Slashdot Mirror
Paul Thurrott Bitten by WGA
suntory writes "Paul Thurrott, one of the most important Microsoft advocates, has been bitten by Windows Genuine Advantage. As some Slashdot users have reported, Paul installed a bunch of updates in his machine and now Microsoft thinks that he is using pirated software." From the post: "Truthfully, I can only imagine what triggered these alerts. The software was installed to a VM a long time ago and archived on my server. I no doubt used a copy of XP MCE 2005 that I had received as part of my MSDN subscription. If the WGA alerts are to be believed, it's possible that Microsoft thinks I've installed this software on too many machines, though that seems unlikely to me. I can't really say. Anyway, that's what it looks like to be a suspected pirate. Like many people who will see these alerts, I don't believe I did anything wrong. I'm sure that's going to be a common refrain in this new era of untrusting software and companies. Ah well."
The acceptable face of spyware
Dear Bill:
The following argument is so old it should probably be modded redundant, but given Steve's mental faculties, perhaps it bears repeating.
1 - Pirates will not be hurt by this as they have corporate keys, etc
2 - Genuine customers will be annoyed by this
3- Therefore this makes no sense
By presupposing your customers are dishonest Microsoft creates tremendous ill-will. This would, of course, normally be a bad thing. Worse - they have that nice monopoly so it doesn't really matter. This causes unhappiness and resentment, even amongst ridiculous Redmond fanbois like Paul Thurrott and Ed Bott.
So, my friends, there is only one way out. If we want to be happy, Windows must be kill -9'd.
He certainly is a bigger man than I. I can say that I would have been as diplomatic in his situation. Then again, what are the chances of that.
"Thanks for all the money you paid to us. We've used it to buy off ISO among other things" -Microsoft
You can remove the sting from WGA bites by wiping some doc leaves over your keyboard and mouse.
liqbase
. . . ha ha.
Thurrott is a stalwart Microsoft sycophant and I hope this experience goes some way to removing his blinkers.
What happened to him (I didn't RTFA) is unfortunate, but I feel like I can empathize and have my schadenfreude, too.
Nelson's Ha Ha!
Didn't you know?
You have to keep buying your Windows software every year or two in order to update it, how else is Microsoft going to stay the biggest software company in the world?
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
Microsoft to come up with a new piece of software that works flawlessly from day one.
:) ), or [wears tinfoil hat] the guy is about to follow up on the story saying that he resolved the issue in no time and that WGA is not as bad as people are led to believe by anti M$ trolls.
Anyway it's either another debacle of Microsoft (is this news?
---- MISSING MISCELLANEOUS DATA SEGMENT --- [sigdash] trolololol
at least Microsoft doesn't play favorites!
I will be royally pissed if I received one of these messages after spending hundreds of dollars on a software product. And if they disable the software beause they think it's pirated, they will lose me as a customer - forever.
I can just see it now, businesses trying to get work done while dealing with those messages.
I've had some problems with the new WGA that has gone out, and I find that it is only hurting and hindering legitimate users. People I know who are running Corporate or otherwise cracked editions are patiently waiting for a new crack for WGA, but legitimate end users are worried / concerned when the little alert pops up saying that their copy of Windows might not be legit. It has been my experience that if you are using a cracked / Volume / Corporate version of Windows, you know it, you ignore the messages, you wait for a crack. The legit users who see this message get scared. Therefore, I don't see WGA solving any of the problems MS intended it to.
Apple, for example, does not burden users with Product Activation or any similar anti-piracy technologies in its Mac OS X operating system
Hoo-ray for Apple
Ah well?, Ah well? This is the extent of outrage in "this new era"?!? Amazing!
Looks like he's been Thurrottled. ba-DUM tish
blog
Thurrott will still be ranting and raving about how much Windows is light years ahead of OS X and Linux.
Imagine if Linux (or another alternative OS) did not exist, we would all be thinking that it is normal (or not ?) to get annoyances with our pirated (or not ?) version of the Microsoft operating system. I say "we", but in fact I should say "I". I'm just wondering if people will realise that there *is* an alternative to Windows and its DRM and its annoying "you are a pirate" attitude. I bet no, or at least not until a long time ... sad :/
". . . I don't beleive I did anything wrong. I'm sure that's going to be a common refrain in this new era of untrusting software and companies. Ah well."
No, not "ah well."
Customers have a legitimate expectation to be treated as if they are wanted and valued not as if they are a threat to the enterprise for using the product they purchased.
Companies that treat their customers as criminals instead of as their reason for being in business will find themselves at a severe competative disadvantage. Such actions will hurt companies who engage in them, in big and small ways.
WGA has already resulted in several lawsuits. Those court proceedings are sapping resources from Microsoft. There is time being spent by developers and software architects in helping lawyers prepare court cases instead of doing the more important parts of their job. Those resources aren't being used to fix bugs, develop new features, or in any way serve current or future customers.
That hurts the both the consumer and the stockholder.
-Apple, for example, does not burden users with Product Activation or any similar anti-piracy technologies in its Mac OS X operating system- Now why the hell would they? OS X generally only runs on Apple hardware. So someone would have to buy an Apple computer (with OS included) to run the pirated copy.
I think it's a shame that Paul what's-his-face got busted by MS but
Oh forget it, I'm so drunk I can't think of anything intelligent/funny to write
Summation 2
Why would he be outraged? He is trying to sell Windows. He's trying to get people accustomed to the accusations that come from WGA. He's not trying to discourage them from using Windows altogether. It's his job to do this!
I'll probably be modded down for this...
Obviously, the dude is a lazy slacker. Otherwise, the fact that he can't use his machine (VM or not) to do his work would get more than a simple "Ah, well" from him.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
People bitch and moan about a Microsoft software program that is designed to stop piracy, but when Apple ties its OS to specific machines via a treachorous computing module, people are strangely silent.
Doesn't MS need to recover their R&D costs too??
If MS tied OEM versions of windows to OEM computers via "trusted" computing would people defend them?
Why is pirating windows good and pirating OSX bad?
I have no idea why WGA issued a warning either, but I can say that if it had anything to do with a version of something installed on a VM, you would think that's a pretty esoteric corner case that some developer should just live with.
On the other hand, how many Microsoft systems are really all that vanilla these days? Perhaps the way WGA gets paid for is through Microsoft's 900 support number?
Honestly, with the number of false positives that WGA seems to be throwing up, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find that it's working exactly as it's supposed to. How many clueless users out there who received a legitimate copy of Windows with their machine are going to get these messages? Now how many of those same clueless users will then throw another couple hundred bucks at Microsoft to "become legitimate" (nevermind that they were legitimate before)? This just seems like yet another unethical move by a company who's shown that they have no problem being unethical (faking evidence in court anyone?)...
This guy's the limit!
I bought a laptop last year, for personal use. One of the reasons I bought it, was that it came with a valid license for WinXP, which I expected to use on the thing. The laptop still has it's Windows XP certificate of authenticity sticker, with the product key printed on it. Is this WGA something I have to worry about? At what point does Microsoft decide that my purchased copy of XP (with the laptop I bought) is invalid or pirated? I think /. had an article last week about the Certificate of Authenticity is no longer a valid proof of purchase. What IS? Will my laptop stop working, and eat all my data?
If I hadn't broken my Centos X setup trying to upgrade my ATI drivers, I wouldn't be worrying about these things!
Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
Apple does check for TPM on OSx86. Unfortunately it's a never ending game of updating and patching to keep OS X running on non-Apple hardware.
the company, to which i am a loyal customer, doesn't trust me.
ah well.
Power to the Penguin!
This kind of stupidity is exactly why my OS of choice is now Linux. No WGA. No product activation. No problems.
Bibo Ergo Sum.
