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Microsoft Just Wants a Little Look

waynegoode writes "Do you want to let Microsoft check if your copy of Windows is legit? How about if they promise it's anonymous? How about if they give you some free stuff? Recently Microsoft launched their Genuine Advantage Program to let you (and Microsoft) check if your OS is legal. They hoped for 20,000 responses but received 800,000 without offering anything but piece of mind. Now they are throwing in a bunch of free and discounted stuff including Photo Story 3 and the Holiday Fun Pack to try to get more volunteers. Read more at news.com and Microsoft Watch."

19 of 482 comments (clear)

  1. piece of mind by addaon · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ewww... does it at least come in a plastic baggie?

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    I've had this sig for three days.
    1. Re:piece of mind by pipingguy · · Score: 2, Funny


      Ewww... does it at least come in a plastic baggie?

      Yeah. But it comes from Abby Normal.

  2. Sure! by arose · · Score: 4, Funny

    Thay can check out my Debian!

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    Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
    1. Re:Sure! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Nobody checks out Debian.

    2. Re:Sure! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      I know my copy of Windows XP is legit, I bought in a backalley in Malaysia. I didn't get the manual though?

  3. incentives by DeusExMalex · · Score: 4, Funny
    so as a reward for using their crappy software, they give us more crappy software?

    no thanks - i'll stick to open-source goodness.

  4. Everyday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Everyday I feel guilty about purchasing not 1, but 2 legitimate copies of WindowsXP @ retail price.

  5. The MS van by xsupergr0verx · · Score: 4, Funny

    C'mon kids, check and see if your windows copy is legitimate. I've got candy...

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  6. Result of the poll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
    Overall outcome: 100% of the responses were from legit copies of Windows.

    Conclusion: Piracy doesn't exist for Windows.

    Hey, if BSA can do statistics, so can we.

  7. Re:Support? Security? Hehe... by gnuman99 · · Score: 2, Funny
    I think they need to come up with a more realistic explanation of why it's worth spending 300 dollars for Windows.

    To help pay the wages for the new MS campus in India??
    /me ducks

  8. Girl included? by dillee1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The asian gal near the title is part of the offer right?
    I am gonna give this survey a ride.

  9. Re:Greater reliability? by m1chael · · Score: 1, Funny

    Because the CD has a hologram. Holograms make Windows more reliable. You are so stupid.

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    I know you are psychotic, but please make an effort.
  10. Re:wee by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I once burned 50 XP Pro CD's, generated them unique corporate version serial numbers, took the cd's in my coat to Best Buy and dropped them all over the floor right where they sell software! Beat that, grandma! Boo-yah!

  11. I Buy by CaptainZapp · · Score: 4, Funny
    Now they are throwing in a bunch of free and discounted stuff including Photo Story 3 and the Holiday Fun Pack to try to get more volunteers.

    Since I am an extremely savvy and smart customer I shall certainly enroll in this program.

    Just imagine how nice the Holiday Fun Pack will look at my recently purchased time share appartment in Cabo San Lucas.

    --
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    kraftwerk

  12. Intentional typo! by cpghost · · Score: 2, Funny

    That was intentional! MS is offering a PIECE of (their) mind to users. Users are expected to insert it into their own minds; thus lobotomizing themselves.

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    cpghost at Cordula's Web.
  13. Windows ME by ZhuLien · · Score: 3, Funny

    out of curiosity after reading slashdot, I thought I'd give it a go:

    "Unfortunately we are unable to automatically validate your Windows installation. It appears that you are using an operating system that is not currently supported by the Windows Genuine Advantage validation process. We hope that you'll return later to retry the validation process so that you may enjoy the full benefits of genuine Microsoft software.
    "

    Guess what? Windows ME is on the computer I tested with!

  14. To put it differently by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    OpenOffice would probably have a big jump in market share if all the pirated or incorrectly licensed versions of MS Office wordlwide were replaced with OpenOffice

    So let me get this straight - you're saying that OpenOffice would have a bigger market share if more people used OpenOffice? Glad we got that cleared up then.

  15. I'm having a problem with this "Validation" thing by kko · · Score: 2, Funny

    Firefox downloads an .exe file, but when I double-click on it I get nothing. If I try to run it from the command line I get the following error: "cannot execute binary file".
    This happens on a Fedora Core 2 box. What's wrong?

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  16. Dell? What about Toshiba. by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 2, Funny

    I speak from experience with a client. He has a Toshiba Laptop.

    The Toshiba guys have some sort of CLONED CD from a hard drive, and when something goes wrong with your legitimate Windows XP (Home - ack), there's no choice. You can't just insert the Microsoft Windows XP CD and choose "repair". No. You have to insert the cloned CD from Toshiba, make it repartition your HD, format it, and install their already-tweaked version.

    Microsoft could do their users a BIG favor if they forced their re-vendors to distribute "rescue" CD's in case some of these stupidities happen.

    Oh, you wanna know how this guy's HD was messed up in the first place? He said "yes" when asked to install SP2.