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Microsoft To Begin Checking For Piracy
Curious Yellow 82 writes "Microsoft will begin checking for pirated copies of its Windows software when users attempt to update. Security updates are supposed to be exempt from the check. Upon detection of pirated software the user will be given the oppportunity to purchase a legitimate copy of the software for a discounted price, upon providing proof of purchase etc."
Since when? I recall using an unauthorized version of Windows for a 2nd box of mine and when I attempted to update at windows.com it wouldn't allow me to download anything (including SP1 and SP2.) The only difference I see with this press release is now they will ask you if you want to squeal on your pirated source (Bambino's don't do this) or purchase a legitimate copy. Is this what it has come to for MS? A sub-standard online satellite program and now a ho-hum press release on Windows?
What happened to the days of Balmer dancing to "Get on your feet"? now THAT was newsworthy.
"Simplify, simplify, simplify!" Thoreau
the user will be given the oppportunity to purchase a legitimate copy of the software for a discounted price, upon providing proof of purchase (!!)
That will be an interesting feat.
And, jokes aside, "proof of purchase" of what? If they mean a possible purchase of a machine with, or a standalone copy of, a counterfeit version of Windows, assuming the user purchased it legitimately in good faith, how in the hell is this the user's responsibility or fault? I'm not talking about someone who got Windows from a guy in an overcoat for $10 on a street corner (not to mention you probably wouldn't have a "proof of purchase" for that kind of sale); I'm talking about purchases reasonably believed to be legitimate. No, this doesn't mean that a software company has to honor pirated or illegal copies even if the user believed it to be legal for whatever reason, but it seems like this really sticks it to the user (not to mention the internet community as a whole by not providing OS updates, the fact they claim to be providing security updates aside[1]) as opposed to working to target the entities they believe to be illegally selling Windows...especially if the customer has a "proof of purchase" of an illegitimate copy of Windows in the first place, which presumably contains some element of contact information for the source if it can reasonably considered to constitute any semblance of "proof of purchase". They should be offering amnesty and/or discounts to people who are running straight-up pirated versions of Windows with no "proof of purchase" at all, if this is any attempt to reach out to people running unlicensed copies!
(Make no mistake: I'm not saying Microsoft is obligated to honor illegally purchased copies of Windows, whether they're pirated, or even ones purchased innocently and in good faith. But they'd be a hell of a lot better citizen of the internet community if they didn't withhold updates in either instance.)
[1] Windows Service Pack 2 would apparently not be included in this, for example, because it's not a "security update"; but it can be strongly argued that SP2 did more for general Windows XP security than any "security update" ever has. In other words, not updating the multitude of for-whatever-reason non-legal copies of Windows out there does everyone involved a major disservice, not the least of which is the rest of the world surrounding them.
I thought I'd get away with stealing from Microsoft. I don't feel that it is bad because they are such a ugly coding company.
Go to the w3.org and put Slashdot.org through the validator.
So if your copy of Windows is pirated, they'll prevent you from breaking it by not allowing you to install new service packs :)
I hope the public at large realise quickly that WINDOWS IS NOT FREE, and they migrate to genuinely free alternatives.
Security updates are supposed to be exempt from the check.
Didn't they say otherwise just a few months ago?
Got to find that link...
The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
So if you're found to have a pirated copy, you need to show proof of purchase? If I have proof of purchase then it's not pirated, and therefore, I wouldn't need to buy it again at a discounted price.
How exactly do they check for it being a pirated copy? I mean other then checking their database of registered windows users and comparing it to the computer, how do they know the difference?
"Upon detection of pirated software the user will be given the oppportunity to purchase a legitimate copy of the software for a discounted price" Wait, so all I have to do to get Windows at a discount is download a pirated copy and fail the detection test? Sounds good to me!
I wrote about this earlier today on bitsofnews.com. I'll save you the click and paste my thoughts here.
I am not sure how MS expects to keep pushing this down people's throats.
Most people don't want to be treated as thieves, and I can see some general backlash coming to MS from this.
I really don't see how this will, in the long run, benefit MS. Most people in the 1st world buy a computer from a major distributer, and use the (usually) legit copy of Windows from that. I'm guessing that that one-third number includes nations like India and China, where people can't afford the 1st world pricing scheme of Windows.
Oh, wait, silly me, why don't these poor people just use XP Starter Edition? Right. That's the ticket.
Do they seriously think this will decrease piracy in the 3rd world? All they've really done is cripple their product. They now have several issues to deal with.
This "Genuine Advantage" program is tantamount to legitimizing "pirated" XP. To many, I suspect it sends the message: "Ok, use pirated XP if you want, we'll just give special benefits to those who pay us." It's almost like a "shareware" model of distribution. Seeing how they are trying to push "XP Starter Edition", I seriously doubt this is their intent -- but it looks like they've emasculated that product entirely.
Simply, Pirated XP Home/Pro is still less crippled than XP SE. So for the 3rd world market, it's a choice between paying for a highly crippled OS, or getting a slightly crippled OS for free. I don't see many people paying for the privilege of less features.
This is also a potential gold mine for alternative OS's, such as the newer GNU/Linux systems pushing ease-of-install; Ubuntu, Mepis, Mandravia, Fedora spring to mind immediately, and there are many others.
Given the choice of a super-crippled SE, a somewhat-crippled XP Home/Pro, or a fully-functional GNU/Linux, GNU/Linux becomes an increasingly "no-brainer" solution.
multifariam.net -- yet another nerd blog
MS can check all they want for my copy.
I'll figure a way around it and and they can kiss my #@!2kdd...[LOST CARRIER]
I think it's about time for a Windows license-key and serial-no stealing worm. I'm sure someone will come up with one - possibly one of the smarter pirates. Think about it...
Ah, we knew this day would come. I wonder how long it'll be until they begin to also check for their competitors software and offer you discounts on their own competing software?
Its kind of funny when you think about it--users steal the software and then go back to get the software maintenance. It's kind of like someone stealing a car from the lot of a dealership, then taking it back a few months later for it's customary 3,000 mile oil change.
Finance tutorials and more! Understandfinance
Is there a way to "check" individual workstations?
On my workstations with auto-update, I'd prefer my first notification that something might be a problem in the field to not be an end user with a mystery dialog box on their screen.
Anyone know how this might work with SUS?
Microsoft has a pretty good idea that their future is getting more and more dim. Time to cash in as much as they can before Vista comes out and is a total flop and security nightmare.
I seriously hope that this causes no end of headaches for people across the world. I know of at least one system that I have at my office that is 100% legitimate and licensed, but will fail the authenticity check. It's a boxed Dell with the windows xp pro hologram sticker with the cd key on its side. At one point, the system was hosed to the point of needing reinstalling. I had just taken the job and there were no system images or proper cd's around. The sticker said WinXP sp1 and had its cd key. All the cd's at the office were either Compaq branded or WinXP sp2. So, I install with SP2 expecting my hologram'd sticker with the cd key to work. It didn't. Some fairy dust later and everything was installed and running.
So here I had a legitimate paid licensed Windows XP Professional computer which will not pass the windows licensing scheme. I'll have to dig out a SP1 cd sometime and reinstall with the actual key so it will pass.
I'm not saying its Microsoft's fault that the business didn't keep track of the original cd's. I'm just saying that I seriously hope this scenario is played out millions of times across the globe.
I'm off to ssh into my home computer and emerge sync && emerge world -uD right now.
Karma: SELECT `karma` FROM `users` WHERE `userid`=138474;
Corporate XP Pro still works FYI :-)
Microsoft has detected an illegitimate copy of Windows....
The local FBI office is located 65 miles away...is this where you would like to go today?
I just type my sig in the reply form...
The article didn't mention whether it applied to every version - professional, corporate, home, server, 64-bit, etc. Anyone have the inside info about this?
I am scientifically inaccurate.
Perhaps I'm just being cynical, but doesn't this place the incentive on insecure code. Maximizing the number of "security patch releases" will also help (potentially) maximize revenue by quickly identifying "pirated" versions of Windows, causing said "offenders" to purchase legit versions.
;)
If Windows were to become secure and relatively bug free, this would cause their "pirate detection" system to become very inefficient, as there wouldn't be a great need for using Windows Update.
I may be completely off base, but it does seem plausible. Perhaps we need Mythbusters
RFC2119
This is rather easy to get around, when your software firewall says "Windows Update is attepting to access the internet, what would you liked to do?"
[ ]Always allow this connection to the Internet
[ ]Manually configure this connection to the Internet
[*]Always block this connection to the Internet
Sadly, for those of us who constantly change the operating systems on our "hobby" computer, we'll probably get marked that we've pirated their operating systems, even though we're just using it on one system at a time, and bought it legitimately, and have a valid key and everything.
*sigh* as well
Luke
----
Tired of answering tons of basic computer questions for friends and family? Send them to ChristianNerds.com instead!
That's all fine and good for MS, but what about the people who managed to obtain copies of corporate editions of the software? These copies will report tons of hits, undetected by MS.
The only way to tell the difference between a hamster and a gerbil is that the hamster has more white meat.
The main reason I stopped using MS Office was after it "detected" that I was using an illegitimate copy and refused to run when in fact it was a legitimate non-demo version and came with my Dell PC. I thought I wasn't going to put up with this crap anymore.
I'll have to use it for every install now instead of just once, making sure I use a unique key every time.
Really, how are they going to enforce this? Just for the top 5 pirated cd keys or something? Why should JoeWhoever have to buy their software twice because they were ripped off? Dunno.
.. for Open Source :D.
_Vishal www.squad9.com
...in other news, Microsoft joined with the MPAA in urging the immediate and unconditional ban of the BitTorrent network, blaming the file-sharing network for an annual revenue loss of $695 billion.
I mean, we have MS losing money on a pirated copy of windows. Fine. We can argue the merits of software piracy all night. But... when MS releases a patch, they are spending millions of dollars on R&D, advertising, lawyer fees, etc - this is supposed to be for legitimate users only. When you buy any software, you are understanding that this $50/$200/$whatever cost also includes free patches in the purchase price.
It'd be like someone stealing a car from GM - fine, they stole it. But imagine if they later came to GM with their stolen car and asked for the $1000 engine recall upgrade. Nope - that's for legitimate carowners only. The $25,000 GM prices the car takes into account the small chance that they may have to set a recall.
Plus, it's not like the RIAA. Nowhere does it say that MS will be prosecuting every illegal copy it finds. It simply says "hey, if you stole a copy, then that's one thing. But don't try and get free support from us too."
I'm guessing that if the security updates are still going to come through, then that is all that is really required of windows update. The "non critical" items which appear in windows are generaly superfluous anyway. As an example: Windows Media Player or the .Net framework - is it possible to download those from other websites anyay, quite easily.
If they do prevent security updates coming through, then as has been discussed on /. before it is liable to create more harm as boxes become out of date and unpatched.
And lastly - theres always the possibility that there will be a way around this.
Several sites have the fulldownloads of the service packs and hotfixes etc...
hell there are torrents available that will give you everything that are updated weekly.
A buddy of mine recently offered me a CD of all XP updates including the lestes ones and his colleague at work was making a script to auto apply them all into a slipstream cd image.
it will only stop the clueless casual non licensed software user. everyone else will not be bothered one bit.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
I tried a pirated copy of Windows XP and when I checked it said it was genuine (which it isn't because I used a keygen program under wine to create a license key).
I suspect they have a list of pirated licenses and they just check for that. It has been posited in the past that they don't even know all the genuine keys that are out there and my experience supports that.
I actually do own a copy of Windows XP (came with my machine) but I wanted to see how this works hence installing with a generated key.
Keep your linux iso's and burner ready!
The Hassle Factor of using MS products has gone up tremendously in the last 3 years. I legitimately own XP etc, and yet, I'm hassled with crap like "Let MS check to see if you're legit before we fix our mistakes".
The lockdown mentality of MS has already made me choose that Longhorn/Vista will not be on my PCs. "Asta la vista baby!". Sure they have every right to 'enforce' their anti-piracy efforts, but, they've made it difficult to deal with them.
The only PT Boat Journal on the web: http://www.PT171.org
Let's face it; a lot of people are using pirated copies of Windows. Whether Microsoft likes it or not, that fact help solidify their grip on the desktop OS market.
Now this happens, and Microsoft is going to start telling these people to pay up, or else (whatever that "or else" might be.) So either the person is going to fork over the $100 for XP Home, or they're going to be chased to a free alternative.
Now all you neighborhood geeks need to spread the word on this, and let people know that there is a perfectly good FREE alternative out there. These peopld don't have to pay Microsoft in order to keep using their computer.
I think Microsoft inadvertently cracked the doorway to OSS a little here. Let's help throw it wide open!
"Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
..not to interject some shameless Mac advocacy, but stuff like this is exactly why I'm a shameless Mac advocate (though any non-MS OS would apply). When you have upward of 90% market share, most of which is locked into you for eternity, is stuff like this really that important? I would think the resources put into developing and maintaining schemes like this, coupled with the awful PR it generates, are probably worse for you at the end of the day, or at least a wash. Windows activation is one exception to the "only /.er's will bother to do it" rule. I know more than one computer illiterate person who has 'fixed' their ill gotten copy of Windows XP. Shmeh.
