A License to Chat
niacINsight / Matthew Sugrue
02-Nov-2009 (2 comments)

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) should clarify its position regarding the legality of Microsoft’s offering its instant messenger service within Iran. As a result of ambiguities within OFAC’s guidelines on Iran sanctions, Microsoft Corporation voluntarily withdrew its Windows Live Messenger program from Iran in late 2008. Preventing such a potentially valuable resource from being downloaded does not inhibit the Iranian government from accomplishing any of its goals, but it does impede the ability of ordinary Iranians to communicate. One solution is simple and effective: OFAC’s director should issue a general license to Microsoft to allow Windows Live Messenger to be made immediately available to the Iranian people.

>>>
DM

US should allow Windows Instant Messenger in Iran

by DM on Mon Nov 02, 2009 04:42 AM PST

Any company that facilitates social networking in Iran should be exempt from sanctions. The government can buy whatever software and hardware they need outside the country anyway. Making the latest technology available to the general populace will only weaken the regime.


Balatarin
Share/Save/Bookmark

 
ex programmer craig

Some confusion...

by ex programmer craig on Mon Nov 02, 2009 05:23 PM PST

From the article:

Microsoft explains, however, that though the “personal communications”
aspect of Windows Live Messenger is authorized, the downloadable
software required for operating the service is not.

I think the problem MS is having is that it considers all of its Windows software to be dependent upon a legally purchased and valid version of their Windows operating system. It's Microsoft's marketting strategy that Iranians have run afoul of, not a mere technicality. MS has gotten sued by the Europeans in the past for considering free stuff to be "bundled" with Windows on the grounds that unfairly competes with third party developers. While at the same time that "free" stuff isn't really free because MS does a check on your Windows installation before it'll install. Since there have been such heavy judgments against MS by the European Union on related matters, it's probably not something MS is very felxible on, as making any exceptions might be considered to set a legal precedent in future court cases.

Best to dodge the whole issue in my opinion. MSN is not even very good, and there are at least half a dozen instant messaging services that work better... and most of them are compatible with eachother, and with MSN or Windows Live or whatever they call that junk these days.


  •