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Sunday, October 02, 2005
Web cafes gripe on computer software
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
SEVERAL Internet cafe owners said it should be the local government units, police, military and other government agencies that should be prosecuted first for using pirated Microsoft software.
Ronald Valdehuesa told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that the government is guiltier of the unauthorized usage of these computer software than small Internet cafes.
"I challenge Microsoft Philippines to raid City Hall, Provincial Capitol, NBI-10, DTI Camp Evangelista, Camp Alagar, etc. for violation of RA 8293 otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Law and not only to focus on Internet shops as this is grossly unfair!" he said.
This came as several Internet shops here such as the 24-hour ICafe Internet at Divisoria Park among others have shifted to using the "super user-unfriendly" Linux.
ICafe personnel, nevertheless, said the owners of their Internet cafe is set to purchase its own license abroad where it is cheaper.
Several Internet users also were surprised as to how some Internet cafes closed shop temporarily even up to now because of reports that there would be a raid against those using pirated Microsoft software.
Earlier, some 200 Internet cafes are temporarily closing down their establishments in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City fearing that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-10 would conduct surprise checks on whether they are using pirated Microsoft Software, sources said Saturday.
But NBI-10 regional director Virgilio Mendez said denied reports that they are conducting raids on Internet cafes using such unlicensed software.
Mendez said he even called up their headquarters in Manila to check on this matter but was told that there was no such order to initiate raids.
"We don't know where such news came from but I already called up our Manila office nya wala man sila kabalo ana (but they don't know anything about it)," he said.
Mendez said he also called the NBI division concerned with safeguarding intellectual property rights but also received no information of conducting raids.
"There is no such instruction to conduct raids on Internet cafes or schools using unlicensed Microsoft software," he said.
(October 2, 2005 issue)
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