The only thing that this will spawn, is modified versions of Windows; like games and expensive software packages, windows will now not ship as a direct copy of the installer disk + a post-it with an activation key, instead someone clever will hack it, so that it doesn't do the WGA anymore (or ask for an activation key, for that matter). Given the amount of time that MS now has in between releases of their OS, such an investment will be more than worth it. Critical updates and service packs ? That's where chaos will kill this initiative; because MS OSes are so omnipresent, there's no way to deal properly with all the versions that different vendors, in different countries to different types of client have created. Either MS starts enforcing rules very strictly (and piss a lot of people off) and makes Vista their FascistOS, or critical updates and service packs will just have to ship.
Religion is what happens when nature strikes and groupthink goes wrong.
Ubuntu users everywhere were jealous when they heard about how Microsoft Windows users get this kind of authenticity test, whereas Linux users have no such thing. Well, fret not! I have been hard at work programming the equivalent for Linux users. The first release I give you is UGA - the Ubuntu Genuine Advantage. (More versions for other distros coming soon.) Here are the steps to follow for Ubuntu users: 1) Hit Alt+F2. 2) Paste this into the text entry box: zenity --info --text "Your copy of Ubuntu is valid.\nThank you for not pirating it\!" 3) Click Run. Enjoy!
"Ah Well". "Ah Well"?! No, it's not "Ah Well"!
Why is this man so stoically up with putting this insidious crap?
(In fact, I don't use that silly operating system — so I don't know why I'm bitching...)
a moose once bit my sister..
"So you think my money is counterfeit? I'm a counterfeiter as well?? You are sending me to jail for 40 years? Ah well."
"You're everywhere. You're omnivorous."
"The Windows Genuine Advantage Kit is not available in the region you have selected." His selected location was the United States
What kind of pillow-biting bottom is this fool? Knowing that Microsoft has this uncaring attitude towards its customers, why on earth does he continue to be such a fanboi? I can't believe anyone would apologize for this company.
I didn't think the house band in Hell would play this badly.
Sometimes it seems to me that Microsoft is more of an abuse company than a software company. Software is just the delivery method for the abuse. The WGA patch that is causing problems for Paul Thurrott is labeled "Critical" on the Windows Update web site, and Microsoft admits it is beta software.
How would you like to be a programmer for a company that apparently cannot get anything to work correctly the first time?
After decades of good judgement about money, Warren Buffett has made the biggest mistake of his life, giving his money to something run by the disfunctional Bill Gates and his angry wife. Often rich people like foundations because everyone they meet is very nice to foundation owners so they will get free money.
I got the same alert on my Gatway laptop with the origional factory installed XP Home. I'm too cheap to use MS Office, so I use OpenOffice & other Openish type software. Suspiciously, the second time I rebooted after this "Update," I also found that a six month old 1 GB memory chip (that had been working properly) went bad. (As in can't boot to windows & a linux bootable cd memory test said the memory was fubared.)
When I replaced the memory & reinstalled the system from the restore CD, well then the same copy of XPHome was just fine with WGA.
Kudos Microsoft;)
Legitimate Windows users have to put up with WGA. Legitimate Adobe Creative Suite users have to put up with activation processes that are a pain in the butt if you have a deadline and needed to reinstall on a new laptop because your previous one died. Legitimate DVD purchases have to put up with hard or impossible to skip FBI warnings before the actual content, while pirated versions either physical or downloaded have nothing of the sort.
How are they all getting it so very wrong?
'Thats they exact same thing a banana wrench monkey.'
Thurrott will still be ranting and raving about how much Windows is light years ahead of OS X and Linux.
Well, in terms of hardware driver support and software support, it is light years ahead, and that's what matters to most people.
The fact that another option is technologically superior / more attractive / more stable / faster / easier to use / more secure means nothing to AverageJoe if leading hardware/software producers do not support it!
I'll probably be modded down for this...
.... you wake up with fleas....
Its because this guy is a complete and total Lackey Wuss! He has a legitimate copy of a product and - from what I gather - is a journalistic outlet.
He has an opportunity to voice the opinions and concerns of the people and instead chose to bend over and take one right in the arse!
Thanks Paul and Fuck You very much!
AC: Hey Paul, I'm going to accuse your entire family of things they never did and generally give them a hard time.
PT: Ahh well.
AC: Hey Paul, I'm going to take your car and sell it for parts.
PT: Ahh well.
AC: Hey Paul, come here while I piss in your face!
PT: Ahh well, I'll swallow anything at this point. Gulp... gulp... gulp...
Here's to Paul Thurrott, where would the world be without complacent fucknuts like him?
Actually if you look on BitTorrent right now (at one of the bigger trackers, e.g. Pirate Bay) and just type in Windows XP, some of the most popular downloads aren't just straight ISOs of the Microsoft install discs, instead they're cracked versions of them.
... heard it from a guy, you know, on the bus.
In some cases you can get cracked versions of Windows that bypass all the serialization (it just drops in a corporate number), install faster than a legit disc, and have a lot of updates not in the MSFT discs slipstreamed in, so it reduces your update workload once you get the thing installed.
In many ways, the cracked products are superior to the legitimate ones from an ease-of-use standpoint.
Not that I'd know any of this from experience or anying
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
It is an interesting article, but, that's it? Just "Ah well"?
Look, we all understand why MS is doing this -- to protect their business interests. They have a right and obligation to do that. Their goal isn't wrong, the implementation is.
People know that Windows, like most complex software systems, is fragile in certain conditions, and any technology like WGA that is supposed to disable the system is adding an intended defect on top of the unintended ones. It's like having a "kill switch" installed in your car that has a 0.001% chance of ever engaging. Even so, NOBODY is going to want it in there if it serves no functional purpose. If, instead of being in there by design, it was a manufacturing or design defect, that kind of "error rate" would be cause for a vehicle recall.
How can anyone seriously call an OS "enterprise quality" or "mission critical" if it has a wholely unnecessary "feature" that might shut the whole thing down because of a false positive? I don't care if it is just a "desktop" OS -- those are critical in many environments.
To top it off, they used the auto-install features of Windows Update to push it out to the unsuspecting masses, *and* it phones home. "Windows Genuine Advantage" indeed. What marketting droid came up with such a perverse piece of newspeak propaganda?
The whole thing is stupid. We shouldn't accept it. We should send the product back, revert to an older version, and tell the vendor we will not drink their kool aid. If they want to slow piracy *find*another*way*. If they don't, then switch to another vendor.
I don't think it's so easy for the vast majority of pirates to just "wait for a crack." I would classify the vast majority of windows pirates as "casual pirates." Some "kid down the street" gave them a copy of windows, and now they have no way to get a crack. When they start getting flooded by these warning messages they just might freak out and buy a legit copy of windows rather than waiting for the FBI to show up at their door. No, of course the FBI isn't comming, but that's just thing thing--the casual pirate doesn't know that!
I have to admit to a little perverse delight watching Windows users get pushed around and bent over by MSFT. When they started product activation is when I took a serious interest in open source. Now I keep my lone XP box around for some convenient, but non-essential, applications. Those are applications I could replace on OS X if were really motivated to spend the $$$$ and I'm hoping for Linux replacements before long. So if XP stops working that doesn't mean I stop working. It would be curious and maybe slightly annoying, while turning to one of my Linux boxes that rarely need any tweaking and just keep working.
There are enough convenient alternatives to Windows and most MSFT apps that the only reason to stay chained to Redmond is by choice. So if you choose to stay with MSFT, I reserve the right to chuckle at the way they treat you.
That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
and shoot it. We need to check for rabies!
If people are going to insist on protecting their content or IP, I personally would much rather see them DRM technology such as this than resorting to patents that are arbitrarily (and unfairly in a lot of cases) enforced by the government. This is the type of protection I could imagine coming up in a market that is free from regulation and the immoral use of force. Plus, if people are constantly nagged by "features" such as this, it will give open source all that much more of an appeal. The geeks on this website should be cheering on MSFT as they continue to implement more drastic measures. Monopolies will only exist as long as market forces will allow. Eventually it will be much too difficult for them to continue on this business model and they will be forced to change by low cost/free competitors.