"You know why you do not see me styling wit my homies? Because I have no homies!!" -Mojo Jojo
Let me get this straight... if you're caught with a pirated version you're offered a discount? (or a free version altogether) Seems like a great way to shop!
Only suckers will pick up a boxed copy from the store from now on...
"they can still fill out a counterfeit report and receive a copy of Windows XP Home Edition for $99 or a copy of Windows XP Professional Edition for $149, Lazar said.
Windows XP Home normally sells for $199 and Windows XP Professional Edition usually costs $299."
------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
There are also those out there who have a dell with a legitamate key. What they can do is get the updates and then slipstream them into a xp cd for their other pc that isnt so legit...
case and point: this stops nothing...
How can they stop me if I'm using a valid XP ISO with a randomly generated (but valid) key from any number of available keygens?
So now, I can't download the update at work, where we have broadband, and transport it home (via CD or thumb drive) because I can't validate my home installation!? I have two machines at home. One is connected via dialup, and the other (an HTPC) is not connected to the internet at all.
Do you know how long 266 MB takes to download over dialup!? OVER 11 1/2 HOURS!!
Xesdeeni
Also, an a Limited-User account, with all the activex security turned up (this is my current WinXP account for day-to-day tasks) the Genuine Advantage Tool fails to run, and requests a) Administrator rights and b) that I set my ActiveX security to Medium/Low. It then accuses me of having failed the test, and of having a counterfeit copy of Windows. So, I predict more security problems as people who have taken sensible security precautions are forced to abandon them for this tool.
What an implication...
Posit A:
Microsoft makes high quality software that has few to 0 bugs in it. Ergo there's no need to update and this is a worthless threat.
Posit B:
Microsoft makes buggy software so updating is a necessity and this threat is a backlash on their corporate image.
Posit C:
Microsoft moves to binary software distribution where you purchase/download a crippled version (or one which has one or two major annoying "feature" issues) where you HAVE to update to get full functionality. Making the threat "real" but hindering legitimate customers to begin with.
C is SOP.
I remember not too long ago Microsoft was offering countries like India the opportunity to then purchase a legitimate license to their software for only $1.00. Do you think those who have been "pirating" Microsoft's OS in the states or elsewhere will be shown the same leniency?
Generation Trance: What generation are you?
This will be grand when employers start having update problems because employess (or even ex-employees) took copies of software home and now the machines in the office can't update.
I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Is this a Windows OS check, or a Microsoft product check. Reason being, I recently came across a Legally Purchased (in 2000) copy of Works Suite 2000, and used it to install Word on 4 different boxes.
Am I going to lose all that? Or do I fall under the "Legally Purchased" Clause. I am sure there is something in the EULA about mulitple installs being a no-no.
Also, the copy of Windows on each box (2 XP's, XPx64, and 98) are all leagal.
This guy chooses a quote from the writeup which is wrong (RTFA), instead of correcting it, he comments one huge paragraph based on it, and gets modded to +5? Only on Slashdot.
"Upon detection of pirated software the user will be given the oppportunity to"... finally cut the strings and go to Linux one hundred percent. No more dual-booting.
Works for me.
See ya around, Bill.
"I might have made a tactical error in not going to a physician for 20 years." -- Warren Zevon
Begging has limited utility.
Another, more effective approach, is to deliberately distribute 2 versions of each software package: (1) regular and (2) deliberately virus infected (i.e. boobytrapped by Microsoft itself). In conjunction with American law enforcement and Interpol, Microsoft uses plain-dressed folks to deliberately forward copies of the boobytrapped software to various groups in China and other hotbeds of piracy. One possible boobytrap, for example, could be deleteing random files.
After a while, the pirated-software-loving folks who use these boobytrapped packages will suffer huge losses: lost sales (due to spontaneous e-mailing of company data to a competitor), injured patients (due to altered patient data), etc. These huge losses will convince the people to stick with the real McCoy and actually buy the software that they use. They will learn the price of pirating software.
A side benefit is that Linux and other open-source software will become even more popular.
oh noes, checking for piracy? great scott, i'm sure no-one will ever find their way around that. cunning move, gates.
it might even be a full week until the street vendors have "Longhorn + anti-detection patch" selling for 10 bucks here in Rio.
I was at an accounting software vendor's premises about ten years ago. This software had a $4000 price sticker, and they were showing me all the reasons why we should buy it. While I was there, front desk took a support call from a girl at some small business who was using this software. They got her to read out the license key, determined it was reg'd to someone else, and told her the company (ie. her boss) had a choice - put a $4000 cheque in the mail or face a lawsuit.
So, we decided to buy our accounts package from another vendor... Not that we had any intention to pirate anything, but any company which could make demands like that over the phone, without any on-site investigation, was not a company we wanted to have dealings with.
So, they *might* have gained $4k from the caller (assuming they didn't spend big on lawyers first), but they lost $4k from us.
Hal Spacejock: Science Fiction with Nuts
The last 5 places I have worked have volume license keys for XP that are loaded from ghost. They also have a perfectly good license on that sticker right on top of the system that has never been used. Hell, someone should use it!
So? You need admin rights to patch the system anyway...
:)
Now requiring admin rights for authenthication just to download additional software is bit more so-so, but even then you probably need admin rights to install them, so the problem is not that big.
Windows is broken in this regard that you pretty much need to run on admin rights to do anything with it
In an article about MSN Earth (Episode IV: Parts of the United States), Google is singled out for pre-copying one of MSN's features, only 72 hours before MSN Earth (Episode IV: Parts of the United States) was set to launch. That's gotta hurt.
i d=a1jaZMqSC2Fs&refer=us
...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&s
Let's hope they can also stop the scurrilous cads who've pre-copied their trademarked Vista name!
# above was just to get attention
# all my real messages include
# the words "I'm normally as much
# against Microsoft as anyone, but
# this one time
\begin{realmessage}
All kidding aside, I'm normally as much against Microsoft as anyone, but this one time you've got to admit they're in the right. After all, they came out against crime. If you're not with them, you're for crime!
\end{realmessage}
At some point over the past day or two microsoft seems to have disabled v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and is now forcing the new v6 version (which does the serial check)
Isn't there an independent update package for windows 2000?
YOU LIAR! No self-respecting Windows user takes any form of security precautions! You MUST be one of those Commie-Tree-Hugging-Penguin-Frenching Linux users!
Of COURSE your copy of Windows is counterfit!
www.eFax.com are spammers
If they now actively check for pirated copies and can catch X% of them, will they lower the cost of new software Y% since they are now theoretically reducing their losses, which was justification of the cost to begin with?
Maybe if a new copy of Windows XP Pro didn't cost $140 there would not be as many pirated copies?
Things that make you go... hrmmmmm.....
I'm not a windows user but I think Ms is perfectly within its rights here, and they're not being overly draconian about it. They're simply disallowing updates, but are allowing security patches, if the copy is pirated. No draconian system shutdown etc.
Of course, without Linux and OSX around and no anti-trust suit, I seriously doubt MS would have been so benign.
Also, this doesn point out one advantage of one manufacturer making both the hardware and the software as Apple does: Apple doesn't check for serials because when you buy a Mac you already paid for at least one copy of the software.
there's already multiple programs out there that generate 100% valid serial numbers for xp and 2000.
The eleven billion shares outstanding for MS have been on a five year diet and they've lost quite a lot of weight over the years:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MSFT&t=5y
Revenue growth is slowing. I think it is down to 7-8 percent this last quarter from a straightline decline from the 20s.
They've been slashing costs in the one billion to 1.5 billion range each of the past four quarters. All the new areas MS has branced out into have been anywhere from washes to fiascos like the Xbox and Xbox 360.
Millions and millions of people running old copies of Windows and Office are going to make a good chunk of those eleven billion hungry little mouths get up and find somewhere else to eat.
It's likely that they keep a log of every serial number ever distributed. So even if your entered CD key or whatever they use is valid, they look it up in their little list and see that that particular number has never been issued, signaling that the copy is pirated. That would be the efficient way to do it...
;)
I bet they just look for the top 5 pirated keys
Most people couldn't produce a "proof-of-purchase" after a few days. I know I couldn't prove my copy of Win2000 is legitimate, even though I legitimately purchased my copy with my PeeCee from my local computer store.
In any event, if there are any hiccups on the validation process and Joe and Jane Doe Computer User get any bit of hassle from Microsoft when they do a Windows Update, I expect there will be a backlash.
Hopefully, Red Hat and other Linux vendors are positioned properly to catch the fallout. "Windows Validation problems? Switch to Red Hat Linux and never pay for your Windowing Operating System again! Free Games with every download!"
This is going to drive Linux adoption like nothing else!
Cool!
This is Good News (TM)
I don't know the meaning of the word 'don't' - J
http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/ you dont need to use windows update...
Well, the EULA states certain things binding upon you from Microsoft, even though you don't have a relationship with MS, just the retailer.
So, if that is so with software, then isn't MS your contact for giving you dodgy software?
If it detects a pirated version of Windows, disable the TCP/IP stack. From then on they don't have to worry about whether or not to supply security updates or not. Plus, they won't be virus/trojan vectors, and they users' data is still there.
when Windows machines should just not be allowed to connect to the Internet at all.
First they hype up an operating system which is not to be released until 2006 yet has all its main features removed, then they finally announce the release of a new version of IE which is only going to work for XP and now they don't want pirated copies of windows to get updates?? I think this is the start of the end for Microsoft...they are building their own coffin.
[alk]
Nevertheless, I have a couple words for those who find it necessary to complain about Microsft trying to crack down on piracy of it's own products: buy it.
For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.
When all this auto-updating software started 4 or so years ago, weren't the concerns about tracking software piracy brought up and MS said "no we aren't going to use it for that. We want to provide a great service to our customers." Not that they dont have a right to do it, but someone from our side should tell people, "told you so!"
-----
"During the 10-month pilot of WGA, we have been very encouraged by the large number of customers -- more than 40 million in all -- who chose to participate in WGA because they were concerned about piracy and wanted a way to determine whether their Windows software was genuine," said Will Poole, senior vice president of the Windows Client Business at Microsoft.
Yes, I really want a way to determine whether my copy of Windows XP Professional that I bought in a boxed version from Amazon.com for several hundreds of dollars is really genuine!
I'm so glad the fine people at Microsoft now provide me with a nifty ActiveX control to finally relieve me of all those dirty feelings that my Windows software might be pirated. Because, you know, I'm really concerned about piracy! (About as much as Microsoft is concerned about treating its paying customers in a respectful way.)
This is unbelievably crappy news. Let me restate, XP will be the last time I ever pay for an OS.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Where are the downloadable W2K Service Pack (and other cumulative update) files? We can download them to our fileserver and reinstall them at will. Without M$ acting as gatekeeper on the security of the Internet they've grabbed, and malignly neglect.
--
make install -not war
But it is.
The implementation of this process is the same net effect as the gas company shutting off people's heat in the middle of the winter. It's burdensome and causes harm to the public at large through security issues. Other posters have pointed out how SP2 is denied via this process. The non-presence of SP2 on XP installations legitimately may be considered a security problem, given the many improvements incorporated in that service pack.
This is why regulations exist to not permit such things to happen in legally sanctioned monopolies, such as utility companies. In most jurisdictions, the gas company can't shut off the heat in the middle of the winter, even if you don't pay the bill.
So why is Microsoft, convicted monopolist operating under court-ordered sanctions, allowed to do this?
HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
"No, it's more like someone sneaking into a car company and xeroxing the blueprints for the car. They then build the car and start driving it."
Regardless, they don't owe you anything. They're only obligation is towards those who supported them by buying the product (it's called a business relationship). Those who pirated the product intentionly are saying "I will not support you". Here's the return answer "that's OK, we will not support you either". Don't like it? Don't make the wrong choice.*
*Plus it gives you a much stronger position to complain about the products deficiencies, and effect change.
The ActiveX test on their site just told me that my copy was pirated. I'm 100% certain it's valid as this (work) Dell laptop had an sp2 slipstreamed version installed about two months ago (at my hands), and the registration code pasted to the back of the laptop allowed the install.
:)
Should I report Dell?
Don't do it, I tried and got a BSOD!
Now my harddrive is corrupt, again.
You say in your comments that the hologram activation key did not work. What was the fairy dust that you used to make it work?
If you used another key from another machine, then you are no longer using a valid licensed key for that machine.
it isnt clear that your situation is actually a legit machine.
With Microsoft's software, who knows what you are installing with the Service Packs. I believe Microsoft has some code that audits your system. How else do they know the stats of illegal installs in developing countries?
It also adds alot of unecessary bloat to your system. Maybe the dual core systems can handle the virus checking, spyware checking, authentic windows checking, spam checking, etc. applications on the second core.
Print this in 96 point bold and put it as a sign on your car:
Screw Microsoft Windows -- Ask me about Linux
And be willing to take the time to show people how to use boot-from-cd Linux distros.
