Chinese government bans Windows 8 from Government computers

[Chickenprotector]

Yes this actually happened.

I can’t stop laughing…

@CNET article

The Chinese government has officially banned Windows 8 from use on all government computers, reports out of the country claim.

The Xinhua news agency, one of the government’s media mouthpieces, reported that the move was designed to improve security on government computers. Neither the government nor Xinhua explained how the ban would ensure security, Reuters noted.

The news comes at a time when animosity between China and the US is high. On Monday, the US charged several Chinese government officials with allegedly hacking networks in the US. China quickly responded by saying that the US has engaged in cyberespionage and cried foul on the charges.

The decision to nix Microsoft’s operating system on government computers was made last week, Reuters reports, so it didn’t relate to Monday’s charges.

For Microsoft, the ban is just the latest in a long line of issues the company has faced in China. Microsoft has long accused China of being a center of Windows piracy. In July 2012, Microsoft accused nine Chinese computer resellers of running unlicensed software ahead of the launch of Windows 8. The company has also tried working with the government to ease the effect of illegal copying, but those efforts have yet to bear fruit.

It’s not clear from the reports what the Chinese government will use for computer operating systems now that Windows 8 is off the table. Windows XP is still widely used in China, but after Microsoft ended support for that platform in April, it too would present a security risk to the government. Windows 7 is still an option, but Xinhua did not say what the government has decided.

CNET has contacted Microsoft for comment. We will update this story when we have more information.

Microsoft shares are down .38 percent, or 15 cents, in pre-market trading on Tuesday.

@PCWorld Article

China is banning Windows 8 devices from at least some government IT purchases, in a mysterious move that took Microsoft off guard.

The ban came from China’s Central Government Procurement Center, which posted a brief notice last Friday on new requirements for government tenders. Among the demands is that Windows 8 be excluded from the bidding process on computer purchases.

It’s unclear how far-reaching the ban will be. The agency could not be reached Tuesday and the new requirements only concern government purchases for “energy-efficient” IT products, including notebooks, desktops and tablets.

China’s state-controlled Xinhua News Agency, however, was more forceful and said that the government was forbidding the use of Windows 8 after Microsoft recently ended official support for Windows XP. “The Chinese government obviously cannot ignore the risks of running OS without guaranteed technical support,” the Tuesday report said.

Chinese officials have previously stressed that Microsoft should lower the price of Windows. They’ve also said to local press that the nation should develop its own homegrown OS to reduce its reliance on foreign companies.

But the Chinese government has still been a major Microsoft customer. In past years, the nation has been working to purchase licensed software for use in government offices and move away from bootleg copies.

Microsoft said Tuesday that it was surprised to see Windows 8 referenced in the Chinese government notice. But the company added that it was working to ensure all its software meets government procurement requirements.

“We have been and will continue to provide Windows 7 to government customers,” the company said in an email. “At the same time we are working on the Window 8 evaluation with relevant government agencies.”

Windows 8 usage is still low in China, with less than 2 percent market share, according to Internet analytics site CNZZ.com. The OS was built for touchscreens, but some have complained that Windows 8 offers a convoluted interface that mashes together tablet and PC uses.

[Maxey]

They’re just mad because their censoring software isn’t compatible with Windows 8.

[Chickenprotector]

I think it’s because of espionage from the US Government (don’t hold me to that). They’ve been stepping up on intercepting US-made shipments of hardware and software of late.

It’s a stupid move on their part unless they decide to get acquainted with LINUX or some similar OS.

[Maxey]

Linux is the operating system of the people, after all.

edit: btw, I’m surprised they’d already be upgrading their government OSs so soon. I doubt many of the public service computers in most countries have gone past windows xp yet.

[JeffMOD]

I’m pretty sure the move to upgrade is specifically because XP is no longer supported - they want to move to update fast, or they’ll be vulnerable to any security leaks that crop up. Otherwise, I doubt they’d spend the cash to change up. I know I don’t want to.
And I doubt they want any US counter attacks.