Protester at Bill Gates Beijing ceremony sparks debate on Internet

The "free software" protester who barged into an award ceremony with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates at Beijing's prestigious Peking University has triggered a vigorous debate among China's Internet users on his motives and cause.

The protestor, who was wearing a black suit and tie at the time, has been identified in newspapers as Wang Yang, also known as WangKaiyuan, chief China representative of the Linux Professional Institute (LPI).

Wang, who was brandishing a banner saying "Free Software, Open Source", ran on to the stage and began yelling as Bill Gates was handing awards to students who had won prizes for innovation after making a speech on Friday.

"I was surprised at Wang's act because we met a couple of times before and he seemed to be a cautious man," said Zhao Xiaoliang, acting executive of Red Flag Software Co., Ltd, in a comment posted on the popular Sohu.com.

"But I think Wang might have acted for the benefit of China's software buyers," said Zhao, whose company aims to provide high quality Linux related products and services in China.

"Everybody knows Microsoft's Windows operating system has been monopolizing the market. The price of the system is very high, pushing users who cannot afford it to buy pirated software. Maybe it is time that Microsoft start to think about the problems," Zhao said.

Linux is known for its "open-source" software. Unlike proprietary software such as Windows, it has its entire code open to programmers and developers. Users can maintain and upgrade Linux and it can be downloaded and used for free.

The Chinese government has been encouraging the use of open-source software to generate the growth of the domestic IT industry and to minimize dependence on expensive software, and companies which supply them, such as Microsoft.

Pictures of the protest featured on the front-pages on Chinese newspapers on Saturday and the Internet. Bill Gates was caught wearing a calm smile through the entire 30-second disturbance.

"We respect everyone's right of free speech and the incident did not damage Microsoft's innovation event in Peking University," said Chen Ranfeng, a publicity executive for Microsoft China, in a news bulletin carried by Sina.com. It added the Gates, who controls the majority of the market for personal computer operating systems, is believed to be accustomed to these complaints.

But Wang also faces strong criticism on the Internet. An anonymous Internet user, who identified himself as an ex-colleague at CSDN.net, China's largest website on IT technologies, said Wang just wanted to the publicity and his protest had nothing to do with software.

"When in CSDN, Wang claimed to be a frantic advocate for open-source software, but he used WinXP himself," the former workmate wrote on Sina.com.

Another ex-colleague said Wang was brave, but he had gone over the top.

"He might just want everybody to pay more attention to Linux," said Long Rujun, on Sohu.com.

Industry experts say Linux has taken off in China, largely because of massive government procurement, but the Chinese software firms have yet to see the explosive growth experienced by their Western competitors due to lack of skills and customer credibility.

Wang was said to be the first to introduce the international free software day to China. Before joining the LPI, he was with CSDN.net and worked for the Open Source Software Promotion Union in 2006.

Newspaper reports said Wang was taken away by the police for questioning, but an officer on duty in Yanyuan police station, which oversees the security at Peking University, said Sunday that he could not comment on the case, but repeated that Wang was not in custody at Yanyuan station.

Phone calls to LPI, Wang's workplace, went unanswered.