The big-time piracy problem is still people making highly legitimate looking, but pirated copies of the software, down to even the hologram in some instances. If you bought a counterfeit copy of XP, Office XP, etc. you'd not have a sanctioned copy with support privileges, etc. Microsoft is NOT obligated to provide you updates/fixes (and technically, it's also that way for security fixes...) for your counterfeit copy if you've bought one in good faith. Sure, you can use the software because you obtained it in good faith per copyright law, etc. but don't be insisting that you've got a legitimate copy and don't need to be buying it again to get the support you thought you had obtained with the pirated copy you ended up with in the first place.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
How exactly do they check for it being a pirated copy? I mean other then checking their database of registered windows users and comparing it to the computer, how do they know the difference?
Just off hand I guess they they might check the license keys (obviously) if 10.000 plus people are using the same license key something is obviously wrong. In this case you probably woudl get som sort of nag screen stating: "Your license key has been compromised please contact your local Microsoft representative to get a new one... bla... bla... bla..." Secondly they could simply check for the digital signatures of various cracks and hacks available like a virus or spyware program does before any patch is installed. In that case you would get the "Purchase offer". It's not as if these Cracks are terribly hard to come by and I would be disappointed if Microsoft does not have a whole team of engineers and coders collecting Windows cracks off the internet and analyzing them. Whatever else they do I don't expect it to be terribly bullet proof but it will be scary enough and work well enough to persuade alot of pirate consumers to buy a Windows OS "Academic Edition" CD/DVD. In future versions of Windows one should expect them to use some far more formidable DRM technology.
Only to idiots, are orders laws.
-- Henning von Tresckow
But... when MS releases a patch, they are spending millions of dollars on R&D, advertising, lawyer fees, etc - this is supposed to be for legitimate users only.
When MS releases a patch, it's usually to correct a defect which either has already, or may, cost its customers boatloads of money.
No more fscked up updates for me, then :-) )
Thank you
In fact, I think MS should prevent pirates from getting security updates.
Anything to make piracy of MS products as difficult as possible!
MS always blathers on and on about TCO, but nobody ever mentions the marketshare that MS has gained through piracy.
Home users will be more willing to consider alternatives if the actual cost of Windows is figured into their calculation.
WhiteWolf666 an exBush supporter. All you new-school,compassionate,save the children Republicans can rot in hell
I'm almost ready to deny all wan traffic in to the XP box here at home, anyway, now that my mac mini handles all of my mail and surfing and streaming, etc. It's a legit licensed copy, but I don't care anymore, I am tired of the hassle. I won't need to keep patching that box unless there's some critical issues with NTFS or something, if I just wall it off.
Sweet, then I'll just pirate Windows, and when it asks me, I'll purchase at the discounted price. ;)
Microsoft's missing out on a golden opportunity here. They should let you go about your business with your pirated copy, then after using it for about 6 months, the update will pop up a screen offering to sell you a copy at a heavily increased price. "Hehehe... Now we have your data. Your pirated copy of Windows will be locked until you purchase our Windows XP PE (Pirate Edition) for a nominal cost of only $999."
OK, now to all of you Microsoft guys reading this post, I claim ownership of this idea. If you use it, I want 20% of the take.
-Arthur
Cave ne ante ullas catapultas ambules
This still doesn't do much about the keygen...my buddy's computer still works fine with a keygen key. Also, why can't regular people get this same discount?
I now doubt those figures of "90% of desktops on earth have Windows OS".. hmmn that definitely must have included the pirated ones..
From the link: sic also sick
See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
I strongly support this move. Ideally I'd like to see Microsoft selling their software (good or bad - let's keep that out of discussion) at a more reasonable price, esp. in the third-world countries. I've personally met people, originally from third-world countries, currently living/studying in the US who can't break out of the mindset of getting software for free. These guys will order a Dell machine with XP Home, format the disk, then ask their friend for a copy of XP Pro. If they can pay $15 per head per month for shared broabdband access, they sure as hell can buy a legit copy. Or, use Linux.
...we don't get French benefits?
-Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music.
It's about the ACTIVATION KEY which is an additional step used when installing. The activation key is calulated with a hash based on your hard disk's serial number, and some of your hardware.
Which means that if you reformat your hard disk you're screwed, because next time you format it, it'll have a DIFFERENT serial number.
I say it because I had to activate my windows TWICE.
(Frankly, I think Microsoft doesn't know how to maintain the salaries of all its programmers when they don't sell anything NEW anymore. So they have to reinvent the same software over and over to keep the income flowing... dot com bubble anyone?)
Shut your god damn blowhole. I recently tried to purchase a off the shelf computer for my relavtive and not one major manufacturer offered comptuers without Windows (except for Walmart). Why do you think that is? Is it that big a deal to not have it installed? It would reduce my price and but isn't it about what the consumer wants? No, ofcourse not. So what did I resort to? Having to buy parts and put it together. A very good system, but more pricey. Now they run Mandrake.
So, I predict more security problems as people who have taken sensible security precautions are forced to abandon them for this tool.
You mean Bill G.?
Years ago, cable companies would use a similar tactic to bust people who were actively stealing cable services.
Basically on the "pirated" boxes (blackboxes) or those who were "piggybacking" cable on their neighbor's connection junction, they would broadcast a "contest" for the next 100 people to call in. People who were letitimate customers and subscribers would never even see the "contest" broadcast.
If you called in to win the "t-shirt" or "trip to Jamaica", or whatever, they collected your address and other details. When you went into the cable company location to claim your prize, they gave you a nice shiny pair of bracelets and a trip to the local police department.
Don't fall for the "discount" on any Windows product. Use this as a means to get a "discount" on the whole thing, switch to Mac OSX or Linux.
We won't treat you like a criminal.
The Fujitsu Lifebook comes with a system image installed on the hard disk, with instructions buried in an appendix in the manual saying that it might be a good idea to make a backup. If you don't make a backup, and if you're unlucky enough to score a hard disk crash, then Fujitsu's official standing is that you're fucked. Totally fucked. They say you have to go out and buy another copy of Windows, and never mind the completely valid license key on the hologram sticker on the underside of the system.
The best answer I got was completely unofficial, from a Fujitsu engineer attached to my work - he said, just borrow a copy of Windows and install it with the valid license key. By that time I'd already made my own arrangements that, coindicentally, corresponded fairly closely to that recommendation...
So, dear daughter is now running an illicit copy, but with the original license key.
For anyone that missed it the first time, Fujitsu doesn't give a shit about you losing your one and only system install disk. They don't include a CD because: "it's installed from an image CD in the factory", and they don't care enough about their customers to include a CD of that image. What's the cost of an image CD these days?? About $0.50?? That's too much for Fujitsu to spend...
Any Fujitsu employee wanting to dispute these facts should supply an email address, so that I can forward the emails I exchanged with Fujitsu "you're screwed, fuck off" Support.
One more line in my "why to switch to Linux" list.
apol
...called it stolen property and went off on the "sick (sic) the cops on each and every person using a pirated copy" as you put it. It's INFRINGEMENT and it's not theft- it's duplication of an intellectual work without the permission of the duplication/production rights holder. Different crime- and you can own a copy, you just can't be making and giving out or selling them yourself in the US.
Please, please, please don't be propagating the falsehoods that the RIAA, MPAA, and similar organizations have been putting forward to futher their cause. Don't be making the Lie the Truth by repeating it for them.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
I get the argument about my unlicensed copy of Win2K Pro not actually costing Microsoft anything, but are you really denying that supporting unlicensed copies (which is what this article is about) doesn't cost Microsoft anything? You do understand that bandwidth isn't free, right?
No handwaving, no veering off topic. When I download updates for my unlicensed OS from Microsoft, it costs them money, they receive nothing in return or up front to compensate them. Yes or no?
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
and recognizes the fact from the serial numbers when you try to get the battery fixed....
Of course DeWalt puts out a good product as compared to the virusware microsoft puts out.
... to make me go full linux, and with flash MX 't linux i wouldn't think twice...
I fuse with Mercer every single day...
Some needs coffee: Upon detection of pirated software the user will be given the oppportunity to purchase a legitimate copy of the software for a discounted price, upon providing proof of purchase etc. It probably should read differently than this ..right?
Fred Grott(aka shareme) http://mobilebytes.wordpress.com
No, actually, your mistaken.
If you bought a PC with a pirated copy of XP, and have proof of purchase, than you get a *free* copy if you submit all the details regarding your pirated copy.
If you just are running a pirated copy, then you are given the option of purchasing a copy of XP at a reduced price under their Amnesty agreement.
That's what the grandparent post is quoting.
WhiteWolf666 an exBush supporter. All you new-school,compassionate,save the children Republicans can rot in hell
What are you bitching about? You are smart enough to make low level accounts, which PREVENT system changes, and then bitch when you cannot change any system files or the operating system. Poor me, I have to use the RunAs service with IE in order to update my system. Honestly I am tired of these uninformed "examples" people put up to make windows look bad, but only in the eyes of people as dumb witted as those who made the example(Which so happens to be about 85% of the general population).
If GM not honoring the recall meant that the car was unsafe and could potentially cause accidents and harm people in other cars, then yeah, I'd say GM should honor recalls regardless.
Obviously it's a different scenario, since it would be just as easy for GM to just have the cops show up and have the "owner" of the car arrested (something MS can't exactly do), but in general I'd say it's a good comparison.
Eh, only suckers pay above those discounted prices anyway. That $99/$149 price is actually more than what Newegg charges for the OEM versions ($89/$146). Of course you're required to buy a piece of hardware along with it, but less scrupulous dealers will include a junk piece of hardware for free to technically satisfy that requirement.
No need to loose sleep over this one. M$ is just making another step to outfitting companies and homes full of OSX systems. By the time Vista ships M$ will beg people to keep running any type of Windows on their systems and not make the switch. Bill better get his winks in now, because he is going to have a lot of late nights in the near future. Real good way to piss off valid users and pirates. No one likes to work under a hot lamp...
Seriously - the typical consumer of pirated software are not terribly afraid of running dodgy software, so all this will do is ensure that such users stop updating their copies of Windows. Thus will increase the number of outdated systems out there, and so increase the population of zombies and other compromised PCs.
In order to obtain an OEM priced copy of certain products (To whit, not all MS products are offered at the OEM leve...), one has to buy a machine from a supplier like Dell, HP, etc. OR buy a piece of internal hardware such as a power supply, etc. from a place like Fry's or Micro Center. If you do not purchase it that way, you're NOT buying a legitimate copy (though it won't flunk the test... However, having said this, if MS knew you'd bought an OEM copy without meeting the criteria, they'd consider you having bought a Counterfeit copy and bust the balls of the retailer that sold you your copy...).
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
If I'm running their Windows Server Update Service, does it check to see that all the computers on my network are in compliance. Since it is just one server that gets the updates and distributes the updates to the computers that need them.
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Microsofts Windows Genuine Advantage system is unable to actually identify pirated copies of Windows. Anyone who installed Windows XP using a unique key created by a key generator, which is everyone who didn't just download an ISO and use the CD key in the .NFO, skates neatly through the piracy check. Note also that anyone who ISN'T running a unique key can also change it, via instructions that are conveniently placed on the Microsoft website.
Last I checked, there was also a fallback verification system you could use if you refused to let them install their ActiveX controls that asked you questions about what your CD key looked like. This was easily passable by anyone who had ever even SEEN a Windows XP retail CD.
Anybody tried checking their Linux/BSD for Microsoft licensed authenticity? Maybe through Wine?
Maybe call the authenticity check a security check? If I see any machine that passes the test, it means a quick fdisk and linux/bsd installation is required to secure it. ETA. 10 minutes max before somebody else will do it for me over the internet...
Beta Sucks
Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers!
http://www.ntk.net/ballmer/mirrors.html
a product for the consumer that wouldnt force the consumer to go out and spend more money , in excess of 1000$ in nessecary software (Symantec , Mcaffee, MS Office, Entertainment software and Games, AntiSpyware, Disk Cleanup utilities, etc etc etc) , then I wouldnt feel so bad about spending 200 bux on a legit copy of Microsoft product.
I laud MS attempt to try to catch pirates of their OS, but....Too little Too late. Should have done this YEARS ago. Their numerous failed attempts at stopping piracy have failed...I dont see this as an end to it.
"God of Rock, thank you for this chance to kick ass. "
Does this mean I wont be able to install Internet Explorer 7 when it comes out? RATS!
It's not an "illegal" monopoly. It's an effective monopoly that has been found to have been and possibly currently engaged in illegal activity. The only way I could envision an "illegal" monopoly would be someone who'd cornered the market on some illegal or illicit activity. Illegal monopolies would probably be best defined as the Mob, the Columbian Drug Cartel, the media piracy cartels, etc.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
In fact they'd be useless, because when you connect to their database the cd-keys you generated wouldn't be there. Get it? They don't check if the key is ok, they check if they made the key.
Upon detection of pirated software the user will be given the oppportunity to purchase a legitimate copy of the software for a discounted price, upon providing proof of purchase etc.
