a Canadian firm - which had CIA-placed trojans in it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_pipeline_sabotage
If you care about your software infrastructure - make sure you have the ability to fix (or hire independent consultants to fix) your software no matter what your vendor does - whether it's something innocent like going bankrupt, or deliberately breaking your infrastructure.
Thanks (Score:3, Interesting)
But closing it is a good first step. It those countries people used to have something in desktop will have to install other alternatives, maybe going out from the messenger, hotmail or even windows in big numbers, going to alternatives (i.e. google talk, and probably gmail by association).
Re:About the same (Score:5, Interesting)
Damn - just used my points in another thread. Exactly what I wanted to say. Unfortunately, people in these countries are unlikely to have a choice...I remember handing out copies of my Skype backup install in the UAE, since downloading it was blocked there...
Re:First post!! (Score:3, Interesting)
With the press talking about people who want to harm the U.S. using Facebook, Twitter, various IM systems etc, it almost makes sense to turn off one such avenue of abuse. It may be a "lead by example" thing... or a software bug.
Revenue Rules (Score:4, Interesting)
As an individual who currently resides in Syria, I find this simply absurd, but the reason isn't simply Embargoes, it happens to be most embargoed countries do not implement copyright laws pertaining to US (and most non-US) company products. Some might have the spiteful reaction, 'well then they shouldn't be provided any services', while the reason for these companies not getting any copyright rights, is the fact they don't have official representation in these countries for the same reason the embargoes exist, politics.
This brings us to the main reason some services have been denied to the aforementioned countries, Revenue, now because nationals (and residents) of these countries do not abide by global copyright laws, almost all services provided to these countries are either the free in nature, or in the case of non-online products (e.g Windows XP) piracy is the norm.
So as some of you mentioned, its all about politics, what we here see, is a sign that the political status of these countries as embargoed countries, won't be changing any time soon. And the reason is simply, Revenue.
Re:First post!! (Score:3, Interesting)
Until somebody figures out that, by using Tor, you can connect to MSN from anywhere in the world, bypassing all such restrictions.....
Re:What alternatives? (Score:2, Interesting)
When faced with the typical open source basher, who pretends the entire world shares their need and, therefore, anyone who does not is a delusional fanboy still living in the '80s, I don't blame him.
Fact: most of the world is happy with text conversation. Fact: a non-trivial percentage of the world is *better off* with text conversation (for instance, anyone with more than one friend and/or discusses code over IM).
Yeah, lack of support for video chat in other clients is a problem, but nowhere near as big as the GGP makes it look like.
Don't think so (Score:5, Interesting)
"Embargoed" Is Not The Same +1, Seditious (Score:1, Interesting)
as rogue [whitehouse.org] state.
Yours In Socialism,
Kilgore Trout
It's because of crypto (Score:4, Interesting)