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Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs and more

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Re: Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs and more

#101

Post by turingbook »

b6 wrote: post #87
turingbook wrote: post #83

There should be nothing new. Google services are blocked for several years. But not every service is blocked in the same way. Google+ and Docs is wholly blocked a long time ago. Google.com is blocked intermittently. Gmail and Maps are usually OK, but not very fluent these several days. GFW is a mysterious monolithic and complex system. No outsider knows the rules and mechanisms.

I agree. I just want to add that I think they have a "degrade" mode designed more to be annoying than to block access. I know people here in Shanghai who hate Google products because they're so "slow", "unreliable", etc. Of course, they're perfect through a VPN.

Actually I have switched to Bing as my default search engine for a while. For English, Bing is good enough but very bad for Chinese.

Re: Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs and more

#102

Post by SystemOut »

CWuestefeld wrote: post #34

Aargh. I'm leaving for a vacation in China in a week and a half. I guess I'm going to have to set up my own VPN tunnel to ensure that I can still access my email, etc. I'm assuming I can set something up through my dd-wrt router at home. Off to read the docs...

I used to use a socks proxy via ssh to a box in the US when I traveled to China. I have my own server for this but you can also use a micro EC2 instance as well I believe.

After my last trip, though, I got tired of the speed over an ssh based proxy and installed open vpn on my server and just used a tunnel. Wayyy faster. It's fast enough to watch Hulu and Netflix if your hotel has enough bandwidth.

The other option is to just purchase an openvpn based proxy subscription for a month and use that. Same thing and less fuss. I think running it myself is less likely to result in a blocked IP address since I won't garner as much attention but who knows how much they actually watch and actively block IPs for those services.

Re: Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs and more

#103

Post by lispython »

turingbook wrote: post #101
b6 wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. I just want to add that I think they have a "degrade" mode designed more to be annoying than to block access. I know people here in Shanghai who hate Google products because they're so "slow", "unreliable", etc. Of course, they're perfect through a VPN.

Actually I have switched to Bing as my default search engine for a while. For English, Bing is good enough but very bad for Chinese.

I use DDG, as when the Chinese results far from your desire, you can easily add some key words like g! to invoke google's engine for help.

Re: Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs and more

#104

Post by caycep »

caycep wrote: post #24

Hope this shoots the CCP in the foot. The interwebs are awash w/ the latest US election results, and viral youtube videos of Obama thanking his young twentysomething campaign staffers. To give young Chinese such a glimpse of this and then brutally remind them that they don't have such luxuries of idealism and empowerment just highlights the failings of the CCP system even more...

I know there is a tendency to be cynical, but I think a lot can be said about the following:

The public appearances of the President as well as the candidates are not sycophantic party propaganda. While the Wen Jiabiao's and Hu Jintao's of the world are lionized in The People's Daily and other party organs, the US media regularly shows American officials getting grilled or having to explain one thing or another. That not only are critical things said of Obama regularly in print or on air, but also often horrendous things from his opponents, and who can "get away with it" (meaning, no trip to a labor reeducation camp), says volumes.

Yes, this is a bit of a lionizing Obama video, but can you picture Xi Jiping doing anything this candid to his supporters? The whole idea of young students eagerly volunteering for a candidate they believe in is unheard of in China:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBK2rfZt32g

And: despite the whole money thing. Yeah, it's bad, the problem definitely exists, etc etc. But the Super PACs lost and Karl Rove melted down on TV.

Re: Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs and more

#105

Post by AngryParsley »

olalonde wrote: post #73
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The bizarre thing is that its a much freerer society than even the states in some ways. The police don't really bother you unless the situation becomes "visible," lots of sketchy things happen out in the open. You don't have to wear a helmet when cycling, etc...

You can drink beers in the street, nightclubs and bars don't have a closing time, policemen are not armed, there is no law about where you can or cannot smoke, it's ridiculously easy to get a visa and stay in China as long as you want. You will never ever get a fine in China for a civil offense (not wearing a seatbelt, spitting on the floor, peeing in public, crossing the street on a red light, etc.). At worse, you a…

You forgot to mention that many nonviolent crimes in China carry sentences we would consider extreme. Depending on the quantity, rather harmless drugs such as marijuana, shrooms, and MDMA can get you executed. Civilian ownership of firearms is also restricted. Then of course there's the Internet censorship and monitoring. Don't forget the banning of various books.

If your idea of libertarian is "bars stay open all night and I can smoke anywhere" then you might want to consider Las Vegas. It's much more permissive than any place in China and you won't even have to learn a new language.

Re: Chinese government blocks Google.com, Gmail, Google+, Maps, Docs and more

#106

Post by e40 »

olalonde wrote: post #73
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The bizarre thing is that its a much freerer society than even the states in some ways. The police don't really bother you unless the situation becomes "visible," lots of sketchy things happen out in the open. You don't have to wear a helmet when cycling, etc...

You can drink beers in the street, nightclubs and bars don't have a closing time, policemen are not armed, there is no law about where you can or cannot smoke, it's ridiculously easy to get a visa and stay in China as long as you want. You will never ever get a fine in China for a civil offense (not wearing a seatbelt, spitting on the floor, peeing in public, crossing the street on a red light, etc.). At worse, you a…

Companies are also free to pollute and in some cities the pollution is so bad it seems like a weather system.

You mentioned your libertarian leaning. I find that hilarious. Yes, there's an intersection with libertarianism, but there is a lot that doesn't intersect.

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