Arrested Microsoft Pirate in China Seen as Martyr

Hong Lei and his partners were the biggest pirates of Microsoft Corp. software in China, but since his arrest last December, the 30-year-old creator of a popular Chinese clone of Windows called Tomato Garden Window XP has become something of an Internet hero. The phenomenon underscores the challenges faced by Microsoft and other technology companies as they battle rampant piracy in China, despite official efforts to crack down.