中英双语新闻——43 Beware of Web superpowers

 　　The *tussle between QQ, China’s most popular instant messaging service, and China’s biggest antivirus provider Qihoo 360 is coming to an end after government intervention¹. But the significance of “the most vicious online war”, as online users put it, doesn’t end here.

 

　　由于政府部门介入，3Q（360 VS QQ）大战宣告休战，就此中国最大即时通讯服务商腾讯QQ与最大互联网安全服务供应商奇虎360之间的纷争终于平息。 但此次被网友们称作“最惨烈网络大战”可谓意义深长。

 

　　When the users were forced to make a choice between QQ and 360, they changed from spectators to victims. But that might not be the worst that could happen to you when an IT company or service influences millions of users. The 3Q fight only opens a pandora’s box.

 

　　当用户被迫在QQ和360之间做出艰难选择之时，他们已从围观群众变成受害者。但一家IT公司或服务商影响数百万用户，这或许还不是最糟糕的局面。3Q大战只是开启了潘多拉魔盒而已。

 

　　Below, we invited experts to describe the worst-case scenario²: how users’ rights might be threatened by the increasing power of Internet companies?

 

　　下面，我们就邀请专家来描述网络战争中最为惨烈的局面：用户权益是如何受制于那些日益庞大的网络巨头的？

 

　　As told by Ni Guangnan, 71, researcher at the Institute of Computing³ Technology in the Chinese Academy of Sciences

 

　　倪光南，71岁，中国科学院计算技术研究所研究员认为：

 

　　Microsoft: It is not hard to imagine the worst-case scenario if Microsoft wields⁴ its power. In the “black screen incident” in October 2008, Microsoft threatened to turn black the desktop⁵ of any user found to be running a pirated operating system. It acted like a hacker⁶, invading personal computers and data.

 

　　微软：不难想象，如果微软肆意发威，就会惊现最骇人一幕。2008年10月，微软曾威胁要对运行盗版操作系统的用户实施“电脑黑屏”；就像黑客那样，入侵个人电脑及数据。

 

　　In a worse case, operating system providers could invade a personal computer through the Internet.

 

　　更为糟糕的是，操作系统供应商可以通过互联网入侵个人电脑。

 

　　For instance, in the Windows 2000 operating system, the ClipBook service allows anyone who connects to the Internet check your clip board. Also, the DNS Client service enables the invader⁷ to get a list of websites you have visited.

 

　　例如，Windows 2000操作系统中，剪贴簿服务允许任何已连接到互联网的用户查看你的剪贴板。同时，域名服务器客户服务可令入侵者获取你所访问过的网站列表。

 

　　Then it must not be surprising that Microsoft, the system provider, could do more.

 

　　那么，作为操作系统供应商，微软可以有更多特权那就不足为奇了。

 

　　Through the system and Internet connection, Microsoft could check the content of your files saved in your computer, create new files, change file names, and delete and copy files.

 

　　系统和互联网连接时，微软能够检查存储在计算机里的文件、并可以创建新文件夹、更改文件名称、删除或复制文件。

 

　　Restraints

 

　　行业约束

 

　　Users can’t rely on the ethics⁸ or goodwill⁹ of large companies to protect them. Most computers are sold with the Microsoft operating system pre-installed. That annoys many users. And many companies are competing against Microsoft, but Microsoft is still on top.

 

　　用户们不能寄望利用这些网络巨头的道德感或善心来保护自己。大多数电脑出售时便预先安装了微软操作系统，此举引起许多用户的不满。虽然微软的竞争对手颇多，但它仍占据着行业老大的位置。

 

　　Since 1997, Microsoft has been involved in a series of anti-monopoly lawsuits¹⁰ in the US, South Korea and European Union. In 2007 it paid a €497 million (4.6 billion yuan) record fine to the EU for abusing its dominant¹¹ market position and making it difficult for rivals to design compatible products.

 

　　自1997年至今，微软曾先后身陷美、韩以及欧盟等地的一系列反垄断案。2007年，微软由于滥用市场主导地位，令对手难以设计出兼容产品而向欧盟缴纳了4.97亿欧元（合46亿元人民币）罚款。

 

　　Your fight-back

 

　　用户反击

 

　　Earlier this year, the Cuban government announced to stop using the Windows operating system. Instead, they opted¹² to use the Linux system for official government departments and state-owned companies. The measure was taken to prevent the US from damaging their interests through online methods.

 

　　今年年初，古巴政府叫停微软的Windows操作系统的应用，决定在政府部门及国有公司改用Linux系统。之所以采取这一措施，是为可阻止美国通过网络手段损害其利益。

 

　　Linux uses open-source software, enabling users to change codes whenever they wish. Users can install two operating systems on their computers and use Linux to log into private accounts.

 

　　Linux采用开放的源代码软件，用户可以随意更改代码。用户可以在计算机上安装两套操作系统，用Linux来登录个人账户。

 

　　In important institutions like hospitals and banks, computers storing important information should not connect to the Internet. This is the best way to avoid online threats.

 

　　在医院，银行这样的重要机构中，存储重要信息的计算机不应联网。这是避免网络威胁的最佳方式。

1 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

2 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

3 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

4 wields   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的第三人称单数 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• She wields enormous power within the party. 她操纵着党内大权。
• He remains chairman, but wields little power at the company. 他还是主席，但在公司没有什么实权了。

5 desktop   

n.桌面管理系统程序；台式

参考例句：

• My computer is a desktop computer of excellent quality.我的计算机是品质卓越的台式计算机。
• Do you know which one is better,a laptop or a desktop?你知道哪一种更好，笔记本还是台式机？

6 hacker   

n.能盗用或偷改电脑中信息的人，电脑黑客

参考例句：

• The computer hacker wrote that he was from Russia.这个计算机黑客自称他来自俄罗斯。
• This site was attacked by a hacker last week.上周这个网站被黑客攻击了。

7 invader   

n.侵略者，侵犯者，入侵者

参考例句：

• They suffered a lot under the invader's heel.在侵略者的铁蹄下，他们受尽了奴役。
• A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。

8 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

9 goodwill   

n.善意，亲善，信誉，声誉

参考例句：

• His heart is full of goodwill to all men.他心里对所有人都充满着爱心。
• We paid ￡10,000 for the shop,and ￡2000 for its goodwill.我们用一万英镑买下了这家商店，两千英镑买下了它的信誉。

10 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

11 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

12 opted   

v.选择，挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
• After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。