Then because I cannot risk ANY downtime or corruption, I never connect to a network or internet with a mission critical computer running Microsoft OS, and suddenly it decides I need to 'validate' the OS by going on the Internet, or it will maybe decide I have pirated the OS?
Bull crap! And that is putting it lightly.
It couldn't have happened to a nicer corporate shill.
http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/
You can keep you system up2date without having to fire-up Windows Update.
I have a strong feeling that unless Vista has some revolutionary changes to WGA (which is entirely possible) that this will be their downfall with the more computer friendly crowd (i.e. everyone that reads slashdot). Unfortunately, there's still 50 million moms, young kids, and just generally computer-unsavvy consumers that will buy a computer from a retail store (ew) and just run it out of the box without putting in any kind of os CD (that means they'll be using xp home, double ew!). Microsoft will always have a crowd that will cater to them, Microsoft doesn't need to cater to the crowd. P.S. Ballmer=total nut job
I Bleed Scarlet
Yeah but what about all the people using cracked versions that don't know it. I imagine there's a TON. How many times do you install XP for a friend or something, and instead of telling them they need to cough up $XXX for an intangible license, you just install the cracked version.
Sure the user is using illegal software, but you can really blame them when they genuinely have no idea?
"Waiting for a crack"? I'm running a pirated copy of XP Pro and I've never gotten a single hint from WGA that I'm not legit. Maybe it's because I have a bit-for-bit copy of the XP CD and a corporate code.
... and I still don't buy it.
:-), there was a bloke ("Rob C", a postman actually, who my brother actually ended up working with for a while) who spent a lot of time cracking games and putting N of them on a disk with his name on the menu. Lots of disks made their way around the pirate scene. Did the XL somehow become a dongle, just because it wasn't a PC ?
:-). I must have spent ~$1200 on a mac, and ~$300 on OS so far. 25% is a significant chunk of cash just to assume the user will be "a good guy/gal", but that's what they do, and I (for one) appreciate it.
The argument that the machine is a "dongle" only works if it were true. It's not. I can purchase a copy of OSX Tiger and give it to any number of other Mac users to install on their machine, and Apple lose money. Sure, you *have* already bought a computer from them, and I'm sure Apple are happy about that, but to claim that it somehow restricts you from piracy is just wrong.
Back when I were a young lad, I had an Atari XL (the first computer I ever had that came with a disk drive
People operate within their communities, if there is the potential for theft within that community there will be some people who will take that opportunity. For the mac, the community is mac-owners, and the potential for piracy is just as valid within that community as for PC owners within theirs. The Mac community is smaller, true, but that doesn't matter when you're (ahem) "swapping" software.
I just don't believe that spending $$$ on a computer entitles you to stop spending $ on software from the same company (can you tell I'm a reformed character
Simon.
Physicists get Hadrons!
'Ah well'. I'm getting screwed over by a company whose products I paid money for. 'Ah well'. This is just another way it goes in day to day life, guess I'll just live with it. 'Ah well'. Who am I to question the way things are? 'Ah well'.
Is can I use this to my advantage to get a cheaper legal copy of Windows by installing an illegal one and letting WGA catch me? Does anyone know how much the WGA Kit costs?
In the spoon, there is no Soviet Russia!
When are you Windows users ever going to learn? You guys are just like abused women who just can't seem to get out of the relationship. You may be financially dependent. Emotionally dependent (unusual). Physically (gaming, porn, gambling; even more weird). Microsoft doesn't trust you, manipulates you, gouges you, and neglects you! You need to ditch that guy! With Windows, you are not a user but just plain used! You need to give that artistic guy who always dresses good and seems to be gay a chance. Perhaps, you might like the geeky awkward guy who needs some work to bring him around!
You don't have to be smart to use a Mac, you just have to be smart enough to buy one
That's all very well, but how on earth would your guy on the bus trust his computer if it's running software that's been tampered with by some unknown shady character before he's even logged in for the first time?
I can patch/firewall/workaround security issues on a box that are down to the usual incompetence, but if a machine ever runs even the slightest amount of malicious code, it has to be wiped. I can't understand the logic in using a cracked OS you got from a torrent under any circumstances, even if you don't care about copyright.
> I'm sure that's going to be a common refrain in this new era of untrusting software and companies. Ah well.
It's the "Ah well" that really pisses me off.
That little phrase says to me: "Well, it can't be helped. WGA is the price we must pay so that Microsoft can enforce their 'rights'. They obviously need their rights more than we need convenience, so I guess that's that."
Or how about not using some very suspiciously weird looking website that requires you to install a plugin, and use autopatcher which you can take from computer to computer and update them as you go along?
http://autopatcher.com/
Actually, If you read on the microsoft forums, Paul isn't the most loved guy around. Though I actually believe this WGA shit is a company's right to implement, I don't see the big deal behind it. Though, I also don't have a problem with wire taps and etc. because you surrend certain rights as you subscribe to certain communities, whether softwares or government. In all cases though, we question the worth of that cost, in microsoft's case if you think the cost is too high, go to linux or apple. Since, microsoft provides all the softwares I need, from easy xvid to visual studio, though I own an intel mac solely for the purpose of doing linux programming (ironic) and terminal service.
A significant number of people who did nothing wrong will be hassled by WGA, whereas the determined pirate will continue his illegal copying of Windows. At the end of the day, this is the outcome of any copy protection scheme-- those who were on the fence about copying, or don't have the technical knowledge about how to circumvent the protection, will perhaps pony up the cash for a legit copy. (Or, in this case, have a legit copy and still be harassed.) Those who would have paid will continue to pay, and those who would have copied will continue to copy.
Maybe if Microsoft made the feature set crippled or mad Windows (Vista?) suck a lot less, this wouldn't be as much of a problem for them.
"Politicians find new names for institutions which under old names have become odious to the people."
1) Hit Alt+F2.
2) Paste this into the text entry box: zenity --info --text "Your copy of Ubuntu is valid.\nPlease share it\!"
3) Click Run. Enjoy!
Note to self: get a sig.
Irony.
So where you from?
For people without that zenity thing:
kdialog --msgbox "Your copy of KDE is valid.\nPlease share it\!"
The only thing I hate more than DRM/WGA is "mandatory drug screening" when all I want to do is work. I don't do drugs. I haven't even had any alcohol for years. Hell, I don't even drink much caffeine now that I think about it. To every prospective employer though I'm a meth-addict-until-proven-innocent.
Yay for the free world.
Ah, Well.
That seems to be the Windows users' mantra. I hear it constantly.
I got bit by WGA -- Ah, Well.
Adware pops up constantly, even when I am not connected to the 'Net -- Ah, Well.
A tool bar just installed itself, and is tracking every place I go -- Ah, Well.
A keystroke recorder just stole my banking info, and now it's on every IRC server in the world. -- Ah, Well.
My ISP just disconnected me because my machine is a spam bot -- Ah, Well.
I was dumb enough to tie my critical app to 98 and MS just discontinued updates for 98, and ME, -- Ah, Well.
My music/TV show/ etc. got encoded in a encrypted WMA file, and not it won't play on anything else -- Ah, Well.
Windows just slowed to a crawl in the middle of my Powerpoint presentation to management, and now I am standing here looking like a dunce. -- Ah, Well.
Worse than that, people are getting conditioned to such things and are extending the "Ah, Well" mentallity to other injustices in the world.
Here's two things you can do in this case instead of "Ah, Well."
http://www.apple.com/
http://www.ubuntu.com/
It is my experience that people will protest being called pirates even when they are - and in fact have not bought a single program, OS upgrade, video or song in years. The only thing the "average users" I know still buy... are games. For the manual I suppose, or bragging rights, or the fact they don't want to get the copy protection to get in the way of their pent up fragging desires :-)
Ah, well.
