Microsoft slams Google over global copyright

NEW YORK - SOFTWARE giant Microsoft has prepared a blistering attack on rival Google, accusing the Web search leader of taking a cavalier approach to copyright protection.

The censure by top Microsoft lawyer Tom Rubin came as the two corporate titans step up their competition in both software and online content.

But Google won support from the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), which charged that Microsoft had given an 'unfortunate mischaracterisation' of copyright law that was outdated in the digital age.

Google 'appears to be trying wherever possible to skirt copyright law's boundaries', Mr Rubin, Microsoft's associate general counsel for intellectual property, wrote in a Financial Times opinion piece.

His remarks were a foretaste of a speech he was making in New York on Tuesday to the Association of American Publishers. Google has already said its practices generate more earnings for authors and publishers.

Mr Rubin wrote that Microsoft is working 'to collaborate with copyright holders in developing technologies' so as to uphold copyright, 'without which no artist or writer - and no society that aspires to a living culture - can thrive.' Google, in contrast, was accused of a 'unilateralist approach' by scanning books 'by the truckload' without the permission of writers or publishers. In 2005, Google launched a controversial project to digitise millions of books on the shelves of libraries around the world.

Mr Rubin called Google's goal of compiling a vast database of indexed literature, accessible from anywhere, 'a worthy goal'.

But he stressed: 'This project may well bring significant commercial advantage to Google. By contrast, those who own the copyrights in these works would gain little or nothing from Google's plan.'

The Microsoft lawyer noted that Google faces a copyright minefield following its acquisition of the fast-growing video-sharing website YouTube.

'Companies that create no content of their own, and make money solely on the back of other people's content, are raking in billions through advertising revenue and initial public offers,' said Mr Rubin. 'Google takes the position that everything may be freely copied unless the copyright owner notifies Google and tells it to stop.'

And he dismissed the Internet company's justification of its book scanning as 'fair use' under US copyright law, calling it a 'novel' interpretation that would stretch to countries where the fair use concept is not even recognised.

Agence France-Presse has sued Google in both France and the United States, alleging that the Internet search engine includes the agency's headlines, news summaries and photographs without permission on its 'Google News' portal.

Last month, a court in Belgium ruled against Google in a similar copyright case brought by Belgian newspapers.

CCIA president Ed Black, however, said Microsoft and others had to update their thinking in an era where content is fast shifting from print to the online world.

'Microsoft would do well to consider that its own business depends on fair use before brushing aside that important doctrine,' he also said, noting that Microsoft's software programmers were covered by this protection 'when reverse-engineering competitors' products'.

Both Google and Microsoft are members of the CCIA.

Mr David Drummond, Google's senior vice-president for corporate development and its chief legal officer, said in response that Google worked with more than 10,000 publishing partners to make books searchable online and had recently added the BBC and the National Basketball Association as YouTube video partners.

'We do this by complying with international copyright laws,' he said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

Clariden Leu Singapore Masters

Dates: Tomorrow to Sunday

Venue: Laguna National Golf and Country Club

Tomorrow and Friday: Masters and Classic courses

Saturday and Sunday: Masters course only

Total prize money: US$1.1 million (S$1.7 million)

Golfers to watch: David Howell, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Nick Dougherty, Ian Woosnam, Mardan Mamat, Shingo Katayama and Jeev Milkha Singh

Tee-off: 7.40am

Tickets (through Sistic): Tomorrow and Friday: $15 a day. Saturday and Sunday: $40 a day. Season pass: $80. Under-16s: free. U-21s and seniors (over 60s): tomorrow and Friday free. Women: Friday free.

Transport: From S'pore Expo MRT and car park J, 7.30am to 6.30pm

Tomorrow and Friday: Every 15 minutes

Saturday and Sunday: Every 10 minutes

Mirko faces fine for pushing table

MIRKO Grabovac could face disciplinary action by the Football Association of Singapore for alleged 'unruly behaviour' last Friday.

The Tampines Rovers striker was one of six footballers taking the mandatory Beep Test at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall when the alleged incident happened.

The 35-year-old, who had failed his previous three attempts, was the only one to pass that day.

After the test, he allegedly continued running beyond the test area and pushed a table before walking off.

The table flipped over, with Singapore Sports Council and FAS officials watching.

The FAS has written to both Grabovac and Tampines club manager Wilson Chong for an explanation.

Said FAS director of competitions Quah Kim Song, who was present during the incident: 'Mirko's behaviour was uncalled for. He was also aggressive to the officials there.'

The striker, who is with the Tampines team in India for today's AFC Cup tie against Mohun Bagan, could not be reached for comment.

The team return tomorrow, and Quah said Grabovac will have about three days from then to respond.

If there is no response, or it is unsatisfactory, the player would be fined. However, Quah did not specify the amount.

Chong said he would wait for Grabovac, a Singapore citizen since 2002, to return before getting a statement from him.

In the Beep Test, players go on continuous 20-metre shuttle runs at a starting speed of 8 km/h.

Each minute the speed is increased by decreasing the interval between the beeps (this is called the next stage).

Each level has a fixed number of shuttle runs. The player's score is the level and number of runs reached before he is unable to keep up with the beeps.

The higher the level he attains, the fitter he is. This year's standard has been set at 12.10.

Those close to Grabovac said the Croatia-born player had questioned the need for such a test.

A player who had taken the test with him said: 'Mirko is quite lonely here. Soccer is his rice bowl, and he always works hard for it.

'But he's been quite upset that he must first pass the Beep Test before he can play. He feels it isn't practical.'

