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Black Screens For Unauthorized Copies of Windows
arcticstoat writes "In a bid to deter people from using pirate versions of Windows XP, Microsoft is now updating its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool to introduce a few uncomfortable niggles for users of pirated versions of Windows. These include replacing the desktop wallpaper with a black screen every 60 minutes, although you can still replace it with your wallpaper of choice in the intervening period. As well as this, copies of Windows deemed to not be genuine will also have a translucent watermark above the system tray, which Microsoft calls a 'persistent desktop notification.'"
Can someone remind me why Microsoft wants to chase people off to other platforms again?
What's funny is my desktop is intentionally black. Has been for years - through Windows 2000, Windows XP, and now Vista. I just like it that way.
Active desktop? Puh-leeze.
Pictures of cats? Why?!
Patterns? Too distracting.
Other colors? Meh.
I once tried BGInfo but even that was a black background with green text. It lasted a week before I took it out and went back to basic black.
My sources are unreliable, but their information is fascinating. -- Ashleigh Brilliant
I wholeheartedly agree that much of the copy protection methods out there are disincentivizing ownership, but as far as copy protection goes what Microsoft is doing here is pretty passive. They're not locking anybody out of anything. These are only a couple visual reminders that you're not using a legitimate copy. In fact, to me it seems like kind of an improvement over their typical shitty behavior towards customers. With all the hell people have raised over product activation, WGA, etc. I shudder to even think of what would happen if they used the type of DRM we see on video games. These guys routinely put in rootkits and stuff that will disable or damage hardware. These guys sell products that routinely lock out paying customers. Game developers were always terrible about this. Remember when we had to turn to page 93 in the manual and type in the fourth word of the twelfth sentence in order to get the game to start up? Why is it we basically give these assholes a free pass while jump all over Microsoft for having comparitively friendly copy protection? I think any copy protection sucks, but any meaningful argument against it is going to gain a lot more traction if we go after the worst offenders.