Upon providing proof purchase upon detection of their pirated software?
Unfortunatly, it is for this reason that I need to keep everyone on Administrator accounts at home etc.. If not, people complain because they can't install X program. This is really too bad, because they end up screwing the system up with Administrator rights....
Foxed Design
The Windows Genuine Advantage validator failed on this eMachine with the XP Home that came with it. I had to use the recovery disk once, the exact one that came with this system. Either the validator is wrong, or eMachines (now Gateway) is the biggest Windows pirate to ever exist.
One issue not mentioned (but which Microsoft would have considered) is malicious alteration of the serial. If you change the key to something that is currently valid but will shortly be blacklisted, the computer will pass any security checks but is guaranteed to be ready and waiting to be compromised when the next vulnerability is discovered.
Seriously!
It's *their* software. They can do whatever they want with it.
They want to run intrusive anti-piracy scans?
Shift to another vendor.
Home users can do it. Corporate users can do it. Yes, you'll be an early adopter, thats not always bad.
If you're a corporation, this shouldn't bother you much, its not *that* intrusive that it'll shut down work for you, and no one has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the office anyways (you signed that away in your EULA).
If you're at home, tough shit. Pay up, pay often.
Don't like it? Switch to Mac or Linux. You have no 'right' to a Microsoft Operating System, unless it came with your system, and if thats the case, they'll give you a free licensed copy.
Sure, I support this initiative for my own ends. But even so, there is absolutely nothing wrong with what MS is doing.
A) It's legal.
B) It's not immoral. It's not that intrusive. It's well short of similar measures that gaming companies or expensive app companies have been using for years.
C) There are alternatives for Windows.
Pay up, or switch. There is no room for pirates anymore, and I'm *fine* with that.
Advocate the GPL? Then you *better* support generic notions of copyright, because that's what the GPL is about.
Read through this topic. Half the posts are "This is terrible! I'll no longer install pirated versions of Windows!" Well, big deal. You aren't a customer now, why should they give two shits what you do.
The other half of posts are, "No Sweat, this is easy to work around!" To this group, all I have to say is, "Grow up." Hopefully, they'll get around to sabotaging your Windows installation soon.
WhiteWolf666 an exBush supporter. All you new-school,compassionate,save the children Republicans can rot in hell
Well, if you wanted to really pull one over on 'em, you could simply find a "COMPUTERS" store in your area that has gone under (around here they pop up and close down with regular frequency. In fact several have come and gone in one storefront nearby and have never changed the sign), and generate an invoice for the system from that store, then get your free copy of the software. MS may invest the effort in tracking down the proprietors and employees of the now defunct company, but they'll have a tougher time of that than they will going after the "current" offenders.
MS needs to come up with a effective to stop piracy and stop people who pirate their software from getting updates and security patches.
I think this will have a different effect than they expect. I predict they will NOT sell one copy of their software for every pirated copy and their sales will never be what the BSA says it should be, even with 0% piracy.
I want to see the pirates get fed up with MS and switch to Linux or BSD. And the legitemate users get so fed up with MS's anti-piracy they switch to Apple.
I want to see applications developers get so fed up with MS's security they "have" switch to Linux or Apple, and ASP developers move to PHP or Java.
Yeah, I know, I'm dreaming.
If someone is passing you on the right, you are an asshole for driving in the wrong lane.
That would be awesome if we could get Vista's name changed!
Is this just going to impact the download or the actual installation?f ixed.rar coming to a Torrent near you...
Regardless, The Scene has been cracking game patches for years...
[l33t-cr3w]Microso$t.Windows.2010.Service.Pack.8.
body massage!
You misunderstand.
According to Microsoft, running Windows with any kind of security is NOT an authentic authorized use of their software.
Therefore you are in violation.
- For the complete works of Shakespeare: cat
I somehow doubt this will affect the current WSUS/SUS patch system microsoft has provided. Unless they release patched versions of WSUS/SUS, then the only check that will happen (and maybe not even then) will be of the WSUS/SUS server. The clients could be pirated and it wouldn't care.
The best answer I got was completely unofficial, from a Fujitsu engineer attached to my work - he said, just borrow a copy of Windows and install it with the valid license key. By that time I'd already made my own arrangements that, coindicentally, corresponded fairly closely to that recommendation...
So, dear daughter is now running an illicit copy, but with the original license key.
No, your daughter is running a perfectly legal copy. There's no difference between a borrowed CD or a backup you burn from the hard drive... Your Windows installation isn't tied to a physical CD, it's tied to the license key.
Now if it was the other way around-- you kept the disk but lost the license key and had to "borrow" that-- that WOULD be an illicit copy.
So, dear daughter is now running an illicit copy, but with the original license key.
uhh, it's a legal copy if it has a legal key, the media doesnt matter, it's the licence that does. Thats why corperations have 1 cd and install it on 1,000's of computers and just buy licences for them, no different for you.
what's the problem? you're still using a valid license, who cares what the media looked like. The person you talked to at Fujitsu wasn't particuarly knowledgeable I'd say.
Apple sees Mac mini sales soar by 800%.
"Microsoft's anti-piracy checking not a part of the new wave of switchers", said Apple.
If it were true this would be the single greatest thing MS could do for the open source community. Unfortunately I think they'll stick with the current "drug dealer" model of giving it away until they've got you hooked and then changing for it.
This didn't work on a known pirated copy I tried to check. It doesn't seem too accurate, and I wouldn't be surprised if they're checking against like 5 known CD keys or something on that order.
Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
Even so called "pirate" users are doing MS a service by getting the updates because they lower the MS security problem by decreasing the number of unpatched systems prone to spreading viruses.
It's just like human health, why are some vaccines mandated? Because you're hurting everyone if you don't have them.
When a decent chunk of your future developer (developers developers developers, the FUTURE of our company, yadda yadda) force is students, dropping $100 on an OS is like giving up beer for a month! Bye bye win32!
Hmmmm.....
Are the ones they sell you at a discount resellable?
1. Find huge source of pirated XP copies.
2. Buy 8 million, or claim that you did.
3. Fill in a pirate report. Claim your 8 million free copies of XP.
4. Sell 8 million free copies of XP on ebay for $5 a copy.
5. Profit? (While getting hunted down by MS's death-monkey-squads).
WhiteWolf666 an exBush supporter. All you new-school,compassionate,save the children Republicans can rot in hell
huh? Seems to me that if you actually pay for the software, then you would support policies that prevent others from getting for free the same thing you paid for.
I wonder, does this also apply to pirated windows 98 CD keys? Not that i have it mind you. I just didn't see it mentioned on their site.
Avoiding activation because your key is illegal, would be a way to catch someone. A cracked activation will still work with windows update, you just have to make sure you have a good license first. This is a really useful way to use the evaluation version of M$'s products. Download the 690mb iso from their server, an activation hack from a forum and your ready to go.
Oh, don't try this at home of course.
"And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the World"
1 John 4:14
I foresee a new virus on the horizon . . . wildly prolific and harmless in all ways - except that it modifies all unprotected windows OS's to appear non-pirated, or make everyone appear the same. I'm just saying of course
Many companies do this now. The cost for them to make an image CD is still money saved, plus the service charge they get to give you when you send it back for a new HDD/re-image
I used to work for BestBuy, and recieved MANY complaints about this from many different manufacturers.
(obviously) if 10.000 plus people are using the same license key something is obviously wrong. ..except in the case that the license key is from a site license, in which there are expected to be lots of people with the same license key; and in the case of XP, these are copies which do not need to be activated. As you and someone else have mentioned, they will probably be attempting to look for machines which contain cracks, in most cases to subvert activation. Again though, in the case of a commercial copy, the activation code was never there (or, more accurately, wasn't 'activated', hee hee), so there won't be any code to be found that cracks this. Also, the majority of these licenses probably are legitimate, so unless Microsoft has a table of "Hey, this company passed around their site licensed copies of XP, and now it's all over the internet" entries, and checks through them, it's doubtful that these copies would have a problem.
--- What
Type in "cdkey xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx" as in x's are your SP2 compatable CD key.
We're thinking about undertaking a big .NET project, but I'm hearing horror stories about MSDN Universal & the new licensing stuff.
Back in the day, you got basically unlimited licenses with MSDN Univerisal, which was pretty much a necessity: In a research/development/testing environment, you're constantly wiping drives clean and re-installing OSes and applications. But if M$FT starts this crap with their MSDN Universal developers, then Linux is gonna look all the more enticing by comparison.
PS: I used to do a little certified Microsoft training, and the thought of attempting to install a classroom's worth of computers, each of which requires a unique authorization key, is enough to send shivers down my spine.
In the Novell classes, the single biggest problem was ALWAYS the sh!tty server licenses that Novell Education dumped on us. They never worked properly - for the entire week, the servers would beep error messages about license infractions.
I gotta agree with him. We are thieves.
But I bet they leave the expired MSDN (enterprise and other) keys alone. Those of us with access to such keys are mindshare he wants to keep.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
"Do they seriously think this will decrease piracy in the 3rd world? All they've really done is cripple their product. They now have several issues to deal with."
a t
:)
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_sof_pir_r
I don't think China is a third world country. But you're right, it won't reduce piracy because free is still better than $230.
This would only be the case if your car starts to indiscriminately shoot people if you refrain to do the 3'000 mile oil change.
Windows can do that after 12 minutes on the net, if the mighty Microsoft update computer decides that your copy is not legit.
Methinks I rather stay with Debian, since their social contract proghibits shooting people.
ich bin der musikant
mit taschenrechner in der hand
kraftwerk
7MD2F-FYJX4-D4R2B-3M7W2-DC9PD ... taker guys ... she's already whored on the net
Meh
Keep in mind this is probably a prelude to a larger anti-piracy scheme to be phased in over the next generation(s) of Windows.
They'll likely employ the same tactic that online games use.
Every copy that's printed gets a code, same with OEM. Those codes are all recorded and shoved into a database. When you connect, you MUST have one of those codes, and ONLY ONE of those codes can be active at a time.
If this is implemented properly, there's really no way around it. The only thing you can do is buy a legit copy.
Having said that, this method is prone to all sorts of problems. For instance, many companies Ghost all of their machines, and deploy a standard image. They use the same key on all the machines, but have a stockpile of keys (usually larger than the number of actual deployed machines).
Obviously this would break that system. But, workarounds will be found. It would be easy to add (maybe it's already there?) functionality so that when a newly ghosted machine boots up on the network the server sees it has the "newly ghosted key" and assigns it one from its pool or something.
Who knows, but the point is, if Microsoft gets smart about this, there's no way you'll be able to pirate Windows anymore.
The funny thing about all of this is, I think it's actually against their best interests to do this. One of the biggest reasons Windows is so widespread is due to piracy. Many many people are simply not willing to pay for Windows. If they succeed in doing something like this, I think we'll see interest in alternative operating systems rise yet again.
He wants to put earnings on the front page of the WSJ so his stock sales (which I expect to accelerate) don't depress the price untill he has sold out more shares.
Go back to day one of microcomputers. Gates knew he could become richer then the pope by setting defacto standards then using them to beatup his compitition. This is OVER, Bill knows it. The market has matured.
Knowing he won't get better growth from MS then the market in general Bill would be moron to not continue diversifying as fast as possible.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
Firefox to the rescue. Get your updates through a secondary site made for updating windows through Firefox. There is the security issue of getting updates through an untrusted source, but how much do you trust the trusted source?
I thought, that on slashdot, that piracy was what microsoft charges for their OS and the good fight was getting it and spreading it for free.
I think even WilliamSoft has GOT to realize that if they hammered home their pricing onto all the WilliamSoft users in the world, they'd all suddenly realize what it really costs. I mean the price of Windows Software has never gone down a dime in the history of the company. Are they going to announce a 50% price cut in the price if piracy is eliminated?
No you say? then what's the upside for me the consumer. How was I benefited. First I shouldered the burden of WilliamSoft's blantant ignorance of their own intellectual property and then when WilliamSoft finally figures out how to fix that problem after what? 25 years? Then they continue to screw me on the price?
hahahahahaha that's real funny. Here's what Steve "Im Dancing Im Dancing" Ballmer needs to do. He needs to announce that anti piracy technology rollout will be coincident with a pricing rollback. Until then they will hurt themselves.
But monopolies don't understand what market pricing really means. They operate from the perspective that they can rape and pillage at will. It will be interesting to see if they can do something like this or they screw it up in a painfully transparent effort to make us think we're getting value while at the same time pulling out a WilliamSoft wristwatch left behind in our sphincters.
why are you all pissed off about this? if you can prove that you bought a pirated copy of windows from an illegal vendor, they are willing to give you a FREE copy of windows.
in fact, if you can't prove it, microsoft gives you a discounted price for windows. i mean come on, they are rewarding you for pirating their software!! what more do you want!? they could be suing you!
just because their software is bad doesn't give you the right to pirate it.
This was the last straw for me. I've spent so much money on faulty Microsoft software over the last ten years, and now they're going to treat me like a criminal.
I'm ordering a Power Mac as soon as I get home.
