4 ms·

This doesn't really make sense in this case. Facebook & Google have chinese alternatives. The alternative to Windows 8 is presumably some older Windows.

by netcan 12y ago

cushychicken 12y ago
I'd say that's correct - XP is all over the place in China.
- glasslion 12y ago
  Not true, in the government.
willvarfar 12y ago
Red Flag Linux is, I think, defunct; but they can copy Red Star OS from North Korea?
- chilledheart 12y ago
  Nope, Ubuntu Kylin is a more likely alternative. see more http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/ubuntu-kylin http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/ubuntu-kylin
msvan 12y ago
My point is that Facebook and Google would've been the dominant actors on the Chinese market today, not Weibo, QQ and Baidu, if the CCP hadn't been actively working against the US companies. The alternative to Windows 8 is, for now, some older version of Windows XP. But as other commenters have pointed out, the CCP is pushing for a Linux-based alternative to Windows. There was an internal CCP document floating around on the Internet last year discussing the Chinese government's worries about not having a domestic OS for desktop and mobile. It'll be a tough transition to make, but compared to forced urbanization it's a walk in the park.
- xiaq 12y ago
  > My point is that Facebook and Google would've been the dominant actors on the Chinese market today, not Weibo, QQ and Baidu, if the CCP hadn't been actively working against the US companies. To some degree I agree about this assertion, but you made some factual mistakes: * The C2C (copy to China) relationship is Twitter -> Weibo, Facebook -> Renren and Google -> Baidu. * QQ is an IM and the western equivalents MSN, Skype etc. were never banned in China. Also, QQ gained its popularity quite some before the GFW. I believe this is the most legitimate story where a Chinese product wins not due to GFW. Another such story is eBay vs. Taobao.
  - turingbook 12y ago
    At least we can also name Dianping and Tudou were established before or at the same time as their western counterparts (Yelp and YouTube).
  - KaoruAoiShiho 12y ago
    Baidu is older than Google.
    - xiaq 12y ago
      Baidu was founded in 2000. Google in 1998. However, Robin Li (founder of Baidu) seems to have begun his research on search engines earlier than Google founders. Therefore in some sense Baidu is older than Google, but that's not the most obvious sense :) This does show that Baidu is not a C2C (Copy to China) product though. I'm happy to learn that.
- rwmj 12y ago
  Protectionism isn't necessarily good in the long term for these Chinese companies. They may not be as efficient as they could be if they were subjected to worldwide competition. If they are more efficient, then they should eventually be able to beat Facebook/Google/Twitter (I for one hope Alibaba will one day kill off eBay).
D9u 12y ago
> The alternative to Windows 8 is presumably some older Windows. Not necessarily. There are other, more secure, free, operating systems.

This doesn't really make sense in this case. Facebook & Google have chinese alternatives. The alternative to Windows 8 is presumably some older Windows.

by netcan 12y ago

This doesn't really make sense in this case. Facebook & Google have chinese alternatives. The alternative to Windows 8 is presumably some older Windows.

cushychicken 12y ago

I'd say that's correct - XP is all over the place in China.

glasslion 12y ago
Not true, in the government.

willvarfar 12y ago

Red Flag Linux is, I think, defunct; but they can copy Red Star OS from North Korea?

chilledheart 12y ago
Nope, Ubuntu Kylin is a more likely alternative. see more http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/ubuntu-kylin http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/ubuntu-kylin

msvan 12y ago

My point is that Facebook and Google would've been the dominant actors on the Chinese market today, not Weibo, QQ and Baidu, if the CCP hadn't been actively working against the US companies. The alternative to Windows 8 is, for now, some older version of Windows XP. But as other commenters have pointed out, the CCP is pushing for a Linux-based alternative to Windows. There was an internal CCP document floating around on the Internet last year discussing the Chinese government's worries about not having a domestic OS for desktop and mobile. It'll be a tough transition to make, but compared to forced urbanization it's a walk in the park.

xiaq 12y ago
> My point is that Facebook and Google would've been the dominant actors on the Chinese market today, not Weibo, QQ and Baidu, if the CCP hadn't been actively working against the US companies. To some degree I agree about this assertion, but you made some factual mistakes: * The C2C (copy to China) relationship is Twitter -> Weibo, Facebook -> Renren and Google -> Baidu. * QQ is an IM and the western equivalents MSN, Skype etc. were never banned in China. Also, QQ gained its popularity quite some before the GFW. I believe this is the most legitimate story where a Chinese product wins not due to GFW. Another such story is eBay vs. Taobao.
- turingbook 12y ago
  At least we can also name Dianping and Tudou were established before or at the same time as their western counterparts (Yelp and YouTube).
- KaoruAoiShiho 12y ago
  Baidu is older than Google.
  - xiaq 12y ago
    Baidu was founded in 2000. Google in 1998. However, Robin Li (founder of Baidu) seems to have begun his research on search engines earlier than Google founders. Therefore in some sense Baidu is older than Google, but that's not the most obvious sense :) This does show that Baidu is not a C2C (Copy to China) product though. I'm happy to learn that.
rwmj 12y ago
Protectionism isn't necessarily good in the long term for these Chinese companies. They may not be as efficient as they could be if they were subjected to worldwide competition. If they are more efficient, then they should eventually be able to beat Facebook/Google/Twitter (I for one hope Alibaba will one day kill off eBay).

D9u 12y ago

> The alternative to Windows 8 is presumably some older Windows. Not necessarily. There are other, more secure, free, operating systems.