I think, therefore I am...I think.
I don't think that word means what you think it means. Installing monitorying software on your computer, and forcing you to ask permission to use something you already bought is certainly not treating you with dignity and respect.
I'm sure that's going to be a common refrain in this new era of untrusting software and companies. Ah well.
Ah well?!?! WTF Ah well?!?
"I guess I'll just bend over and take it. I'll try to think about baseball."
To steal a line from the skript kiddies, j00 are pwn3d. I suppose I should feel pity for this guy, like the abused spouse who can't leave.
Stop-Prism.org: Opt Out of Surveillance
This may be somewhat OT, but is anyone else sick to death of this? Welcome to the world of Corporate double-speak where:
Small = Tall
Medium = Grande
Large = Venti
So why in the world is it called "Windows Genuine Advantage" anyway when it's really just an anti-piracy detector? What conceivable "Advantage" is there for the consumer and why wasn't Windows Update just left well enough alone? I know Microsoft has a right to protect it's products but at least have the decency to call it what it is: Anti-Piracy validation.
And before I get modded flamebait, I'm not particularly picking on MS or Starbucks here. I am trying to make the point that in many ways and in many different forms of media we are increasingly being conditioned to accept corporate and marketing double-speak that just does not make any sense. These are just the examples that came to mind first.
What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it's all about?
I'll agree that MS hasn't given me any *huge* hassles getting products activated when I had to call in - but that doesn't make me any happier about it. It's basically an unnecessary extra step I have to go through that I shouldn't have to bother with.
I do a lot of on-site computer service, and I regularly run into situations where a PC is dead and a motherboard has to be swapped out. After that, XP always thinks it's being installed on a 2nd. machine, instead of the original one. That means I'm always stuck making that phone call and reading off the big, long key code to the voice recognition system of theirs, only to get put on hold to talk to an agent who asks for the first part of that key again and makes me answer the questions.
If you have an OEM license bundled with a PC, vs. a retail copy of XP, they ask additional questions too, such as "What brand and model of computer did this copy of Windows come with?"
Sometimes, I think the only reason they seem so generous in re-activating these licenses is because they've outsourced their call centers to other countries, and the people doing the phone support are trained in a real basic way. I doubt they even understand enough English to make their own determination of whether or not my requested use for the Windows activation is legal or not.
(EG. One time, I tried to explain that my Windows activation problem was due to experimenting with installing my copy inside Virtual PC, and I had since removed that - and just wanted to put it back on my original PC like it was supposed to be. That was met with the support person repeating the question over and over, "How many total computers have you installed Windows on?" They seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.....)
I don't trust Microsoft to begin with. How on Earth can anybody? They ship beta spyware that bypasses personal firewalls using hidden system hooks, they consistently ship poorly made patches that break functionality. They ignored their web browser's disgusting security record for several years because there was almost no competition. These guys shouldn't have anyone's trust because it's very obvious that they're not trying to make users happy, they're trying to make as much money as possible.
The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
What is the difference between this and theos wonderful security tags that are now present inside every electronic device and on every piece of clothing in a store? Every store treats its customers like criminals. Sometimes I buy things and the cashier forgets to remove/disable the tag. Then the sirens go out as I leave the store and get the third degree. Once, I got in trouble because I bought pants from store A, who forgot to remove a cleaverly hidden device in a pocket then I wore them into Store B. As I tried to leave Store B, the alarms went off (even though it didn't set off the alarms at store A ). After checking everythign in my bags. They found it was my pants. They accused me of stealing them, but I was able to quickly demonstrate that they didn't actually sell the style of pants I was wearing.
So I guess I'm saying that software is finally reaching the level of scrutiny thats been there for some time in retial outlets. Its not good and causes all kinds of problems for legitimate users, but it keeps costs down. Or so they claim. If people just behaved themselves, we wouldn't be in this mess. Thanks you lousy shoplifting pirates. Pirating software may not be the same as theft, but there are simular penalties for innocent bystanders.
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
It's the free market baby. Let MS did their own hole and possible get themselves out.
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity but they've always worked for me" - HST
I wonder if it just thinks all corporate keys have just been installed on too many computers.
... though this was for a copy of windows where the girl had lost her actual activation key.
My key is legitimate... legitimately generated at least.
Lovely.
Gotta love the way MS words the alerts. "You may be a victim of software counterfeiting," Thurott's screen says. "This copy of Windows is not genuine and is not eligible to receive the full range of upgrades and product support..." MS could have stated the truth: "Microsoft may be a victim of software counterfeiting," or "You are now a victim of Microsoft's greed," but that would have been a turnoff.
Penny - plain text accounting
Give Linux a try.
I mean you're more computer-savvy than most, right?
You could easily learn Linux and then help mainstream it. We could use your insight.
Come on!
I dare you to take up the challenge and we'll see how long you'll be preaching Windows afterwards.
Not long, I suspect.
People just want a computer they can USE without being nickled-and-dimed for every little thing.
When you treat your customers as badly as what is going on right now, it is inevitable that they will seek out a better solution.
Good luck
The article's author, while lamenting the fact that Microsoft has just accused him of a federal crime, simply responds with a sigh and a recommendation that we should all get used to the idea.
EXCUSE ME?!? No.
This guy has already decided to go with the lemming mentality. He figures that lots of people will have this problem, so why worry? That's what people thought about the RIAA's threats too, until the lawsuits started.
They intend to persuade me to give them as much money as possible, via legal (or near enough, don't start!) means. I know who they are, where they live and what their motives are.
Any of the many people who could have tampered with that cracked XP might well intend to take as much money as possible out of my bank account as soon as I'm stupid enough to log in there using the machine I have given them ownership of.
Sorry I tripped off your anti-ms zealotry circuits - let me take Windows out of the equation: Would you use a linux distro downloaded from a torrent if you couldn't verify the authenticity of the file you'd downloaded? Of course not. You'd make sure you had a safe, real copy.
Windows WGA is horribly insulting to legitimate users.
But to answer everyone saying "when will they learn to switch to alternatives?", its simple.
Only the smallest of the smallest fraction of people CARES what O/S is on their computer. Most could not even tell you what it is.
But they have their computer for a reason. Whether it be getting email from their neice or playing games or daytrading stocks or websurfing, or whatever -- whatever it is, that application is the only reason they use the computer.
And, most of the time, that software only runs on Windows. Even when there is a Mac version (or a Linux version) available, the stores don't carry it (or you have to look much harder).
I would drop MS in a heartbeat. But I play PC games. And they only run on Windows. No matter HOW aggravating MS gets -- Bill Gates could personally come to my house and SHOOT MY DOG. And I would still have to use windows, to play my games.
The only way I can stop using Windows is to stop playing my games altogether. And if I do that, I don't need a computer at all.
If you want to defeat Microsoft, you need to make the software run on something other than Windows.
Yeah, but MS doesn't like that even when the support call comes in like this.
FRIEND: I'm getting pop-ups galore and my computer is sooo slow.
ME: The easiest thing for me to do is wipe and reload your system. Do you have your original software?
FRIEND: The software got lost the last time I moved. Don't you have a copy of Windows XP?
ME: Yeah, but without the original discs or paperwork I'll have to install a pirate copy, unless you want to pay for another copy
FRIEND: I don't care what you do I just need to turn in this project tomorrow and I can't use my computer
This is an unneccesary moral delimma for the power user like me, do I help my friend, or do I help Microsoft's bottom line. GM doesn't make you buy another car when you lose your keys.
At least now OEM boxes usually come with a license and product key sticker on the side, but only on systems less than a few years old.
No realli! She was Karving her initials on the møøse with the sharpened end of an interspace tøøthbrush given her by Svenge - her brother-in-law - an Oslo dentist and star of many Norwegian møvies: "The Høt Hands of an Oslo Dentist", "Fillings of Passion", "The Huge Mølars of Horst Nordfink".