Riiight, like I'm going to let an ActiveX applet from Microsoft scan my system. What do they want next, a retina scan? DNA check? I don't encourage piracy (I *do* own a legit copy of XP), but forcing users to submit to this crap so they can get updates (I know, I know, *not* critical updates, but still) is just wrong. Anyway, use the links above and just say NO! to Microsoft ActiveX scanning.
Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
> Microsoft will begin checking for pirated
;) They will instead check if the copy is legitimate - it is a difference here. Since I can have perfect legitimate copy of Windows XP and I may not wish to give out my privacy to MS. So I would probably download SP/patches somewhere else than MS site.
:) But hey - MS wrote the OS so they will probably also find a way to exploit MSIE... :>
> copies of its Windows software when users
> attempt to update.
No. It is not like that - they will not check explicte if the copy is pirated - that would be scary for some...
> Security updates are supposed to be
> exempt from the check.
This is also untrue. Some security updates would not install on pirated copy right now (it is like for 3 years). I am writing about Service Packs - they are *mainly* security updates. And they do not install on pirated Windows copy (well it can be cracked, but not so easly).
> Upon detection of pirated software
There is no fucking way for them to detect *pirated* *software* - first of all if somebody does run pirated software he won't be running their checking programs on his machine. Second if I go to MS site and try to download something, but I will find that I need to do some stupid checks I will back off - that does not mean that they've detected pirated copy.
Unless they will find a way to automagically run some kind of software when you wisit their download site - which quite frankly is being done usually by virus wirters.
Whats about if you have a copy that is registered to a College or University? There could be thousands of people with the same license numbers. Would these users not beable to update, or would the master list at Micosoft have these exempted?
You can't jerk gas service from people who *AREN'T PAYING* during winter because it's considered inhuman to condemn people to freezing to death.
Exactly why is it acceptable to condemn millions to being spam zombies - affecting everyone on the Internet - through no fault of their own, by an unaccountable monopoly beholden only to its stockholders?
Hmm? Where's your answer to that?
There are some situations that the free market can't solve on its own. This is one.
HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
[Customers can] fill out a counterfeit report and receive a copy of Windows XP Home Edition for $99 or a copy of Windows XP Professional Edition for $149, Lazar said. Windows XP Home normally sells for $199 and Windows XP Professional Edition usually costs $299.
Check it out everyone! Forget buying XP at the store, just get a pirated copy, file a counterfeit report, and get Windows XP for 50% off!
They should call it the "Piracy Rewards Program".
Guess what ... microsoft solved that with it's Corporate Version of Windows XP. (btw that's the copy you see on the internet and you might know it as "Devils0wn")
;-).
u rrentVersion\WPAEvents ... the "Activate me crap" dies ... and for all you tinfoil hats you don't need to reg your Windows XP. You think MS would of made it so easy if they didn't want people to pirate there OS. They would of made it so if some file isn't downloaded from there (encrypted of some kind) the OS simply won't work etc etc. No ... it's some silly regestry hack that takes less then 2 minutes to do and lasts the lifetime of the product. I know that the activation thing I mentioned above works in Windows XP MCE and Windows XP x64, im not sure about XP Pro ... if someone tries and has luck I wouldn't mind knowing.
One key works for everyone. Remember the key FCKGW-yada yada
Wikipedia Article
But if you use the CD key thing as I mentioned above it changes the Windows XP to another key such as the one the anonymous user above gave, service pack 2 will install and there is no annoying blocking of Windows Updates.
Microsoft only wanted to stop the "casual pirater" considering every version of windows is already cracked. Not to sound like a mad pirate but to disable the activation is sadly VERY easy.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\C
That's frickin it
Hope ive been some help
Solosoft
Solosoft.org - Your Online Resource to Nothing
But I'm not fucked.
When the hard disk completely goes and I have to replace it, I'll be able to reinstall Gentoo Linux without paying anyone anything. ;-)
As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
From the article it states the discount is only if you prove you purchased a pirated copy but dont want to report the store
if you just download it off the internet and truly pirated it yourself, you get jack shit
For those who are interested, I downloaded the pirate version of Solaris from www.sun.com and the pirated version of Fedora Core from www.redhat.com. I get access to ALL the updates the two respective companies in question offer, as well as the benefits of worldwide support from literally millions of users such as myself!
Sorry - too disingenuous of me?
So what about those of us using the corporate version of XP (no activation, hack or patch required) along with our own unique custom generated CD-Key? Microsoft will discover no patch, crack or duplicate serial number.
I own XP, but as soon as Longhorn (aka Windows Vista) comes out I'll be sure to get a pirated copy. Then when I get caught, I get a discount on a legitamate copy :-)
-Jesse
First post! (just in case I am...)
not MS windows, so it must be pirated. Please get your MS windows license so you can comply with the rest of US.
We are the Borg^H^H^H^H^H Microsoft Lawyers.
My wife's sketchblog Blob[p]: Gastrono-me
It's not actually illegitimate. M$ doesn't really give a damn where you got the source as long as a license was purchased. You have enough of the OEM to retain your OEM license purchased with the laptop. Fujitsu were just being fuckheads about this...it'd be no skin off their ass to send you a CD that you could install using the key on the attached sticker, but apparently they're too damn lazy (both mentally and physically) to come up with an acceptable solution.
Note to self: Do not buy any more Fujitsu products.
You're using her as bait, Master!
Microsoft is a multi-billion dollar coroporation. That corporation must increase profits at the cost of everything else (known as externalizing cost). That means that it must increase profits regardless of who gets hurt, what governments topple, or even if it means the end of the world. The documentary, "The Corporation" made a great case for this and "proved" that The Corporation (any Corporation) is a psychopath, as a result of treating it as a person (which the law does).
Some points:
The Corporation here has hurt the user-base, yet again, for no real gain. This is where they could be charitable and recognize that the multi-billion dollar company can eat the "loss" (of which, we know, there is no serious value).
I swear to god that if we don't start taking Corporations down and make them accountable to human decency (and a Corporation, being a psychopath, doesn't care about its negative impact on the world), then things will keep getting sadder and sadder until we're all in the third world, save the Bill Gates' and Steve Ballmer's.
This sig used to be really funny...
I'm somewhat surprised that a comment on the true intent of this new requirement is has not yet surfaced (that I have seen).
People who cannot or will not migrate to XP, legally or otherwise, are now being forced to migrate. First they are being denied "non-critical" patches, but just wait--soon enough, Microsoft will refuse to patch machines its automated system detects as having pirated copies for even critical security patches. When outcry rises, it will say something to the effect of, "don't blame us, blame the piraters!" Thus they initiate a forced-upgrade path while not needing to produce a good, secure OS.
~Anonymous Cowering Bastard
/me looks at his Fujitsu LifeBook Windows recovery CD...
guess they changed their policy at some point.
---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"
You've probably fallen foul of the fact Dell seems to use the same CD key for all of its restore CDs. Which, incidentally is published all over the net! Those blue Dell OEM XP stickers only work with Dell's XP CDs (so don't loose your Dell CD!).
You can get instructions on how to change the key here:
How to change the Windows XP Product Activation Key Code
I hope this helps.
Hehehehe, I've got a windows xp cd that came with some dell...the place it's from is using some other big organization wide license and this cd-key isn't being used on many machines... In fact it's being used on one. Mine. Anyway I've installed and re-installed (good to keep your windows install fresh)...I've also changed hardware and had to re-activate once or twice. It's a legit copy of windows. Now MS might not WANT or claim that you can transfer a license from an OEM machine to one you built yourself. But whatever. I don't give a rats ass what they say, it's NOT a pirated copy lol.
Now it thinks it's pirated and won't install anymore. Joy. My machine is kind of screwed up because of some hosed lexmark inkjet printer drivers. (ditched that mofo and got a $5 used color laser that works fine lol)... I can still apply patches.. for now anyway ? But ms says the cd-key is pirated now, I guess once you've installed and re-installed and re-activated due to hardware changes more than 4 or 5 times it thinks it's pirated.
Now I can understand if 10,000 people are trying to use the same cd-key. But get real. It should give you 20 or 30 installs before you hafta crack it to use a legit copy... I really should just switch to linux. Anyone have experience getting World of warcraft going in cedega? On an ATI card? (yeah yeah I know)... Then again, I couldn't play dvd-audio discs or whatever in linux either blahhhh... I think I'll go home and pirate a cracked copy of windows server 2003 or something to avoid the trouble....
replacing it with NEW Folger's Crystals! (lets see if they notice the difference)
I have found that the laptop/desktop vendors do charge extra for giving us Disks for backup software.... how are we supposed to reinstall and start from sratch in case the OS gets fucked up. .... i want to install linux.... and not Windows... so why should i pay around 100 bucks for the thing which i dont intend to use.
Also the most of the vendors ask us to buy Windows
my 2 cents....
Common sense is not common
My latest IBM Thinkpad didn't come with an install CD, either. I google'd for a while before I found instructions on how to make a Windows install CD from the data contained on the hard drive (the only option IBM provided was to restore their "base image," which was full of crap that I did not want/need).
So, what's the reason for all of this? The explaination that I heard was that Microsoft is now making it a requirement of some OEM agreements that they _not_ provide a Windows install CD to the purchaser. So, not only do Fujitsu and IBM save money on the actual media costs, they save money on the OEM agreement with Microsoft too by not providing you with the CD. Allegedly the point of this is to prevent people who buy laptops from giving their genuine Windows install CDs to their friends, but would someone tell me please what the point of paying for a product is if I don't even get an install CD (let alone written documentation)?
Sounds like a social engineering problem.
Windows.XP.Security.Updates.Nov19.2005.X-Force
I'm Rick James with mod points biatch!
I wonder if MS would change their minds as someone (or something) would have to cull those entries as "false positivies."
So here I had a legitimate paid licensed Windows XP Professional computer which will not pass the windows licensing scheme. I'll have to dig out a SP1 cd sometime and reinstall with the actual key so it will pass.
Even worse are 3rd party apps that get toasted in the shuffle. My HP (Bought brand new) had it's cd burner software act up. No problem. Uninstall and re-install to repair. Uninstall went fine. Re-install became a big problem. No install CD. The program is part of the recovery HD image. The only way to re-install is to wipe the hard drive of all your settings and applications and start over from scratch.
Needless to say, my CD burner is working again. Just don't ask about the version of the CD software..or it's reciept. I would have used the original for re-instalation if it didn't come with the penalty of wiping the drive to re-install it.
Does that make me a criminal?
The truth shall set you free!
Makes enough sense. But, that is the exact opposite of what the agreement says when you install it, right?
Actually, I noticed that after Service Pack 2, you needed to download a new version of Windows Update, just do download the updates. Is this "new version" just French for "new, more imposing license agreement?" That would probably be the best way to change the contract terms without drawing much attention to the specific change.
Anyway, what I'm more so worried about is if they start squealing if you have pirated versions of AutoCAD, MATLAB, etc. Cause believe me, even at a 'discounted price', you still cannot afford those. Of course, in any other industry, if any company started pulling this crap, all their customers would simply switch to a competitor. Sigh.
Oh well, I think I'll just stop downloading Windows Updates. I actually haven't updated my system since last fall, and haven't been running Antivirus in quite some time. Good old trusty Peerguardian 2 has been keeping me afloat for these last 10 months. Long live the king!
Partial Credit: The Engineer's Best friend
"Well, the bridge didn't fall all the way down!"
It's not about the #@!!%% install/maintenance of XP it's about:
1. Ensuring Microsoft maximizes profit.
2. Reinforcing Microsoft's ownership of their IP. If they didn't take this step, it's possible in some court of law where illogical things happen with startling regularity that MS's lax enforcement somehow makes their IP vulnerable to being used without paying microsoft. Crazy? Yes. Possible? Yes.
3. The current political and social environment is focused on the expansion of the corporate welfare state. In this instance, they would be fools not to try to extract every possible penny of wealth and reinforce/extend their ownership opportunity along the way. It's easier now than ever before.
4. Microsoft's customer is the PHB, not the Sys Admin. If anything, the PHB likes this kind of move because Microsoft is thinking like a capitalist. That's what employees are for after all, to do the dirty work so the PHB gets the glory.
http://www.maxineudall.com/2010/02/should-economists-be-sued-for-malpractice.html
It's not illegal unless they use that position to maintain said monopoly or to wedge their way into other markets. Otherwise, you'd see Microsoft shut down much like Enron was, etc.
Believing it to be so, doesn't make it so, sadly.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
"And, jokes aside, "proof of purchase" of what? If they mean a possible purchase of a machine with, or a standalone copy of, a counterfeit version of Windows, assuming the user purchased it legitimately in good faith, how in the hell is this the user's responsibility or fault?"
If you buy something that later is determined to be stolen, it will be conviscated and returned to the rightful owner. Similarly, if you unknowingly buy an illegal copy of Windows, MS deserves to be compensated if you wish to continue using the software. If you've been ripped off, you can sue the person who sold you the illegal software.
Vote for Pedro
"You MUST be one of those Commie-Tree-Hugging-Penguin-Frenching* Linux users!"