Grabovac's team manager, Syed Faruk, said yesterday the outburst was 'part and parcel of his emotions'.

'Mirko was upset, and missed his family,' he said.

Grabovac had said as much on Friday, adding: 'I've not slept well for the past five days worrying about this test.

'My family is waiting in Croatia to hear if I passed before flying over to join me.

'If I cannot play, there's nothing else I can do in Singapore.

'It has been a huge strain on me.'

limze@sph.com.sg

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Encourage older people to downsize their homes in order to be financially viable in their old age

I refer to the letter, 'Estate-duty laws unfair to the middle income' (ST, March 1).

I have often wondered, and for a long time, why there is such a disparity of exemption in estate-duty laws, namely, $9 million for property assets and only $600,000 for all 'Other Assets'.

For a retiree to live financially independent of other people, a non-fixed asset of $600,000 is hardly sufficient, if he does not own a second property to generate rental income.

This law is favourably skewed excessively to owners of multiple properties (or of one luxurious piece), versus those who can afford to own only their modest homes. A case of the rich getting richer?

It is time to change this. We should, in fact, encourage older people to downsize their homes in order to be financially viable in their old age, and estate-duty laws should reflect this.

Ng Piak Hah (Ms)

Three join hands to hone age-group squads

SINGAPORE'S bid to host the 2011 World Netball Championship and post a top-10 showing has received a boost.

Netball Singapore (NS) has agreed with the Co-Curricular Activities Branch (CCAB) and the Singapore Sports School to jointly develop the national Under-14 and Under-17 squads.

The two age-group squads will replace the Combined Schools sides.

Said NS president Tan Wee Khim: 'The key to achieving a sports culture lies in the school sports scene.

'This collaboration combines the resources of all three organisations, from coaches and facilities, to funding.'

Added the CCAB's deputy director, Andrew Chew: 'We hope that more national sporting associations will follow suit in order to aid youth development in sports.'

Singapore, the 2005 Asian Championship winners, are keen on a strong youth programme to upgrade the sport and avoid the 19-107 thrashing by Australia in last year's Commonwealth Games.

To achieve this, the youth squads will now have access to top-quality coaches.

For a start, national coach Kate Carpenter will oversee the technical matters, as well as coaching and training.

The sports school's B Division coach, Rawinia Robin Manihera, will handle the U-17 team, while C Division coach Noraida Abdul Malik will manage the U-14 team.

Both are full-time professional coaches who will remain on the sports school's payroll.

This is a break from past practice where coaches of previous Combined Schools squads were mostly teachers who coached part-time.

Said the sports school's principal, Moo Soon Chong: 'It took three years to build an understanding.

'But there is no rivalry among the various organisations over players.

'We want the best players housed together. This collaboration helps us achieve that.'

NS will hold selection trials on March 10.

Those chosen for the U-14 and U-17 squads will train at the sports school, which is offering free use of its facilities.

Wenger says sorry for brawl

LONDON - ARSENE Wenger's 10-year stint at Arsenal has been accompanied by 68 red cards, for which he has seldom apologised.

That changed on Tuesday.

Reflecting on the League Cup final that ended in a brawl, the Gunners' manager said: 'Overall, we are sorry for what happened.

'I feel Kolo Toure should not have reacted at all to the shirt-tugging by Jon Obi Mikel. When you do not behave like you want to, then you have to apologise.

'We want to focus on playing football well. We want to deal well with the frustrations of the game, and we want to be exemplary.

'But we also want to remind people that we have been top of the Fair Play League twice in the last few years.

'This year, we are the team that has committed the least fouls in the league, and been the most fouled against.

'What happened was a one-off for us in the last three years. We are sorry for that. It was a good game and this was an incident of one minute. But we do not want to behave like we behaved.'

The reference to 'the last three years' is significant, reported The Telegraph.

In October 2004, after Arsenal's 49-match unbeaten run in the Premiership came to an end at Old Trafford, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson received a pizza in the face from the away dressing room.

A year earlier, at the same venue, United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, whom Wenger labelled 'a cheat', was taunted by Arsenal's players after missing a penalty.

The actions were condemned unreservedly by the board at Arsenal, but not their manager.

In the League Cup final on Sunday, which Chelsea won 2-1, Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor were red-carded and face three-match bans.

Adebayor faces more punishment for failing to leave the pitch when dismissed by referee Howard Webb.

Emmanuel Eboue was also charged with violent conduct for hitting Chelsea's Wayne Bridge.

But Wenger believes the Football Association was not playing fair.

'I have to say the whole system is not honest,' he said. 'I'd rather not say more - but that's my opinion.'

Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Michael Essien escaped censure, despite broadcast material indicating that Essien cuffed Denilson on the face, and Drogba slapped the back of Francesc Fabregas' head.

Adebayor, widely believed to be a victim of mistaken identity, said: 'When the referee showed me a red card, I could not believe it.

'I remember that our physiotherapist Gary Lewin came to me to say, 'Come on, Manu, let's go'. I said, 'Just let me ask one question - why did he give me a red card?'

'A lot of people thought I was going to hit him, but I was not.'

Mikel blames Arsenal for the brawl. He said: 'My red card was very harsh.

'I didn't touch Toure at all. I kept my hands down completely. He attacked me. I had to defend myself.

'It's too bad such an ugly thing happened, but it has been blown out of all proportion by the Arsenal players.'

His ban is unlikely to hinder Chelsea too seriously. The teenager is only a squad player, and there are plenty of options in midfield.

Toure, Eboue and Adebayor, however, are first-team players for Arsenal.