God is imaginary
Of course, I am trying to sort this out later, and find out that he also took her legitimate disks, because "she did not need them"
sounds like we need to have a talk with the local police detective.
"It is a greater offense to steal men's labor, than their clothes"
Oddly enough, the one time I've had to reactivate (I'd added and then removed a network card), the support people didn't ask any real questions, just asked what I did before it asked to be activated, and then read off the numbers. (annoyingly they required me to read off the install id twice - once to the automated system, once to the real person)
Definitely, although I suspect if you were too obvious they would catch on.As the Americans learned so painfully in Earth's final century,free flow of information is the only safeguard against...
Are you freaking kidding me? "The company whose products I use legally thinks I'm a pirate because I didn't install them the way they think I should, ah well" That's an absurd response.
Hey, let me know if you happen to get this working. I tried it with my Debian box and despite inserting the firmware it would not connect to a wireless network for me (dhcp didn't get an IP).
Great movie, but the f***ing thing makes you watch previews for Fish Tale and Madagascar even time you start it up (unless you have a cheapie DVD play which ignores the skip-rules on the disc). Yes, a movie I paid for, and it forces me to watch the damn ads.
When I get a moment I'm going to plug it in and rip the damn thing to a new DVD, minus the advertisements, then stick the copy in with the original. However it would have been more convenient to just download the damn thing in the first place.
I re-read this many times, hoping I misinterpreted. But no, you're actually suggesting that you'll pirate a copy of XP, and don't even bother to explain that fact to your friend. Rather than actually helping, by explaining indeed the fact is that they do need to cough up $XXX for a license, you stash stolen goods on their machine without their knowledge or consent. Further, you directly lead to the ignorance of this issue, by glossing over the idea of a worthless license, placing Windows on equal footing with non-pay software, without any disadvantage. Some "friend" you are.
Every time I help somebody with Windows, I go out of my way to ensure the person knows exactly how much they need to pay Billy G and company to get legal. As the "computer expert" they ask to help, it's not your place to promulgate the fantasy that Windows software is free of charge. Doing so makes you a very big part of the problem with WGA as a whole!
Windows software is not even close to free of charge, but if you don't help the clueless user realize this, you're keeping them ignorant, and not helping them make an informed decision. Unlike the zealots, I advocate making informed decisions, weighing cost with benefit of choosing Windows or an alternative. Windows is a viable option in some cases, but not all. You, whether intentionally or ignorantly, are fueling the fire.
Perhaps if, instead of imposing your pirating on your friends, you were to tell them the truth, it might be better for everybody. Explain that to fix their problem with XP will cost $XXX. However, to fix their problem with some Linux flavor will cost them $0. Explain to them clearly the trade-offs. Describe what will and will not be the same, what they will and will not be able to do, but let them decide how much XP is worth, and let them feel the pain of paying a large sum of money for crappy software.
Sure the user is using illegal software, but you can really blame them when they genuinely have no idea?
No, in the case you describe I actually blame you, and everybody else like you who would agree that the service you provide your friends is defensible in any way.
Windows Genuine Advantage
Yeppirs, that's a genyoowine advantage all right!
www.transgaming.com
cedega lets you play windows games on linux
They're using their grammar skills there.
This reminds me of a Simpson quote:
Old man: Take this doll, but beware; it carries a terrible curse.
Homer: Ooo, that's bad.
Old man: But it comes with a free serving of frozen yogurt!
Homer: That's good!
Old man: The frozen yogurt is also cursed.
Homer: That's bad.
Old man: But it comes with your choice of toppings!
Homer: That's good!
Old man: The toppings contain potassium benzoate...
Homer: (confused look)
Old man: That's bad.
Homer: Can I go now?
... Then they wonder why they are asked by EU to pay 345 Millions.
Al Capone was caught for a distant reason, too.
(EG. One time, I tried to explain that my Windows activation problem was due to experimenting with installing my copy inside Virtual PC, and I had since removed that - and just wanted to put it back on my original PC like it was supposed to be. That was met with the support person repeating the question over and over, "How many total computers have you installed Windows on?" They seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.....)
What is so weird about that? Because they work in one department of a tech company, they aren't suddenly turned into technical virtuosos, or even technically literate people. The person on the other end had probably never heard of a Virtual PC, and would probably be confused if the concept was explained to them, as well as not understanding WHY one would ever want to do a thing like that.
The other persons probably saw the conversation like this;
Support: Ok, can I ask how many computers you have this copy of Windows installed on?
You: I only have it installed on one computer. The only reason it is doing this is because I had it installed on a Virtual PC on another computer awhile ago, but now I want to put this back on the computer it came on
(The Support Person here hears that you (A) had it installed on another computer at one point and (B) hears a term they are completely unfamiliar with, adding to the confusion)
Support: Uhh...How many total computers have you installed Windows on?
You: Just one.
Support: Thank you...
This is an unneccesary moral delimma for the power user like me, do I help my friend, or do I help Microsoft's bottom line. GM doesn't make you buy another car when you lose your keys.
Tough choice? I think not. You should help your friend understand that, if the computer doesn't work because XP needs to be reinstalled without the media, money needs to be shelled out. That's just the way it goes with Microsoft. Sorry it sucks, but that's the scenario. Maybe next time your friend will think twice before depending upon crappy software from a company that enforces such a practice, or maybe be less careless about losing the original media/license (or counting on a "friend" who would endorse the use of an illegal copy).
Don't get me wrong; I don't support many of the business practices of Microsoft, and I completely understand the desire (not the acting out!) to install illegal copies. But that's exactly why I make damn sure that everybody who asks me understands these practices perfectly. There is no better service I can provide than to give them the knowledge they need to make a fully-informed decision about how and where they spend their hard-earned dollars. If they're in a cruch, your friends need to know it's Microsoft forcing this on them, not you.
I don't follow tech news very much. I don't care about Windows Vista, as I plan on running Win2k until I get a Mac. But from a journalistic point of view, SHAME ON PAUL! As many other people have said "Ah, well," is NOT an acceptable response to this situation. I'm not saying he needs to take on WGA as a personal crusade, but when you've set yourself up to be a reporter and professional reviewer, complacency is not acceptable. An utterly lackluster, lapdog article. Disappointing.
In general, it is safe and legal to kill your children. -- POSIX Programmer's Guide
This doesn't really affect your stand about boycotting Best Buy, but just in case you're not aware, you should know that having your bags searched as you leave Best Buy, or any other store that does that, is a purely voluntary thing. You can politely refuse and just keep walking. They have no legal right to require you to submit to a bag search, and they know it (the guards are trained to understand that). There's an article about it here.
That's why young people drive a lot of the change in the world: they're willing to sit out on the curb to protest things, where people with another twenty years are thinking "I support that, but I don't want to make waves."
Soon, Microsoft will include accusations of piracy in the packages they sell. Probably on the "Certificate of Authenticity", which Microsofy says can't be used to prove authenticity.
Maybe they can include the electronics from one of those cards that talk, like those bitrthday cards that play "happy birthday" when opened. As soon as you open the package, you hear Steve Balmer screaming obscenities at you, with the sound of crashing chairs in the background.
The standard Boot up song could be replaced with a diatribe accusing you of many things, and a demand that you pay $699 to SCO.
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
This assuming that Apple doesn't start doing other, DRM-related stupid stuff with TPM..... ....
and this assuming Apple will start assuming a copy of OS X is pirated even though it is running on a "Mac"!!!
Worst case here is that I might be running Tiger when I paid only for Leopard (I hope I got the names right). Not such a big deal, given that I paid for the Mac at least.
That is nothing big as compared to someone running Windows without paying a dime.
How are they all getting it so very wrong?
