Visio : No maps for China or Taiwan for "diplomatic rea

[James]

PST Response: Visio 2002 Professional Chinese Maps Support

Reference Number; 2Q-1HP3U3

Hello James,

Thanks for your enquiry regarding the availability of Chinese maps (People's Republic of China and the Republic of Taiwan) in Visio 2002 Professional. For diplomatic (geo-political) reasons Microsoft has decided not to include map support for these two states with any member of the Visio range of products for the foreseeable future.

Regards,
Antony Parzakonis
Pre-Sales Technical

----------------------------------------------

So, Microsoft is willing to provide outline maps for places like the West Bank, but not the most populous nation in the world?

And what are "diplomatic reasons"?

Discuss.

Note I'm violating the lengthy email legal disclaimer by posting this, but there you go.

 

[fool]

IIRC it goes something like this,

Govt. of China says: Taiwan is an integral, nay indivisible, part of China.

Taiwan says: No, we're an independent nation with full rights of same.

China: We are one nation, always have been, always will be.

Taiwan: Oh no were not

China: Oh yes we are

(repeat seemingly for ever)
(and if I imagine correctly it also went a little like this)
Enter stage left, Widow Twanky (played by the boy Gates)

Twanky: soto voice; Well slap me silly and call me Thursday, these chaps can't agree about anything. I suppose I'd better drop those maps from Viso.
After all its better than loosing a billion customers.

 

[time]

I don't know that I can add anything to that. :lol:

Of course, another reason could be: "No-one in China actually pays money to us for the product, so we'll be damned if we'll bother with maps for that piratical horde."

 

[CougTek]

China doesn't represents a billion customer potential. Unless it has changed a lot in the last decade, something like half (if not more) of its population still has a lifestyle dating from another century (not the twentieh either). While I'm not an expert regarding China, I would estimate its real potential to something similar to Russia. In term of customers number, that is.

I don't know Visio, but I'm sure they include Québec into Canada, so including Taiwan to China couldn't be more insulting.

 

[honold]

I don't know Visio, but I'm sure they include Québec into Canada, so including Taiwan to China couldn't be more insulting.

you didn't respond on the other one...

didn't the vote to secede from canada fail (by a narrow margin) the last time it was placed? that would make quebec still legally part of canada. you'd know way better than i would, i'm curious.

 

[James]

I don't care what they call the outlines, I just want them so I can do actual maps of Asia. These are respectively sovereign states, recognised by the UN, why would Microsoft express an opinion on their legitimacy or otherwise?

Given there are more than 45 million Intenet users in China, that indicates at least that many have PCs etc. You only need a small percentage of a population that big to start making some pretty impressive numbers of users.

As I said, they include an outline for the West Bank ("disputed") it's hard to see why they don't include China and Taiwan.

 

[honold]

perhaps it also has something to do with the enormous piracy statistics for asia as well

 

[EdwardK]

James, I agree with you. I wonder what Microsoft China techinical support's response would be if a Chinese customer ask your same question in their chinese version of Visio?

Cheers,
Edward

 

[James]

perhaps it also has something to do with the enormous piracy statistics for asia as well

Why penalise users elsewhere in the world?

Why single out China and Taiwan?

 

[honold]

Microsoft has said the high rate of software piracy in the country did not allow for strong growth of its own software.

Microsoft's China deal comes on the heels of an announcement earlier this month by the Business Software Alliance trade group naming China the number two nation in the world with respect to software piracy.

The study found that 92 percent of all software in China is illegally copied and sold.

The country with the highest percent of pirated software, according to the study, is Vietnam, with 94 percent.

The study estimated software piracy cost the industry $11 billion last year.
hehe

 

[CougTek]

didn't the vote to secede from canada fail (by a narrow margin) the last time it was placed? that would make quebec still legally part of canada. you'd know way better than i would, i'm curious.

Technically, Québec is no longer part of the Canadian constitution since 1982. The referendum are only to make that separation official, but IMO, if you're no in the constitution of another country, you're not part of it. Anyway. Take a walk in Québec and take a walk in Toronto. Then dare to tell me it's the same country. I know I'm not Canadian at all. Never been, never will, never wish to either.

 

[honold]

so they're not technically in error then, correct?

 

[Mercutio]

Having been to Toronto, I can't imagine why someone wouldn't want to be part of it. Toronto is unbelievably clean and the people were extremely friendly.

Of course, I had spent the three days beforehand in NYC, so maybe my opinion is a little skewed.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

I think the situation of Montreal/Canada is the same as Catalonia/Spain. People here have the same ideas.

However it's better to unite this world, not divide it even more...

 

[Howell]

Think of the children!

 

[CougTek]

Having been to Toronto, I can't imagine why someone wouldn't want to be part of it. Toronto is unbelievably clean and the people were extremely friendly.

Go to Montréal (especially Mont-Royal). Or even better to Québec. I've never been to Toronto, but Montréal is supposed to be very good looking compared to most other North American cities. In the States, try Boston. Apparently, it's a very fine place. Doug could probably tell you more about it. And people here are friendly too, probably too much though.

However it's better to unite this world, not divide it even more...

Union only works when people think the same way and when one part doesn't always tries to screw and take advantage of the other.

Think of the children!

It's mostly for the next generations that I want Québec to fly with its own wings.

 

[EdwardK]

Hi CougTek,

I have been to Montréal and Toronto and love both cities. Both are different and great in their own ways. You are absolutely right about people in Montréal very friendly - they are friendly and patient for me who only speaks passable French :wink: I had my first authentic French onion soup there and after coming back to Australia, I would not have any Australian served French onion soup, its just not the same! Ah Montréal - great city, great people and great cuisine! Although Montréal women have a reputation to live fast - they can drain your wallet very quickly :wink:

Cheers,
Edward

 

[jtr1962]

Having been to Toronto, I can't imagine why someone wouldn't want to be part of it. Toronto is unbelievably clean and the people were extremely friendly.

Of course, I had spent the three days beforehand in NYC, so maybe my opinion is a little skewed.

Ahem. I beg your pardon. New York City is spotlessy clean. So clean in fact that we have an abundance of all sorts of unique, native wildlife. Where else can you find rats the size of small dogs and cockroaches as big as your hand? Do you honestly think all these fine creatures would choose to live here and thrive if it weren't immaculate? And if it's so filthy why do so many people willingly sleep on park benches and the subway? Surely this must be because it's cleaner here than most of the rest of the world.

 

[Buck]

Ahem. I beg your pardon. New York City is spotlessy clean. So clean in fact that we have an abundance of all sorts of unique, native wildlife. Where else can you find rats the size of small dogs and cockroaches as big as your hand? Do you honestly think all these fine creatures would choose to live here and thrive if it weren't immaculate? And if it's so filthy why do so many people willingly sleep on park benches and the subway? Surely this must be because it's cleaner here than most of the rest of the world.

:thumbright:

 

[Prof.Wizard]

New York is a mess in many parts. But it is a kick-ass city!

 

[jtr1962]

New York is a mess in many parts. But it is a kick-ass city!

Funny you mentioned that because former Mayor Guiliani adopted "Our city can kick your city's ass" as New York's unofficial motto.

 

[Prof.Wizard]

Funny you mentioned that because former Mayor Guiliani adopted "Our city can kick your city's ass" as New York's unofficial motto.

 

[blakerwry]

New York is a mess in many parts. But it is a kick-ass city!

Funny you mentioned that because former Mayor Guiliani adopted "Our city can kick your city's ass" as New York's unofficial motto.

I get the impression that he was pretty well liked there.