Pirating in Asia has been a problem for over a decade. In developing markets however, software makers in particular are happy to turn a blind eye to piracy in order to build brand recognition and market share.

This has been the non-official policy of Microsoft in China for example, to counteract a government suspicious of the US giant. Now consumers who could not afford their products otherwise, are familair and confortable with Microsoft products. And of course in a place where pirated software accounts for around 80 to 95% of commercial software in use, the price difference between free or open source software like "Linux" is not a factor.

Vietnam, a market creating much excitement in recent months, also is characterised by piracy.

How fast and in what way Microsoft unofficially enforces their official hardline on copyright in emerging economies, is critical to future fortunes.

See also the Business 2.0 - Web Article - Pirate's heaven in Vietnam -

Combine a hardworking, gadget-happy population with grinding poverty and you get an explosive combination. Western corporations: Good luck.