Hong Kong children learn to code after school | Hacker News Reader

Hong Kong children learn to code after school

bbc.com

12 pointskostyk7 comments

China (including special areas Macau, Hong Kong) should learn to respect an intellectual property. In countries where there is 98% piracy it's impossible to start a purely software company.

So why are they learning to code ? To be a peasant for banks, insurance companies, gov or cheap workforce for the west ( but yes this is hong kong and i know they are quire "rich").

I am from a post-soviet/socialist country and took me some time to understand that paying for a software that you use everyday is worth it. But it's still too uncommon in my country and many others.

>In countries where there is 98% piracy it's impossible to start a purely software company

Most modern tech companies are trying to create/sell services, even Microsoft is going to the cloud and just letting the client piracy "slide" because it's a losing battle (AFAIK they said they will upgrade pirated versions of Win 8 -> Win 10). There are plenty of Chineese software giants. So it's not impossible at all.

Have you tried to do business in China when it comes to software and services ? Not only are these Chinese software giants backed by government but you have to comply with numerous rules and let government to stick its dirty fingers to your stuff.

Oh and most of these SW companies sell physical goods as well they are not pure SW at all.

> In countries where there is 98% piracy

I know piracy is widespread in China, but 98% ? That looks like a high number to me.

> it's impossible to start a purely software company

So all these companies (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Software_companies_of...) don't exist ?

I was obviously exaggerating about it. Sites like nationmaster shows 82% and that's from 2007. And yes they do exist but selling a software to customer is very hard in china. I am talking about direct B2C model...eg you sell a photoshop like program. Most of these companies use the software to support its additional services.

It's a great start to something desperately needed in Hong Kong. Almost everything software related is outsourced to other countries, and those who do programming within Hong Kong are mostly foreigners. Since it is not currently taken seriously as a career, it is also difficult to make a living wage. (Although a living wage is difficult for most careers there)

> China (including special areas Macau, Hong Kong) should learn to respect an intellectual property.

What if you don't believe intellectual property is a thing? That it shouldn't be protected in the same way my laptop should be protected?

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