Quotable: How software piracy boosted Romania

Posted By Travis Daub Friday, February 2, 2007 - 3:30 PM Share

Bill Gates visited Romania yesterday to hold a joint press conference with Romanian President Traian Basescu, marking the opening of a new Microsoft global technical centre.

But Gates was apparently left speechless when Basescu explained how Romania's IT sector was built on a foundation of pirated software.

"Piracy helped the young generation discover computers. It set off the development of the IT industry in Romania. It helped Romanians improve their creative capacity in the IT industry, which has become famous around the world ... Ten years ago, it was an investment in Romania's friendship with Microsoft and with Bill Gates."

Apparently Basescu hasn't seen Microsoft's latest anti-piracy cartoon, "Genuine Fact Files."

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