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Depending how this unfolds, I would expect a shallow but broad effect on Chinese business. Imagine that all Google properties get banned: Interoperability with
by netcan 17y ago
Depending how this unfolds, I would expect a shallow but broad effect on Chinese business. Imagine that all Google properties get banned:
Interoperability with foreign businesses becomes a minor issue. Small business-to-small-business gets a little bit of friction (eg, cannot read your spreadsheet). Some classes of (especially outsourcing) Chinese companies cannot compete. They cannot provide ppc or seo services. Chinese web designers cannot add some Google maps app to a site they are developing for a Canadian client. A Chinese can't reach something on Google code. Annoyances, friction, slight inefficiencies. Being a little annoying (can you use a Zoho spreadsheet instead of Google please) repeatedly can you you client if you are an outsourcing company.
Also, Google provides a lot of non critical, but useful stuff. In many cases, Google is best and the competition can be either close or far. Adwords, Analytics, Docs, Search, Mail. Google does a lot of stuff. In some cases, I would be measurably less productive if I had to use some other product.
They can't just cut off Google with no impact.
- jfischer 17y agoI'm not convinced. Google is talking about shutting down google.cn, not blocking google.com from the Chinese internet. I've used google services from China without any issues. Also, the local market in China is much more Windows-focused than in the U.S. I think Microsoft leaving the Chinese market would have a huge effect. Overall, the question is not whether it has an impact on Chinese business but whether it would have enough of an impact to influence the decision makers in the government.
- netcan 17y agoBack up a minute. I never said that everything Google would be pulled from China. But right now there are some heated conversations going on in the larger offices of China's censor. They will be weighing up the potential to block Google entirely and strategies for doing this if t becomes necessary. They will be adding up the costs. They will realise that leverage is not just one sided. I think Microsoft leaving any market would have a big effect, probably more then Google.
- rubinelli 17y agoEven if Microsoft leaves, consumers will easily find pirate copies.
- andrewfong 17y agoIt's unclear whether Microsoft leaving the OS market would actually affect things -- the majority of Microsoft software in China is pirated, and it's not like Microsoft can flip a kill-switch and take down every Windows machine. Still, if Bing follows in uncensoring, that be impressive, especially given the kerfuffle Nick Kristof raised a couple of months ago over Bing's filtering.
- andrewfong 17y agoWhat I would love to see would be if Microsoft started bundling "dissident-friendly" software features into its products -- e.g. encryption.
- ckho 17y agojoin this facebook group to show our concern on Chinese network human right and push Microsoft to show its influence. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=250019583195 http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=250019583195