* you misspelled 'felching'
Sherman Antitrust Act, 1890:
Section 2. Monopolizing trade a felony; penalty
Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine not exceeding $10,000,000 if a corporation, or, if any other person, $350,000, or by imprisonment not exceeding three years, or by both said punishments, in the discretion of the court.
Google for your favorite copy of the act. There's more in there.
HBI's Law: Frequency of calling others Nazis is directly correlated with the likelihood of the accuser being Communist.
Honestly, this isn't terribly relevant. I'm a Gentoo geek and I dare say there is very little that I cannot do that a Windows user can. A little UNIX know-how can go a loooong way.
But if you're lacking in that department, get a Mac. Provided that you replace the chintzy mouse and keyboard, even a Mac can make a great gaming machine if you've got the scratch to buy one.
Microsoft's Longhorn is going to make things significantly worse, people. Abandon DirectX and your chintzy mp3s. Embrace openGL. Hug an OGG file. Get yourselves acquainted with open source!!
No shit.
pshaw-----validated and updated. ;)
Someone mod this guy up.
Twice, because my Windows computer isn't hooked up to the internet.
Price of Smoking: $30-100 Billion per yer
Price of Overweight People: $122.9 billion
Price of Illegal drugs:$300 Billion
Price of Online Piracy:$50 Billion
Price of getting a grant to do other usless study - Priceless!
1. Check Windowsupdate for what updates you need
2. Just go for the microsoft.com website and download any security update manually.
Microsoft must always allow this, because many servers do not have internet, thus one must be able to download updates manually and e.g. burn them on a CD.
Seriously, I find that the release quality of pirated software is, in a surprising number of ways, depressingly higher quality than those from the original software company.
For example, take the standard conventions of putting software description in a standard location in a standard format, the (not completely standardized, but pretty close) practice of placing patches at a standard location on the CD, the practice of distributing software in standardized chunk sizes to provide for more recoverable transfers.
The pirates, competitive though they may be, do a better job of cooperating with each other and putting out "industry" conventions and sticking with them than all but a few software companies do. I still don't believe that the Windows world's equivalent to RPM is the godawful InstallShield -- argh.
Oh, and when there *is* a packaging mistake, the updates are generally quite prompt.
Applying copy-protection-disabling patches to a piece of software distributed by the large pirate groups is a more standardized and user-comfortable process than wading through the jungle of installers that the software companies out there put out.
Oh, and there are standardized (free) places that list and provide for download the latest cracks for various software, like gamecopyworld. While Linux has had Freshmeat (and a slew of advanced automated methods to check for updates and update software), and MacOS has had VersionTracker, Windows has had essentially nothing by way of centralized update information. Yet the pirates managed to pull it off.
Oh, and I've even seen stabs at PKI systems for ensuring integrity of distributed pirate software. While the Linux world enjoys this, the Windows world (aside from a few Microsoft-centralized systems limited to very small components of the Windows system) hasn't even seen a peep of interest from commercial vendors in providing this level of service.
Any program relying on (nontrivial) preemptive multithreading will be buggy.
You're right.
Restore America: Dr. Ron Paul for President!
I didn't know THAT aspect of it.
Wonder why nobody seems to have recieved the punishments ordered by the Sherman Antitrust Act, then... Seems to me that Bill and Steve should have been put in Club Fed for some amount of time or placed in Probation for that- you'd have thought it'd been in the papers had it been done.
Having said all of this, then, there's not a whole lot one can do in this matter- the Government, including the Courts, are NOT doing their job here.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
Exemplary B00B~ware I surely wouldn't run it, even if it were free ! XP is a republican software. Let them know EVERYTHING.. In Jesus"name. Jod Bless Amerikka.. we got nuttin to hide !
Damn, Microsoft damn them to hell. Ballmer you fat piece of $hit I hate you and all the greed that falls of your sweaty pores. You have no soul and I think you are a good candidate for Hell. I hope google and Yahoo take you down. And Tux comes by and kicks you in the head. The antichrist is on earth and its name is Microsoft. A Corporation is a person isn't it. whew -- (I feel better now) I know deep in my butt that Microsoft is collecting data on users everytime they update. And if you believe they are not then I got a bridge to sell you. And I really think they wil give us a big (HUGE and dry) surprise in the future. Kind of like the RIAA. Why would anyone defend or support Microsoft when they can not be trusted. They are so smug and arrogant making statement like we have no plans now of doing this. Thank you so much for not screwing us now.
Once you go mac, youll never go back :)
For the last fucking time, getting updates for a pirated copy is NOT the same as stealing a car and expecting them to fix the engine.
What half of you don't realize (those who continue to use those analogies) is that your argument completely falls flat on its face at that point.
The many many paragraphs you type after that are immediately useless.
PLEASE know what the fuck you're talking about and show just a LITTLE bit of intelligence before making a conscious decision to take part in a discussion - thank you.
We have secretly replaced these Slashdot mods' sense of humor with a rusty nail. Let's see if they notice!!
My engineering program at my school allows us to download free legit copies of Windows XP Pro for home use.. But it makes us call Microsoft for approval.
My laptop has a Windows XP key on a sticker on the bottom - but first, the key doesn't work with any copy except the Toshiba recovery CD that formats my computer and installs a bunch of Toshiba crap and AOL advertisements. And, then I would have to call Microsoft.
So, I'm being like totally a software pirate because I don't feel like talking on the phone to some douchebag at Microsoft.
--- We need more Ron Paul!
Um... ok - i get it. You hate MS. You're hip. You probably use apple and/or linux. Whatever. But... your point is irrelevant. Just because it may cost customers money because of a flaw does not mean this was intentional or even wrong. In my parent post, I use a GM recall as an analogy. If GM hides a potentially costly/deadly defect, they can be prosecuted and this is evil. But, like software companies, if GM/MS/whatever says "we found a flaw in this product and now we'll fix it for our paying customers for free" then it's totally fine.
if you never register your copy of windows XP, it shuts itself down at the end of the month, reminding you to reformat your hard drive, and backup your data regularly.
of course it's the "shutting it down" part that actually does you good.
If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
Here is one for you:
I am running a copy of Windows 2000 at home--it is a LEGITIMATE copy IMHO but I'm not sure how MS would treat it. The install CD in question is from a former employer which closed up shop and let us all go. My boss was a pretty good guy and made sure we all got our final paycheque but couldn't pay out our remaining vacation time (in my case it was four figures in range) so he compensated us with company assets that weren't due to creditors. So my "vacation pay" consisted of hardware and software including a Celeron PC and an unused, still-shrinkwrapped NFR copy of Windows 2000 (NOT OEM--we bought it separately from any of the computers--and it was NOT a resale legally or technically).
I installed this on the PC (it is now a Linux server since I got another PC and put it on there), but this was before product activation and I NEVER have registered it with Microsoft. It has never been on more than one PC at a time, but MS can't have much of a record.
My guess is that they hav amassed a list of product keys or serial numbers that are floating around the P2P networks, and have also been "spying" on us for while to collect keys via Windows Update--if a single key shows up on clients from hundreds of diffferent IPs from around the globe and it isn't a known good corporate key then you are shut out.
Anyways, I'll be curious when I run Windows Update next and see if they have decided I'm a pirate.
Actually, smart shoppers should already be grabbing OEM copies of the operating systems. These require a hardware purchase to be legit, so stock up on 99c case screws!
Big! Strong! Wow! Tada-O!
If you have sigs turned off, you still get his sig. Mod this spammer down.
so say the people's front of judea!
sum.zero
Hasn't this topic come up several times before? And not just here? This isn't really new news.
And besides, can't say I'll shed many tears for software pirates getting slammed.
I was excited about this possibility myself, as my Windows XP started refusing to update about a week ago.
But according to the article, "they can still fill out a counterfeit report and receive a copy of Windows XP Home Edition for $99 or a copy of Windows XP Professional Edition for $149, Lazar said."
To me, this sound like I would have to sign some form saying I thought I was buying a legit copy and it turned out to be fake.
That would be dishonest!
(Seriously, I'm not joking! I'm ok with comitting copywrite infringement, but not with making false statements!)
Microsoft has bigger issues than that. Like, for example, the huge number of businesses that are realizing they over-reliant on Microsoft, and are finding that there are ways of running their businesses very succesfully without being completely beholden to them.
And how can anyone sympathize, when you consider that Microsoft has ripped off many companies' code without permission - and regularly settles over the resulting lawsuits?
Yup! I was going to hold off on this whole linux revolution, but I guess MS has forced my hand. I will find any relatives or friends who are running illicit copies of windows and replace their installation with Ubuntu. Ya you heard me. Once all the non-computer saavy are running linux, there will be no place for MS. We'll be back to the "guy-who-knows-computers-has-to-come-fix-the-probl em" like back in the good old DOS/Win3.11 days... Or maybe not.
If they've "emasculated their product entirely", wouldn't they have to call it Unix (Eunuchs)?
Microsoft actually reverse engineered the reverse engineering. They can tell what keys were generated and what weren't because of the algorithm that the older keygens used.
There are newer keygens, however, that are based off of the Genuine Advantage software itself, that can give you a passing key.
This is according to legitimate news sources, so don't blame me.
Still IMing in the stone age?
I'm curious what will happen when you use service like this: http://myprogs.net/ The point is, people should list there ALL of their programs for the site to work efficiently for those people later, but who will be bold enough to add there all his 'warez' software? (and we know people do use warez a lot :))
If it has the original license key, it's not an illicit copy.
When the hard disk completely goes and I have to replace it, I'll be able to reinstall Gentoo Linux without paying anyone anything. ;-)
So I assume you've already paid your $699 to SCO for that machine?
________________________________________________
suwain_2
I don't know how that applies to copyright though :-)
Go to country with no controls on pirates (Russia, China, etc.), buy a pirated copy for all your users, get a receipt, write down their street address, tell Microsoft, suddenly you have free windows legal copies for all your users. If you have 20 users, it more than pays for the airfare.....
Kind of amusing....
Hans
for a reason to order that Mac mini. The first time this happens to me, I'll place the order with Apple.
good time to get rid off the priated copy and move to a legal GPL/BSD enviroment. my 0.02cet
use the runas, command or right click on .exe's and select runas. That does basically the samething as sudo in unix.
"I write software for a living."
Yes, and so do lots of us. That doesn't mean that we kneejerk and say that copying MS software is bad.
Its not.
I paid for 3 legitmate copies of Windows XP. If I want to put it on a 4th or 5th computer, F microsoft. They got their 3 pounds of flesh, no more.
Does this only affect Windows XP or is it ME, Win2k & Win98 as well?
Jaysyn
There is a war going on for your mind.
Fair point, but I'd note that, whereas skipping the $1000 engine recall upgrade is unlikely to cause inconvenience to anyone but yourself, not patching a Windows PC means that you're likely to be aiding in DDOSes and the distribution of spam and viruses in fairly short order.
A more accurate analogy would be: they later came to GM with their stolen car and asked for the free 5-mile-blast-radius explosion prevention upgrade. Of course, in this case there would probably be a bit of a public outcry if GM refused to service said cars, as any attempt to validate the owner would result in car theives not getting their cars repaired and hence putting everyone at risk.
Sure, the resulting explosions wouldn't really be GM's fault, but I can't imagine it'd win them much in the way of good PR.
If you doubt my analogy, at some point I'd recommend hooking a box running psad or snort up to the open internet (or just a box running unpatched XP). You'll soon see where I'm getting the explosion metaphor from.
For the love of God, please learn to spell "ridiculous"!!!
Actually I researched this point recently, what has been cracked is genuine advantage. If you have one legitimate system you can run the genuine advantage program on it to get a passing number, then you feed that into microsoft's web form and it lets you download. It isn't a way to make a an illegal system be legitimate, it will just let you pass the check once and must be rerun each time you want to download something that requires the check.
Of course, if MS charged a reasonable amount for the retail version of Windows more people would willing to shell out for it.
Windows Vista can effing blow me.
MSN Virtual Earth was just released. With a "Locate Me" button that is apparently quite accurate. Tie that with the "Scanning your copy of Windows" feature, and they can just send the feds right to your door. Or, perhaps, mail you a copy and bill your credit card...
It is pitch dark. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
I guess the BSA (BrownShirts of America?) were just looking for pirated copies and shaking down businessmen, just because of high-minded ideals.
So now Microsoft's going to start looking for pirated software? Good!
Welcome to Linux, all!
--- For a good time mail uce@ftc.gov
Well, no. You have to provide proof of purchase first. In other words, tell Microsoft where you bought the pirate copy (or PC with an unlicensed install). Having done that, you get the discount and MS gets to pursue a pirate.
It is in fact, most likely illegal software. XP has activation and all the warez copies are hacked to remove that restriction. He is breaking the EULA and almost definately the DMCA by using the modified code.
But the biblio models are so qute, mine fits in a (large) pocket. Its like a very large PDA with a real operating system.