Well, TA-DA! (win.3.11 bootup chime) Welcome to The 9th Circle Of Hell!! That means you're dead. Don't worry, this is a gentle introduction, to the, *hrm*, DEEPER levels of HELL. A short list of what we have on this level: your computer is owned by Microsoft, pervasive DRM, random lawsuits by the RIAA, general doomsday prophecies, pervasive bad spelling, corrupt representatives, and, Bush Jr. as President of the United States. Now, please do make yourself comfortable while I go greet another visitor (disappears with a puff of smoke and smell of sulphur)
You're equally as uninformed as he is (I kinda agree with his point about Apple actually).
Windows copies using corporate keys (basically all pirate copies I've seen so far - why would they opt for a copy that needs activation anyways?) also get WGA (the validation thing for downloads, as well as the WGA notification and all). They have to resort to patched DLLs and such to bypass it just like everyone else. The only reason why REAL corporate users don't get it is because the people in charge of pushing/applying updates don't push the WGA updates to their client PCs (and then the users must download a small exe to generate a validation code to download things off MS' website and such). It sure does stop a good amount of piracy (some people will still pirate it and will deal with all the annoyances, but a good bunch would rather fork out the 96$CAD for XP Home OEM to avoid all the weekly hassles and annoyances)
Legit customers being flagged is a real problem though. WGA is becoming a huge annoyance indeed - mainly for pirates, but it they must be raking in money. My brother bought 2 copies of XP Home last week because of it (too much hassle, I told him I wouldn't come fix his issues every other week) - conveniently just before Vista's out so he'll end up paying for both versions within the same year. It forces pirates to pay, but there is little one can do when your legit copy is flagged...
"Your analogy is flawed though. This is the equivalent of your GM car suddenly not working in some of the advertised ways because it thinks the car is stolen, forcing you to buy a new GM. Which doesn't happen, and would be a cause of many lawsuits. For the sake of honesty: I use Windows XP and prefer it over anything else I've tried"
Well we have a truck without a radio cause it lost power and needed a new battery. Now because we changed a part the radio wants a secret code to work again which has been misplaced despite the fact the radio itself has not been touched....sound familiar?
ok, so its Dodge (ok,ok,actually a mercedes underneath) not GM.
It's amazing how much Microsoft has gotten people to accept.
If you went into a grocery store, and they demanded that you prove that you actually own the clothes, jewelry, and everything else you came in with. every single time you came in, and confiscating anything that you couldn't immediately prove ownership for. How often would you go back to that store?
However, you allow Microsoft this behavior, with only an "Ah well" in response, and go back to them several times a day?
Boy, do they have you well trained.
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
Actually, the guy on the bus agrees with you.
It would be foolish to trust any operating system that you acquired like that. In fact, if you were actually responsible for Really Important Stuff (where 'Really Important' means people die if your system does) you'd be a fool -- or at least in my mind, criminally negligent -- to run anything that you weren't intimately familiar with the inner workings of and had preferably compiled yourself.
But that said, a lot of people don't really care, or think about such things, and frankly if you're going to pirate software, the rather vaporous threat of 'some cracker who might have rootkitted this ISO' is a lot further from their minds than 'Microsoft, who might someday come and get me for pirating their software.' So in some ways, a cracked version that possibly sends your bank-account information to China might be preferable to one that reports your serial number to Redmond. (Add to this the fact that people who know of WGA, but don't really understand it, probably think it's sending all sorts of personal information to Microsoft as well.)
But you're right, you make a very good point. The question just boils down to 'who do you want to trust?' It should give some people at Microsoft pause to realize that in downloading those cracked ISOs, users (at least some of whom are probably not idiots) are basically saying that they trust the reputation of an Internet software-cracking ring more than they trust Microsoft itself.
By the way, the guy on the bus says he only runs cracked ISOs in virtual machines with the network-card disabled.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my killbot features Lotus Notes and a machine gun. It is the finest available."
"Sorry I tripped off your anti-ms zealotry circuits"
My point wasn't that you should trust software pirates (although the big release groups really do have a much better record than Microsoft) nor am I an anti-ms zealot. What I was saying is that you shouldn't trust Microsoft just because they're a big company. Not only are their motives for producing software not the same as my motives for buying software, but they also have hundreds of employees who each have enough access to poison-pill a release. It's happened to other big companies.
"Would you use a linux distro downloaded from a torrent if you couldn't verify the authenticity of the file you'd downloaded?"
While I wouldn't trust a Linux distro from an unknown source, I also wouldn't trust a Linux distro that installed new software on my machine under the guise of a security update. What I will trust is any software that makes their processes transparent to me. That doesn't necessarily mean open source, but it does mean that I know about and can control what happens to the software I use.
The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.
That's the whole point!
Now the question you may be asking is "Why aren't they waiting until Vista"? It makes perfect sense to leave XP as is and put the time and effort into a great copy protection scheme for Vista that takes full advantage of the connected world.
The answer? If they do it in the final 6 months of XP, people (mainly companies) are forced to buy XP, then upgrade to Vista, rather than just buy Vista outright. Pure money-grab.
-M
when you see the word 'Linux', drink!
You dont get it. My grandmother is not going to remember some obscure website to find some program that MIGHT let her run her email on Linux.
Until my grandmother can go to BestBuy, and have the morons there sell her a Linux box which will mindless run her email program without her ever knowing what OS its on... Until then Windows will win.
So I can buy my music from iTunes with Ubuntu? And use MS Money with Ubuntu? Please point me to the documentation on how to get that working. WINE doesn't cut it either.
It might work better if you try to go to http://packages.gentoo.org/.
Brings a whole new meaning to "switch".
Weaselmancer
rediculous.
'Windows Genuine Advantage' offers an advantage in the same way that America offers 'freedom' and 'democracy' the the rest of the world (ie. it doesn't).
Why would anyone continue to use an operating system that they have paid for, that someone else controls. This is not acceptable. I am not paying for software that someone else controls, can disable, can update in any way they like, and that treats me like a criminal that can't be trusted.
If that is a 'Genuine Advantage', I'd rather run a pirated version.
the bit copy is irrelevant. using a corporate code other than FCKGW... is what makes a difference.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Microsoft didn't issue the key, thats the whole point of WGA.
I'm forced to use Linux on one of my work boxes. As long as I don't have to do anything to its configuration, I'm ok. When I do have to change its configuration, I'm screwed. Mostly because I'm surrounded by a collection of clueless Linux bigots.
.ear files for deployment. That's about it.
Typical conversation:
"I need to install an update."
"Use apt."
"What's that?"
"Look it up."
(much looking up, installation of rpms)
"apt doesn't work."
"Sorry, can't help you. Try yum."
"yum? What's that?"
"Look it up."
(much looking up, installation of rpms)
"yum doesn't work."
"Sorry, can't help you. Try apt."
"apt? Already tried it."
"Sorry. Can't help you. F*in' newbie."
or
"My access to CVS is running really slow."
"Try iptables --flush"
"Why?"
"I don't know, but when I do this, CVS access is much faster. F*in' newbie."
"O......k...."
In my experience, Windows works out of the box, pretty much all the time. And when I have a problem, most solutions are only a google away. Linux may be a better OS, but it's not the better-supported OS. Had I the chance, I'd never use it. Well, I'd be happy to hand over
668: Neighbour of the Beast
WGA Notification Component can be disabled by following the instructions here.
Good news when high profile legitimate users make a stink about this. Hopefully Microsoft will realise it is not good business sense to accuse your customers of infringing your state granted exclusive rights. Talk about bite the hand that feeds you.
Anyway, I found the above article useful to remove my notifications. Hope this helps.
I'm a student and I have a legal copy of Windows 2003 Server which I use for my MSFT based courses. Everytime I install it I have to call the product activation folks and explain that I need to activate the copy and that I only have 1 copy installed. What I want to know is why I can't "deactivate" a copy of Windows xxx so that my license key can be used to activate a new copy on a different host. If it can turn your server into a brick if you fail to activate in 30 days it should certainly be able to turn your server into a brick if you "deactivate" it. Come on MSFT make people's life better.
