Russia, Cuba keen on Windows 7

Biggest non-event in memory. I was at the Microcenter store east of Cleveland Thursday morning. No extra cars in the parking lot, few people inside, no rush, no line, plenty product. I had a presale receipt for 7 Home Premium for $40, got the OEM version at that price. I was the only one after an hour who'd taken the deal, only the second to buy 7.

These are places the warez world operates along with the trojans and viruses they engineer and inject, Norway included. I'm surprised the Netherlands didn't make the top 10.

"I used to be quite pro-Apple in the days of the Apple II. But they took my money and ran away with it"

Man, that's like a 25 year grudge. Pretty sad. Anyway, on the Russia nd China question: they need to test and re-test all their malware to make sure it runs on the final release version of Win7

Do the words WAREZ & PHISHING mean anything? Not to smear every Russian internet user but they are eager to DL Win7 & not buy it … of course, that's the same in the US – maybe not so much pirating it but Win7 will not sell many retail units … WINDOWS is the OS that is acceptable as long as it's 'free' with a $399 computer – paying $299 forWINDOWS is like putting in a $4k used engine in a $5k car … it happens but bnot very often.

@PED – I think it's great that you have so many loyal readers, including Dan. Despite having zero interest in ever owning an Apple product, he still comes to your Apple oriented web log. I like reading about the fruit company without the bias of Apple and the bias of Microsoft.

There are many reality distortion fields. Apple's is one of them. Microsoft's is another. If I listened to Microsoft Fanboys try and talk about a Mac, I might be worse for the wear.

As for the question related to Russia, Cuba, etc. I think all countries would have a pretty consistent baseline – per capita and any increases above that baseline is a result of industry and culture. Russians, apart from "hackers" seem to me to be very computer software oriented anyways and always want to be on the front of the wave. I would be curious to know if they have a higher percentage of early adopters than the US that might help explain the spike.

Cuba really surprises me because I didn't know they were allowed to have computers, let alone DVD players.

Dan is the PC guy.

I have said before that the reason people use microsoft software is because they have no choice: they work as corporate or government drones and they get told what computer they will use.

How striking, then, that this list of places familiar with windows contains the highest percentages of unfree worker drones in the world.

Russians (and other former soviets) don't like Apple (in general) because there is no Russian equivalent. The soviet union went into space (first), it had battle tanks, jet aircraft, nuclear subs and so on and so forth.

So the soviet mindset and pride vindicate themselves with a belief in equality with the west.

Apple kill that feeling of pride, because nobody ever made high tech products specifically for the consumer in the soviet union. Because the consumer's choice didn't matter, the only thing that mattered for the drone worker was what the party member thought was good for him at the time.

This list is no surprise at all. Apple is the ideological nemesis of the socialist party member. Apple is all about serving people, and not about telling them how to live.

@PED — Well, if you do, then it certainly doesn't show. For a blog supposedly outside of Apple's influence, you seem to aim your missiles more at Redmond than the folks at Cupertino. And yes, I like MS way more than Apple, and not afraid to show it.

I used to be quite pro-Apple in the days of the Apple II. But they took my money and ran away with it. The day Apple doesn't try to rip me off with their overpriced hardware, and their users quit their god-like complex, then I may consider to give them my money again. Which, sadly, may not be again. Not while the Stevo is there, at least.

ex ped: You may be right, Dan. Redmond has been such an easy target lately. Cupertino, not so much.

Leave it to PED to try to make anything Microsoft related to be casted in a bad light.

Outside the reality distortion field? Dude, you better rename it to "Kissing Steve Jobs 'derriere' news".

ex ped: Dan, I also poke sticks into Apple's softer parts. Let's review whose derriere you've been kissing on this site over the past couple of months:

Bob is gone. Just like the Apple Pippin. So your precious fruity company also has its share of flops and duds. Apple TV, anyone?

Waiting for Amazon to deliver my copy of Win7. You folks can keep your Macintrashes.

An app that does absolutely nothing and displays ads for people to click on… and the iPhone crowd falls for it. Proof that the Apple fans stupidly buy their junk just for looks.

Dang… the Apple fanboys sure are blind, are too dense to understand, or simply refuse to believe their beloved Apple can do no wrong.

Wipe those tears, Apple fanboys, and stop worshipping the guy. Stevo just knows how to play the game, and all of you are his pawns.

I bet it must hurt to see your favorite fruity computer company being exposed for what they are.

Keep drinking the kool-aid, folks.

Spending top money for a used and underpowered computer doesn't mean it is any good; it only proves PT Barnum's saying that there is a sucker born every minute.

You want the Mac of tomorrow? Buy a PC.

George: I agree whole-heartedly with you that Linux is a better option over the long run in every aspect of an OS, but until it gets easier to install and detect 90% of today's hardware, I do not see an ousting of Microsft.

You'd think someone would actually do some proofreading before posting an article…

…it's Windows XP, not Windows XT!

ex ped: Ooops. It's been so long since I've used it. Fixed. Thanks.

These countries have the highest incidence of pirated software.

Who cares??? MacroSCAM sucks and their days are numbered. Every hear of Linux? How about an OS that actually works reliably after 1, 2, 10 years without getting bogged down with security junk and .tmp files. duh MS. Add more MBA's to their staff, maybe that will help?

Living in Norway I saw that the stats were per capita and Norway has a long tradition with Microsoft, e.g. we have a extremely large public sector which is Microsoft-only, more or less. Apple-users are coming, but has been regarded much as fan-boys, except in the creative industries.

Pirated software? Plausible, but it's difficult to believe Czech & Norway should rank so high.

Theory? Simple. It's a list of countries with the highest incidence of pirated software. They are waiting for Windows 7 to come out so they can profit.