It was the BSA that first tried to end software piracy in the USA (a worthy goal) and found their efforts thwarted by none other than Microsoft who wanted to pick and choose who they would let steal their software. They knew full well that small companies were pirating Windows and Office and they were just fine with that, until those companies started showing nice profits. The last thing they wanted was the BSA to conduct a raid too soon and risk putting the pirate-users out of business.
How ironic that MS now need the marginal revenue from pirated copies to prop up thier inflated stock price. Time for Microszombies to pay the price of the monoculture they inhabit.
There is something I must tell you about your curent hue.
First of all here's the offical link on windows validation info:0 5/07-25WGA1PR.mspx
p x?displaylang=en
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/jul
All manual updates from windows update are required to validate that its a legit copy.
Security updates through automatic update are still availible, or if you can find the manual link to the update (without using windows update site) you can get security updates that way.
For example, you cannot now get dx9.0c (unless you install it off a game cd) without verification.
BTW, I have all legit versions of XP on my computers, purchased from my school program at a discount, etc.
Now, there's a lot of misinformation and anecdotal stuff going around about SP1 and SP2 and how those can be installed. Here's the correct info.
First of all, SP1 locked out a small number of very well known cd keys that were used in a few of the more common pirated versions. If you had those, windows update wouldn't work period. I think you might be able to use a keychanger in that case, but I never tried it.
SP2 info: during the beta of SP2, MS got really anal and blocked a ton of pirated cd keys (basically all pirated ones up to that point). From what I heard, you had to go through a bunch of hoops with special key gens that verified 50 keys with ms servers before they found one that worked.
They decided that providing security updates was too important and on the actual live release version of SP2, they backed it down so it only blocked the same few common keys that SP1 had blocked. (most SP2 pirated keys were differant by that time from the sp1 ones and I heard of no keys getting blocked by people who copied xp with sp2 release version integrated, etc)
Finally we come to today. Now all windows update downloads, and microsoft update downloads (including security/critical updates) will require validation. This is a little active X control that installs and checks your cd key to make sure its ok.
BTW, this INCLUDES corporate versions. You may be asked to input some info such as what company you got it from. Then they can match against what company purchased that VLK.
Quote from the link at top:
"Validation via WGA will be required for all customers using Windows Update, Microsoft Update for Windows content, and the Download Center (DC). Security updates remain available to all Windows users -- with or without WGA validation -- via the DC or Automatic Updates."
DC being the download center, i.e. manually finding the knowledge base article for that critical update and downloading it. (without using windows update)
Here's the FAQ:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/FAQ.as
Quote from there about volume liscense customers:
"Do Volume License customers need to validate?
A: Yes. Customers using a copy of Windows with a valid Volume License will be validated and given full access to all genuine Windows downloads. Volume License keys have been a source of counterfeit in some instances; therefore the WGA validation service is able to recognize and block a Volume License key that is being used improperly."
The complete list of info collected per that FAQ is:
"The complete list of information collected in the validation process is shown below:
* OEM product key
* PC Manufacturer
* OS version
* PID/SID
* BIOS info (make, version, date)
* BIOS MD5 Checksum
* User Locale (language setting for displaying Windows)
* System Local (language version of the operating system)"
Anyway, there's the info, and the source for the official MS stuff on it. So you can verify most of this yourself.
Technically, I think not them saying they're not giving you the other software is a good way of keeping the system SECURE to begin with, you never know what problems those new MS programs wil have anyways, given the track record....
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Proof that pirating Windows is mainstream: pirating tips get modded +4 informative on Slashdot.
They started this crap with MSDN Universal back when Windows XP first included Activation. Windows 2003 is even worse. You are supposed to be licensed for MSDN for one engineer/10 boxes (which are expected to be reformatted/reinstalled multiple multiple times) but for Win2K3 they only license you for two.
IIRC, this also applied to M$ $QL $erver 2003, which I have not bothered with specifically BECAUSE of the restriction, even though I only need the one SQL box. If the system DOES die (Yes, I run backups) I need to bring it up, and can't let Activation get in my way. Incidentally I still run Window$ 2000 $erver on that box because I refuse to use Window$ 2003 $erver for a development/test environment where a box is periodically wiped/reinstalled, or potentially periodically wiped/reinstalled.
WTF? Hullo, Micro$oft!! This is why we recommend MySQL and OpenOffice to clients; because you have become anti-customer and anti-developer, you f'n dumbasses. You can't see the money past your greedy nose.
We do a lot of work in php even though php development IDEs are vastly inferior to Visual Studio BECAUSE it's a better choice for the customer. It's true for debugging we have to turn to gubed or throw messages out in HTML but them's the breaks if we want to give the customer a solution that won't rape them in licensing fees.
Incidentally, the captcha for this message is "buffoons" which for a Microsoft-related post I find quite fitting.
I have a free copy of SP2. I tried to install it on a clients machine. (faster than downloading it) It died on the advantage check.
I went to look for the sticker and when I did not find one I asked the client.
"No I didn't buy it new from a major store. I got the laptop a couple of years ago from a guy in Jersey."
"Yea, he did say something about saving me money on software, but he said it was legal"
He may have had one of the original XP Volume keys
Now I can tell him that he can go legit by ratting out the other guy. If you sell pirate and then tell your clients that you are legit you should get in trouble.
BTW the clients machine is so badly messed up he needs to have it scratch built.
I ordered this cd a few weeks ago and installed it last night. It asks for a serial number before the install works.
Itis my understanding that they have blocked the major hacked keys that were available on the web warez sites etc, so you need a (sp2 enabled) valid key
Buggy OS, Buggy Browser, Second rate search engine, Second rate maps, Second rate DB First rate anti-piracy, screw working software that is too hard, just make sure every dime goes to preventing anyone from getting crapware for free. My dual boot Fedora Core/XP is going to be pure FC4 when I get my hands on it, and I am going to move all my other systems to FC4 this weekend, I have been building customized Live DVD's for each to boot from and I will gain raw HD space not having a gig of patch files all the time. Less fuss less muss, and the hard part is getting my wife to drop Photoshop for The Gimp.
Just because it may cost customers money because of a flaw does not mean this was intentional or even wrong.
I don't think I suggested it was intentional or wrong, but I am suggesting that citing the amount money it may have cost Microsoft to release a patch is every bit as irrelevent. I might also suggest that if Microsoft wishes to shoulder so much of the world's trust with respect to its use of computers, it better damn well be prepared to deal with the consequences of its failed QA.
Long ago I purchased the OS for the Home computer.
I would be luckily to find the box. I would never be able to find a receipt.
How can they expect proof?
I understand the idea of proof of ownership before you are allowed updates. But to try to enforce it now is not reasonable. I could see on the next release big flashing signs saying keep your receipts and box as you will need it as proof of your purchase.
What about second hand computers that are sold with the OS installed on it but no disk or box is given? The previous owner just transferred the license to the new owner.
My Sig indicates the end of the comment I posted.
You mean I can get Windows cheaper by
stealing it than I can at CompUSA?
Sounds like a true "5 finger discount".
-- The Funk, The Whole Funk, And Nothing But The Funk
Sadly, for those of us who constantly change the operating systems on our "hobby" computer, we'll probably get marked that we've pirated their operating systems [emphasis added]
And this is surprising?
"As the majority of hobbyists must be aware, most of you steal your software. [...] One thing you do do is prevent good software from being written. Who can afford to do professional work for nothing? What hobbyist can put 3-man years into programming, finding all bugs, documenting his product and distribute for free? The fact is, no one besides us has invested a lot of money in hobby software. [...] Most directly, the thing you do is theft." (William Henry Gates III -- February 3, 1976 -- An Open Letter to Hobbyists)
Karma: Positive (probably because of superiour intellect)
the only option IBM provided was to restore their "base image," which was full of crap that I did not want/need
But everyone loves BonzaiBuddy and Weatherbug!
Now we can pirate XP to get a discounted price on it, woohoo! Why buy it from the store then...
As always, MS is late.
Enterprise Linux vendors have been checking their OS for piracy for years now (Red Hat Network).
I purchased an eMachines Athlon64 notebook which came with a dvd with a hdd image restore. When that machine died within the warranty period (long story short, apparently the power supply was hit by lightning without me knowing, but it still worked fine) i returned it to Best Buy which returned it to eMachines (which had been purchased by Gateway. So, it was "unable to be repaired" SO i got to choose a new notebook.
On display was a Gateway Athlon64 (almost identical to my previous eMachines) which I chose as my replacement (with better specs as well). But this time it did not come with restore cd's, it came with blank cds in which to burn the hdd image onto. There was an option for burning onto cd's (the ones provided were very cheap) or a dvd (guess which I chose).
All in all, if it were someone like my mother who had purchased this notebook and experienced a hdd failure she would undoubtedly have been faced the same thing you did.
It is, in fact, most likely legal, unmodified software, even if the CD copy I made is not strictly legal.
:-)
I could have given her some version of Linux, but I figured she'd be better off with something she recognized. She's doing schoolwork on it and doesn't really have the time for the learning curve.
It's not piracy ... it's for intresting information and people with tinfoil hats. It also has some background information on windows piracy ... telling people how to pirate would be like putting the key on the site and a link to donwload windows.
:)
Solosoft
Solosoft.org - Your Online Resource to Nothing
The instruction manual for the C-Series 2010 (or whatever it is) explicitly states that the user "might want to make a boot floppy so that in the event of a crash, the main partition can be restored." I don't think it even takes into account that a disk crash could make the recovery partition unusable.
This particular laptop is about 3 years old. If yours is older, maybe that's a real install disk. Back in Feb this year, their attitude was "send us the laptop and $150, we'll reinstall Windows for you. Not including the cost of a new hard disk." I doubt they've changed since then. Who knows, though? I copied the email to a Fujitsu engineer at work after we talked about it. He said he'd forward it, so maybe that made a difference...
Some guy in one of my classes told me you could avoid all the activation and other verification just by deactivating (removing) 3 dll files.
Anyone care to comment? I don't believe it either, but this seemed to go along with the topic.
Warning: I am the silence machine.
In a later email they admitted to using a ghost image to install from, which was given as the reason why they wouldn't supply an install disk, and never mind that they *give* you what's effectivly an iso. There's a note in the User Manual, on page 82, somewhere in the Troubleshooting section, that suggests making a boot disk. I think it actually says "boot floppy", though it probably means "burn a CD from the ISO".
Putting that remark in the Troubleshooting section is pretty stupid, as you're only likely to find it when it's too late. What they really need to do is write it in the Welcome section: "Thanks for buying Fujitsu. Please insert a blank CD-R and copy the recovery ISO to it, because we're too fucking cheap to burn one for you."
The last email I got from them said, "send us the laptop with $200 and we'll put in a new disk with Windows." I didn't even bother replying, because I'd already picked up a replacement drive from eBay and borrowed a legit copy of XP Home to install from. The new drive is 40Gb, replacing the old 20Gb, and the whole exercise cost $72.
The update seems to have gone live, and does seem to block VLK/Corp keys with a 640 pid.
It doesn't seem to block 2000 server, yet.
Sounds a lot like my daughter's Fujitsu Lifebook laptop. The hard disk died, neve mind why, and Fujitsu Support's response was: "you'll have to buy a new copy of Windows to install on the new disk. Or, pay us $200 and we'll install a new disk and a new copy of Windows." Yep, that was their response, swear to God!!.
The Fujitsu Lifebook comes with a system image installed on the hard disk, with instructions buried in an appendix in the manual saying that it might be a good idea to make a backup. If you don't make a backup, and if you're unlucky enough to score a hard disk crash, then Fujitsu's official standing is that you're fucked. Totally fucked. They say you have to go out and buy another copy of Windows, and never mind the completely valid license key on the hologram sticker on the underside of the system.
The best answer I got was completely unofficial, from a Fujitsu engineer attached to my work - he said, just borrow a copy of Windows and install it with the valid license key. By that time I'd already made my own arrangements that, coindicentally, corresponded fairly closely to that recommendation...
So, dear daughter is now running an illicit copy, but with the original license key.
For anyone that missed it the first time, Fujitsu doesn't give a shit about you losing your one and only system install disk. They don't include a CD because: "it's installed from an image CD in the factory", and they don't care enough about their customers to include a CD of that image. What's the cost of an image CD these days?? About $0.50?? That's too much for Fujitsu to spend...
Any Fujitsu employee wanting to dispute these facts should supply an email address, so that I can forward the emails I exchanged with Fujitsu "you're screwed, fuck off" Support.
All you have to do is call Microsoft themselves, they will gladly ship you replacement media for the low cost of 6 dollars...then use valid key...I read every response here and not one person mentions getting a new disc from MS themselves...only to borrow one...which IS usually faster depending on who you know...but know that you can call them for that.
The keys from the pid 640 key generator don't seem to work. They do "seem" to be using a know sold list.
I believe the actual wording require it to be a piece of hardware that is essential to the running of a machine. My local shop was selling OEM copies with case screws and apparently got called on it - now they sell OEM copies with power cables, IDE cables and occasionally, fans.