...to a better guy.
anyway, for all those folks who can't understand why wga exists, think about th efrog in slowly warming water that eventually cooks the frog.
an annoying, but still impotent, wga is what you see today...
now, just *imagine* where msft will want to go with this technology and control IN THE FUTURE.
where do you want msft to take you by the nose today?
Are you trying to say that you dont shop in stores that dont let you bring a *gun* into them?
This gets my vote for comment of the day. What possible reason do you have for having a gun in a theatre? To go all elvis on the screen? "Aw shucks, this show aint no good" *BLAM*
No officer you dont understand, i was just taking my M16 for a walk....
I'll just use my special getting high powers one more time...
Let's hope it will.
My trouble with WGA
... using the XP loader ... attempt failed... attempt failed... attempt failed... Grrr!!
... Hmm! ... Ok do windows activation wizard ... thank you for activating windows.
... need name, address, credit card number?... I hang up!
... read the string (in 5 letter bytes) repeat as needed. Type the 25 digit number in re-confirm the number...
Last month (June '06), my computer died (fried caps on the motherboard) just after the 2nd Tuesday updates from MS. Ok lets get into my junk box and cobble something that will work (at least for now). Disassemble the box looking for other problems lets see...
Memory 2 sticks DDR 333 512 Megs OK
Motherboard K7S5A with athlon 1.1Meg Crispy caps splattered on board NG
Video card NVIDIA 5600 Ultra OK
Sound card Audigy 2 OK
TV tuner card Win TV Go OK
HD #1 120 GB OK
Partitioned as (1: ntfs XP home, 2: ntfs XP pro, 3: vfat32 win98SE)
Box with PS it was a little warm in there with lots of power hungry parts...
Replace with larger box
Junk box parts:
Motherboard K7S5A with Duron 1.2Meg not too bad one-step down on CPU
1 step up on speed
Larger case with PS OK
Reassemble machine...
Power up
Partition one XP home (with Junes updates) complains that it's a pirate copy of windows and will not work after 3 days unless I buy a genuine copy of windows... Ok do windows activation wizard
Power up... using the XP loader
Partition two XP Pro (without Junes updates) complains that it needs to be activated or the computer will stop working in 30 days
Same hardware... almost the same updates (missing june) and very different responses from the OS... windows WGA program?
Call tech support
Call the 800 number for activation,
Start loop
(answer the call automatically put me on hold drop call)
Repeat intermittently for four hours!!!
answer the call put me on hold...start the activation dialog... read the string (in 5 letter bytes)
press enter success !
Partition one now works normally (did not have to re-install programs)
Partition two now works normally (did not have to re-install programs)
All is good with the world (did you know if I can find a newer motherboard [cheap!])
> it is only hurting and hindering legitimate users
A major problem with Windows piracy was small OEMs buying just a few copies of Windows and installing them on thousands of PCs. Microsoft have successfully shut down several such operations, who were collectively responsible for distributing counterfeit software to millions of customers WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
Let me clarify that somewhat more: THE CUSTOMER WAS PERFECTLY INNOCENT. The purpose of the notification service in WGA is not to make users feel guilty for using software they pirate themselves; that is a perfectly fruitless endeavor. It is instead to notify the INNOCENT customer who has purchased or otherwise received illegal software from a source they believe to be legitimate.
It is for precisely this reason that disabling or crippling the computer that fails WGA is immensely stupid. There is simply no benefit to it: the major piracy problem is not Joe down the street installing the same copy of Windows on two computers, it's organised crime syndicates that sell thousands of counterfeit CDs to people who expect to receive legitimate, licensed software. Whatever someone might do to those computers doesn't do anything to the actual criminals, so it's just plain ill-tempered and mean. It's punishing the victim.
What Microsoft are trying to do instead is tell the victim "Hey, you're a victim. Come to us and we will help you." If you're a victim of yourself, however, chances are you don't want Microsoft's help.
Paul Thurott installed this copy of Windows a long time ago, presumably before there was notification in the WGA service, and possibly before there was a WGA service at all. Chances are his Windows installation was *never* legitimate, but he just didn't know it. Since his copy is in fact legitimate, he can readily fix this problem with a little effort. If he doesn't want to bother, he can disable the notification, as could a willful software pirate.
And I for one find it decidedly odd that his "false positive" happens the day after a Microsoft blogger writes extensively about them: http://blogs.msdn.com/wga/default.aspx
Microsoft cheerleader, blue flag waving, you got a problem with that?
In almost every case I know of harsh software protection leads to cracked versions being easier and more convenient to use.
I remember a really great AMIGA game called Carrier Command which had very tough copy protection -- none of my disk copiers would back up my legitimate copy. Unfortunately, it looks like the copy protection code was added after testing, and the save/load game feature didn't work. A few months after I bought Carrier Command a friend gave me a cracked copy. It was tiny (it occupied 1/4 of the space on disk), launched faster (on-the-fly decompression), and save/load game worked.
I tell my friend that I'll gladly install and configure Linux for him, and help him migrate his data, or he can bend over and take it from Microsoft if he prefers. In fact, I tend to tell people they need to use the recovery discs that came with their PCs; I'm not going to provide them with a warez CD even if they have a Windows serial number or paperwork. What, you didn't get a Windows CD with your PC? Vendor won't send you one? Boy, you were ripped off. Off you go to Best Buy to buy a copy of Windows XP, sucker. Or, there's that Linux option I told you about, with free updates forever, free office software, and support from me any time you need it. Your choice.
GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
Every time MS does something stupid with windows, everyone cries out "LINUX HERE WE COME!"...given the number of times such a thing has happened, why isn't everyone using linux yet?
The answer is simple, and no...it's not games. (Though that IS a bigass market.) It's digital content creation. Okay, fine. GIMP is nice...but it's no Adobe Photoshop. So, what do people who don't like windows do? Use Macs. All the same software, less craposity. (Too bad the damn things cost too much for the horsepower you get.)
But just as many stick grudgingly to PCs, not wanting to give up their hardware freedom. (Or THAT much of their money.) I _love_ linux, but not enough to abandon my creative outputs, (Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightwave 3D to name a few...) even for the length of time it takes to dual-boot.
If the users actually gave a damn, they'd start to try and convince Adobe, Newtek, and other content creation software developers to develop for Linux. (Frankly, it's much less of a hassle for me to just grin and bear windows.)
Seriously people. If you give a damn, TELL THE BIG COMPANIES THAT MAKE SOFTWARE PEOPLE USE. If they know they can actually SELL linux versions, they'll be overjoyed to dev for a platform that isn't as half-assed as windows, which I can guarantee is the root of 75% of their tech support issues. Even if they only certify compatibility or something with ONE distro, everyone's happy. They don't have to dev software for a shoddy operating system, the people who use the software will enjoy a more stable and smooth-running work environment, and everyone will be happy that MS is on it's way to hell.
The problem with this though, is that you need to get enough companies on board that whole workflows are covered. Many won't switch JUST for Adobe, and most won't switch JUST for a 3D package. Change IS NEEDED, but I don't see it happening any time soon unless a handful of companies step up, with or without our coaxing/prodding/bribing/threatening.
Friend: "The NIC is misconfigured..." Me: "No prob, I'll just telnet in and fix it." *Silence*
A few months ago I installed a new MoBo and CPU, which required me to reactivate windows, not a big deal except (despite have NEVER reactivated it before) it decided my key was no longer good and I needed to call in. Fine, no biggie, just took an extra 30 minutes or so and the usual call center annoyances. Then a few weeks ago I bought more RAM, a very minor upgrade really. But windows saw this new RAM and decided I needed to reactivate AGAIN! Rather then go through the minor hassle of calling in, I said forget it. If Microsoft is going to treat me like a pirate, I'll give them reason. I killed WPA and never looked back. To hell with OS updates, I just keep my spyware/antivirus up to date and practice safe browsing/downloading practices. Good ridance WPA and I don't have to bother with learning some other niche OS.