This machine is about 1 year old (LifeBook S series), and it came with 2 discs - "Drivers and Applications Restore CD" and "Restore Disc" which is a DVD. The DVD says it will "restore the original contents of the C: drive", although it doesn't explicitly say it will work with a replacement HDD. There's also a small partition on the HDD which will allow an "on the road" restore if you don't have the DVD handy. Luckily I haven't had to use either.
---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"
Excellent point. I too am tired of the fact that 85% of the general population can't figure out how to run Windows securely.
You should be logged in as admin/root/administrator anyhow to install software whose reprecussions extend beyond the user account's domain. Allowing ANY system-wide software to install without administrator intervention is a security hole.
Incidentally this is why *nix viruses are so rare and don't spread. How many users run *nix on the 'net while logged in as root? Aside from clueless Linspire users and some OS/X users who figured out how to enable root login, and a few stubborn idiots on Linux who demand "god" privileges locally, not many.
On Windows, running as Administrator-level users is the norm (because productivity apps such as Quickbooks REQUIRE Admin privileges **sigh**) so viruses gain full access VERY easily, and spread easily as a result.
Not really. What I was thinking was that I should pay the same amount as everybody else. Which is about $100 less than what I paid.
You know, I always wondered... Was that key specifically chosen by an anti-bush advocate? It just seems a little too concidental...
Are they going to be doing this with 98? (Yeah, I know that updates for 98 are going to be few and far between and in the end none.) Running 5 computers in 5 different houses received from Food Bank like oraganization, we are a non-profit. All computers originally had 98 on - all that was left on them was the 98 boot splash. Tried Seanix, they said contact the original seller for the numbers, they are no more. So just put license # of one of my two owned copies on. So - are they going to check on 98? peace
> She's doing schoolwork on it and doesn't really
> have the time for the learning curve.
Yeah. Learning is really a bitch. Better to let her stay with a system that screws her over from time to time; which you still will be fixing.
Taken from http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/jul0 5/07-25WGA1PR.mspx
WGA is part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to protecting its customers from software counterfeiting and to helping support partners through education, engineering, and enforcement of policies and laws.
What they meant was "WGA is part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to protecting it's profit."
WGA, designed to differentiate the value of genuine Windows-based software from counterfeit software, enables customers to enjoy the capabilities they expect, provides them with confidence that their software is authentic, and delivers ongoing system improvements, including approximately $450 in software offerings available only to genuine users.
BS! My pirated copy of windows has ALL the capabilities I expect. Nobody cares if their software is authentic and that vague software offer is just a magical number created by M$.
According to the Business Software Alliance, unlicensed and pirated software costs software vendors and national economies billions of dollars every year.
BZZT! Wrong. Pirated software costs MICROSOFT billions of dollars. It SAVES vendors and such billions of dollars.
"During the 10-month pilot of WGA, we have been very encouraged by the large number of customers -- more than 40 million in all -- who chose to participate in WGA because they were concerned about piracy and wanted a way to determine whether their Windows software was genuine," said Will Poole, senior vice president of the Windows Client Business at Microsoft.
OMG, take the rose colored glasses off and put down the bong! Customers were concerned that the big bad microsoft monster would come after them and litigate. It's scare tactics. They are SCARED. Nothing more.
I could go on but I've bored you all enough.
You moved your mouse. Please restart Windows for changes to take effect.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
fckgw-rhqq2-yxrkt-8tg6w-2b7q8
I actually have it memorized.
I just used an old license for win98 on one of my three drives to obtain validation at MS's Web site to allow file downloads. I stopped at sp1 for 2003 server. I will use some of the saved downloads to update my pirated winxp and will probably post the others as downloadable torrents. BTW I was using the mozilla browser as well on MS's web site as my validation was checked and OK'd.
Expect additional problems by people who aren't tech savvy. Faced with "You have a pirated copy. To update please send money" they'll probably just not update. Once they know it's pirated and they can't get the update from microsoft's website, they'll just use the update provided by techsupport@micr0s0ft.com via email/usenet... Or maybe they're they're too smart for that and will instead opt to apply the 1337 H4X0R patch over at rootyourbox.net. We already have a +5 informative distributing possibly malicious executables right in this discussion. Being a Mac user, I can't do too much investigating. Are the patches being offered there signed in any verifiable way by Microsoft? Would Joe Sixpack know the difference? We might just see plagues of biblical proportions in the Windows monoculture.
No, but it could have a remote 'killswitch,' instead of a necessarily malicious boobytrap.
It would be seemingly easy enough for them to build a "feature" into Windows Update which could be remotely enabled, which would cause the computer to say erase critical parts of the system files, then attempt to reboot, if a blacklisted serial number was detected.
They could build such a feature into the software, and let it out into the wild without telling anyone. Wait a few months and have somebody comb the warez sites and compile a list of pirated serials.
Then at some point, maybe concurrent with a big security update or something, turn on the blacklist-serial-number-checking. All the machines that have bad serials suddenly just fail to boot up.
This would be, I think, completely legal on Microsoft's part. The justice system has taken a pretty lassiez-faire attitude to 'consumer rights' where piracy is concerned: read up on some of the satellite TV smartcard stings if you want. There, the satellite companies actually plotted over months, rewriting the pirated cards bit by bit, until one day they threw a switch and rendered them useless.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
I'm running an SP2 installation that had it's key changed with a key generator so I could install SP2 without issues. Now when I go to the update site it tells me I'm not running a "key that was ever issued by microsoft" and that no updates are available to me. The system is still usable, but no updates anymore I guess.
Oh well, WTF. I've been thinking about turning this box into a full time KUBUNTU machine anyway.
Sorry If this is addressed elswhere. I didn't see it an my unexpanded thread. What about W2K? I made a Bart's boot W2k CD and routinely wipe XP from any system under my control, then reinstall W2K. I've a dozen or so computers with valid XP licenses running W2k. Am I likely to run afoul of MS?
extortion
A decibel - a RELATIONSHIP between two values of POWER http://arts.ucsc.edu/EMS/Music/tech_background/TE-
this text is not here.
sum.zero
If the pack of screws includes hard drive mounting screws, motherboard mounting screws, and power supply mounting screws, then yes, I would consider screws essential to any system running in a case.
Imagine if the motherboard was just sitting inside the case, and the hard drive and power supply with it.
If I have nothing to hide, don't search me
Microsoft Genuine Authentication
Several Rants:
1.There is nothing wrong with safe guarding your services, data and/or products. It becomes a problem when certain OS developers begin acting as drug dealers do.
The argument here is that as a drug dealer Micro$ has allowed the crafty and/or innocent non restrictive updates and upgrades until now. Miro$ knows that a large percentage of 2000/XP users are running pirated and/or copies of their OS and have put in to place repeated efforts to circumvent keygens and illegal patch kits that alter user registrations. Drug dealer are known to provide 'customers' with free samples in order to addict them, once the addition sets in they begin charging, which in return forces the addict to fork out money or provide 'a service' in exchange. Micro$'s recent 'Genuine Authentication' which they are forcing upon Windows users in no different and should research throughly before they fully implement this soon to become 'disaster'. Micro$ by now should be fully aware that alternative operating systems and software are available and soon could cause the software giant some monetary issues. In my option Micro$ should just write off the fact that millions run pirated and/or for example dual copies of Windows either at home or work and let this group continue access to all updates. If Micro$ must impose restrictions on new technologies, they should provide separate update sites per product (example: Office Update Site). Putting restriction on the Core OS is potentiality dangerous for us all. Also I should note that, yes Micro$ has made public their continued push of 'security' related patches to all. How long will this last?
2.Micro$ quality assurance practice. Before Micro$ ventures into 'babysitting' Windows users and forcing people to play fully by their rules, they should evaluate their products and FIX them. It seems that Micro$ has over looked two important issues surrounding their OS: 1.) They charge in my option a rather steep amount for an OS that can be considered by many 'Still in Beta' even 'Alpha' quality. 2.) Security, this pertains mainly to XP. I have customers that no matter what level of Anti-Virus/Spyware/Malware is used, they fall prey to infections. Some systems can not be restored with out breaking other programs/OS further and need to be formatted and a fresh OS install. With the current XP SP1-SP2 releases having to activate the OS after each infections becomes a costly process, seeing that the legal XP cd will not install on a machine more than one or two times. As a tech I know to backup certain config files and in most situations can reinstall XP many times over (Same machine and hardware). Does the advantage user know how to? or capable of digging through their OS for hidden files and keys? This takes us back to rant #1 and forcing users to authenticate. Before Micro$ implements this act they should FIX their software and at least bring the quality of the software/OS up to 'buggy production grade', If they can not achieve 'production grade Stable'. I feel $150. USA to become Micro$'s beta tester is a bit much! I suggest Micro$ you provide customers reliable, secure and near bug free software, before you moan and groan about the percentage of people running illegal activated copies of your products.
3.Open Source and Micro$. Many neutral reviews of Linux and BSD operating systems just to name a few, normality include a paragraph or two on M$ compatibility and stability. The reviews are mostly negative and becomes the number one reason people do not migrate to these OS's. The Micro$ get the facts promotion always leave out one important issue: Stability and compatibility issues are not due to the fact that Linux for example is open source and free but rather Micro$ does not open up and play fair with others. Developers of alternative M$ products to a degree have to guess at how the programs work, since the source code is closed source and proprietary. I do not suggest here that they share their hard work with the rest of the w
What would've happened if MS had this policy and blaster happened?
Say it was actually effective at controlling the patch.
Would the internet be up right now? If they did blaster right would microsoft even exist?
They just created an entire sea of unpatched machines that can't be patched because their users are too poor to acquire the patches. This will creat problems, lots of major problems, one which their trusted computing initiave will be able to solve.
Sell a solution for a created problem; oldest sham in the book, really.
Altering binaries.
Let's see Windows lock you out when you snip a particular bit of code out of one of its precious DLLs.
"A great democracy must be progressive or it will soon cease to be a great democracy." --Theodore Roosevelt
Why did it not validate?
The product key associated with your copy of Windows was never issued by Microsoft.
Steps You Can Take
Contact Your Reseller
Microsoft recommends that you print a report of your results and take it to the company from which you purchased your copy of Windows to rectify the problem. Click here to print the report.
If your reseller is unable to help you, you can come back to this page by adding it to your favorites list now.
Obtain Genuine Windows Software
If your reseller can not help you obtain a copy of genuine Windows, you may purchase a license for genuine Windows online now. Click here to learn more about obtaining Genuine Windows Software.
Turn on Automatic Updates
Did you know that Windows XP can keep your computer up-to-date automatically with the latest updates and enhancements? You can set Windows to recognize when you are online, search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site, and deliver them directly to your desktop. Genuine Windows validation is not required to use the Automatic Updates feature. Keep your computer up-to-date today.
It's not your fault for veering off topic, you're probably new here.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
Pir8 windows
step 2 - update
step 3 - Profit!@#!
Rich Gentlemen Hide - The Existential Comic
"Unless you're running some very specialised custom software that's not cross-platform"
Games
If MS wants people to upgrade to Vista in the near future why would MS try to make a few quick bucks now. If people have to pay for a XP update they may put off Vista for a few years. Plus no upgraded OS means fewer new PC sales. Could this be a punishment to Intel for dealing with Apple? I'd have Vista ready then phase out the XP updates.
Or, you can download the ActiveX control as they want you to do. Then, if there's a problem, you can go to Tools-> Internet Options-> Programs-> Manage Add-ons-> scroll down to and click on "Windows Genuine Advantage" and choose "Disable". All you then need to do is restart Internet Explorer.
I can confirm that this actually works.
It's annoying how the stupid uninformed posts get modded up but something that's actually useful and insightfull like this doesn't.
That was 1976, and most hobbyists did pirate at the time. 29 years later, with Gates retired as CEO and more computer "revolutions" than I care to count, somehow I doubt that was the attitude of these anti-piracy measures. More likely the attitude is, "It won't bother most people, so it's more cost-effective to put the screws to the pirates and let the Indian call centers take care of the nerds."
I do IT for a law firm. It's not uncommon for a lawyer to bring in a home system for me to fix. Sitting on my desk I have an IBM Tinkpad that a lawyers daughter got thru her university from one of those programs where every student gets a laptop. When she was done the course, the laptop was hers to keep. So, now I have a laptop that needs the OS reinstalled and no Windows XP CD. In the past, I would have just downloaded a copy of XP, hacked it, and figured everything was fine since she had that hologram sticker on the case. What do I do now? Tell her to go out and buy a second copy of XP? (PS- She insists she never received the CD and the university won't make her a copy since they consider all copying to be piracy)
Simple solution, buy windows 2003 server, setup an active directory domain in your home network, and install WSUS. It is recommended that WSUS be installed on a non DC role machine, so buy another win2003 server to host it. Use group policy to enforce scheduled updates on your PC. Easy, problem solved and Melinda buys something useful around the house with your cash.
haha you rock!
/pirate
that works great, it said i had an invalid key and couldnt run windows update. i disabled the activex item and now i have access to windowsupdate
awesome!
yup, Dell does this too.
GF's machine came with Windows on a hidden partition. Completely useless.
Why can't they just ship a CD with the thing?