(from the above link)
Now, I wouldn't call Doctorow exactly an idiot, but rather an extremely tedious, almost insufferable fool who probably hurts the (basicaly good) causes he works for by his buffoonery. And, I'm afraid, he can't write for shit. His novels are nigh-unreadable... but, of course, that's just my personal taste in literary style. YMMV
sig? Oh, that sig...
"Hi! Although you claim to be a paying customer, we've identified you as a potential thief. However, we're willing to hear your case and may even change our minds if you say the right things!"
And that, THAT, is your idea of good customer service? It's not drinking the Kool-Aid - it's taking it intravenously while swimming naked in an ocean of it.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
It's like goldy and silvery.
heh, any chance to quote Baldric.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
>Do you really want to start a program where you randomly accuse your customers of being software pirates, even when they are not?
PHB: "It all came into focus for me when I realized that I hate our customers."
going in and not buying something costs best buy money. Albeit not much.
They are idiots, and will be for about 5 more years.
Just like My generation was idiots until they where about 25.
Funny thing is, until that time you don't know which one of you is being idiotic!
I kid.
BTW, I don't let and store that I don't sign a membership to go into search my bags. Ever.
This includes Fry's, Best Buy, CompScrewsa, any place.
Also, If on of those detectors go off when leaving a store, I don't stop. Infernal contraptions.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
This results in a paradox as far as the intentions of the software are concerned: In order to ensure that one does not get annoying popups and so on, one must install a pirated copy of Windows. The pirated copy has all that annoyance removed and just works, whereas the paid-for legal copy just doesn't work and insists on annoying paying customers.
I really wonder what this is all about anyway?! It's almost impossible to buy a new computer without a genuine copy of windows, and surely that must be where 99.9% of all Windows installs happen these days.
This would be useful reading. One thing that everybody has to deal with, especially when getting started, is asking questions. If everyone had tons of time to answer everyone else's questions, it'd be great. Fact is, we don't. I appreciate that your time is valuable, as you've said. Everybody else's is too. So, the gist of it is, if you don't follow the accepted etiquette, you will find that people are much much less friendly, and much much less willing to spend their own time to help you. On the other hand, if you do follow the etiquette, then sure, some people will still flame you (life is just like that, all over the place), but chances are, you will find several people who are perfectly happy and willing to help you.
Best of luck with ubuntu!
SIGSEGV caught, terminating
wait... not that kind of sig.
iptables --flush wipes your firewall rules.
yum is about RPMs. apt is about DEBs. And your biggest issue is probably not knowing how to use the package manage for what it's best at.
Rather than, say, downloading "foo" and then trying to make it work, try running "apt-get install foo". It will download and install it for you.
If it doesn't work, maybe update your system first:
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
And there are GUI tools for this -- synaptic, for one.
In my experience, Windows doesn't really work at all, certainly not out of the box. Oddly enough, when I google for help with Windows, I often end up at Experts Exchange, or no solution at all. On Linux, solutions are a Google away -- why were you talking to your local Linux bigots instead of some nice Google results?
Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
Well, if you're going to exclude the one solution that will let you run Windows programs, you're fucked, aren't you?
You will be able to buy music online from Yahoo as MP3. There are other alternatives to MS money.
If you feel that the anal rapage microsoft is delivering to you is fair price for the two minor problems that you face in migration, then fair enough. Stick your head in the sand, bend over, and take it. Enjoy.
Myself, I'll be using Win2k for games until it's no longer feasible. Which i don't see happening any time soon, as my main gaming interest seems lately to be Falcon4: Allied force and a few older games.
By the time Win2k is no longer usable, I'll be either 100% linux/BSD, and/or OS/X.
I run: Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD. Just because you have a hammer, doesn't mean everything is a nail.
Install a copy of MS windows and run software update - you are immediately suspected of being a pirate and investigated by Microsoft to see if they need to pursue their suspicions further.
If they find that they don't have any grounds fro believing you actually are a pirate currently, they will not stop suspecting you of being one. They just wait a while, and investigate you again later.
If they think that they may have grounds to belive you are a pirate, they will stop you from using that installation of windows.
Nice.
On a side note, It's amazing what people will put up with these days...I always tried to do my best in things...my mistake. It's now obvious to me that one should work out what one can get away with to make the most money, then do somethig even more half-arsed and make even more money, hoping that no-one will complain enough to force you to change. What a wonderful value system.
Learn some basic grammar you stupid twat.
Your logic is flawed, so #3 is an invalid conclusion.
#2 G.C. will be annoyed.
2a. So? Do they _really_ have a choice?
But more importantly, there is 1.5:
1.5) Genuine customers will see many pirates getting away without paying. If MS doesn't make attempts to crack down, genuine customers might be tempted to use one copy of Windows on more than one machine. With WGA, like DVD-CSS, the only purpose is to keep honest folk, honest.
#3 should be:
3) Makes alot of [sick], but common-place, "sense" in today's world.
It sucks, but you can't claim there is no logic for it. The are just following in the footsteps of the dvd makers.
l
- Asian input method. My friend here has managed to install scim package from Kubuntu repo to provide him alternate input method. Japanese input method in this context. Hard? It was simply apt-get install. Yes, it need the power of technical-user. You need to know how to install stuff
;)
- Media playing. I dunno dude, I mostly met with mp3, mpg, avi (XviD), VCD, and DVD. I don't need extra stuff to install than the base codecs from mplayerhq (win32 codecs). I've installed this codecs a long time ago when this machine of mine still labelled FC3 (now it's FC4 via apt-get)
- Device support. You've got a point there. It needs driver that is somehow, sometimes, hard to be found in Linux world. I wish somehow the hardware vendor found a way to either make the documentation public or make the binary linux driver available to download
- Font. I'm no graphic designer so I don't need any fancy font. But I do picky when faced on a visual environment. As I can recall, default Kubuntu install which what my gf is currently using is visually appealing. No clunky font used on the UI. and if I want other font, I could just simply install it as usual, with GUI.
The point is, Linux can be used for non-technical user when we've set it up correctly. YMMV PS: My gf has been using Kubuntu for aboutAs in: The computer was working fine up to the day that the new & improved version of WGA was installed. The Computer had been working with the extra 1GB chip for months - including a month or so with the origional version of WGA. The Night that WGA updated itself (ok MS Update did it), the memory went very bad.
Yes, It could be coincidence. No fixing the memory did not solve the issue. Fixing the memory and reinstalling resolved the issue. What the hell do you mean that installing memory changes the computer enough that you need to re-license. That's fucking nuts, especially as every machine sold on the market tends to come with too little memory. I have every client who buys a Dell laptop, purchase a 1GB memory stick with it - just so it will run well.
I don't think anyone saying Linux is perfect, or that the average user should switch from the Magically Perfect DWIM-UI OS of the Future to Linux. We're only talking about switching from MS Windows, which is an OS that is even further from 'being there' than Linux is.
Saying that average users who have Windows, shouldn't switch to Linux because Linux isn't 'there yet', is like saying medieval physicists shouldn't study Newton because Newton didn't know about relativity.
Trust is relative. The question isn't "how can you trust this shady character?" The question is "Who do you trust MORE? This shady character, or Microsoft?"
wait, what? I bought pirated software and didn't know it, and I'm not a victim?
Ah, ok. Must be families of murdered people aren't victims either becaus they weren't murdered.
Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
The deathcamps are 3 years away. Prepare to die you motherfucking cowards!
That's a true statement. But when you think about it, it is one hell of an indictment of the Personal Computer and the industry it has spawned.
You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey