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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.'"
Too close for comfort.
Some one I know just doesn't download the the WGA notification (tells it never to download when it shows up in system updates) I... I mean he wants to know if that will still work?
If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
At least there's not some odd hidden process that the users have no visibility to running in the background using resources.
Oh wait...
"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." -Albert Einstein
I'm impressed with Microsoft's forbearance.
"Some sites have also suggested that this is a sneaky scheme to get more people to buy Windows Vista after disappointing sales of the new OS"
It's going to be very funny if this does more for Linux than Vista.
If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
Black Screen of Death
Can someone remind me why Microsoft wants to chase people off to other platforms again?
Most people I know who run 'stolen' software don't have the funds, are not otherwise law-breakers, and are not aware of alternatives. I've had great luck giving these people an OpenCD and explaining the law, and, in the case of small businesses, the BSA's tactics.
I wonder how long it will be before somebody comes along with a registry edit file that will replace the permanent watermark text with a link to Ubuntu?
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Just another reason to pirate it since I've triggered the damn tool multiple times on Legitimately licensed product.
Oh crap, get ready for another wave of "omg where is the start button" questions on the Ubuntu message boards.
/whisper/ Thanks for the candy!
Cough, Cough.
*Continues innocent whistling*
The first thing I do after installing XP is turn the wallpaper to black.
Apparently, pirating it saves me a step after install.
WTG, MSFT!
Windows is shareware now?
AEIOU: open-source anonymous internet currency
It will still flag perfectly legal copies of Windows as being pirated. Just like it has in the past.
This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.
Given that there are a number of pieces of malware which break WGA and cause it to fail to validate (most of which are not trivial to clean out), why exactly would Microsoft have WGA punish them even more? I'd have to imagine that people with actual pirated copies of windows will just continue to not visit windowsupdate and continue to not have the WGA. I don't see this having a major effect on anyone except legitimate users.
If we assume that one of the purposes of paying for Windows were to provide the user^H^H^H^Hcustomer with a "better Windows Experience" by means of fixing bugs and improving the Operating System in the next version, and due to the fact that Vista Sucks, I say we got ripped off and piracy is our legitimate right.
And don't get me started into viruses.
I know several people who've bought new machines in the last 6 months
and been forced to have Vista pre-installed
they didn't want it
so pirated XP
are they trying to push people away?
cause it won't take much to annoy your userbase onto trying alternative OS's
And I'll tell you what,
once your average "mere mortal" Windows user, for whatever reason, tries Linux, and likes it
his testimonial goes a long way with other mere mortals in the same boat
now microsoft has officially left it's users black and blue
Thank you Dave Raggett
Question: People who annoy you?
They need to get more creative. Here's a few ideas:
1) Cause the NIC to drop random ammounts of packets at random times.
2) Change the wallpaper from Black Screen to one with a letter ending with "... The police are on their way".
3) Every 2 minutes all keys on your keyboard get randomly swapped around.
4) Swaps the mouse buttons. Or moving the mouse left, moves it right, up, down, etc.
5) All print jobs only result in large words in upper case saying "PIRATE ALERT!"
6) Boot sequence and shutdown sequence get 5 minutes added on to them. Hey MS, don't forget to make sure you cause the hard drive light LED to flicker a lot while the users wait around so they think it's something going on. While you're at it, randomly flicker that HD LED every few minutes for 20 seconds at a time.
7) Every 10th web page visited would be redirected to goatse (is that site still around?)
You get the idea... now hurry up so that people get fed up faster and switch to Linux.
No trees were killed in the making of this post; however, many trillions of electrons were horribly inconvenienced.
So, Windows is essentially a nagware product now? Choose to pay or not, depending on whether you think it'll be less painful? When will they append third-party advertisements to every file you save? When will it whisper subliminal insults into your audio stream?
[
i paid for windows vista ultimate edition *waits for laughter to die down* but after a few months, i discovered that the machine i installed it on had some dodgy RAM and i had to replace it. i don't know if it was because i changed the RAM or because the bad RAM corrupted something, but after that Microsoft decided that my copy of Windows was pirated, and put a permanent message in the lower-right corner of my machine telling me as much, and refused to let me use certain features, such as the Aero graphics enhancements.
personally, i suggest microsoft take a page from our founding fathers, and adopt a more "innocent until proven guilty" attitude (for example, offering a way to call them up and verify your CD Key) before implementing more draconian punishments upon the convicted!
i could live a little longer in this prison
> Most people I know who run 'stolen' software don't have the funds, are not otherwise law-breakers,
> and are not aware of alternatives.
Oh bull, if they can afford the computer they could have afforded to get the OEM preload instead of the pirate version from the neighborhood screwdriver shop. Or if they built it themselves then they damned sure could have sprung for an OEM copy when they bought the other bits. Most custom built machines are gaming rigs these days and if you can afford the video card for gaming you can afford a copy of XP. IF you can afford the GAMES you can afford XP... oh, they bootleg the games too.
And yes, they are probably lawbreakers in other areas too... anything THEY decide they should be able to do they probbaly do.
The only sensible thing is your attempts to get em on a legal alternative.
Stopping bootleg software should be the #1 priority of the Free Software movement as it is our primary competition. The main argument one hears when pitching Free (talking about individuals here, large installs do pay) is that they argue back that what they have is also free, in that it either came preloaded and thus they have no idea how much of the purchase price was the OEM licenses or they are using bootleg software that is 'free.' If people actually had to PAY for software like Office, OO.o would be installed a lot more often.
Democrat delenda est
My theory: This isn't actually an effort to get more people buying windows directly, but to maintain market dominance. M$ are squeezing the illegal XP 'market', trying to get them to use illegal Vista instead.
This is merely the first step, they'll eventually add checks for the most common cracks, followed by kill switches. This comes after service pack 1 removed the kill switch from Vista, making it less risky to pirate.
Whilst this might see a few people jumping ship to Linux or something, I'm guessing M$ decided the risks of losing a few freeloaers outweighed the importance of removing the XP-shaped-thorn from their side.
Get everyone doin' the downgrade, that way people will be used to it for when windows 7 comes out. M$ have learnt their lesson, and won't be creating any more good operating systems any time soon. It's less profitable!
mysql> SELECT * FROM `places` WHERE `place` LIKE 'home`; Empty set (0.00 sec)
Yeah, that'll turn the h4xx04z away. Want to really make it worthwhile? Force a pink-on-pink color scheme, license the theme song to "My Little Pony", and play that in an uninterruptable background loop on all available sound devices. That'll do a lot more to keep a kid honest than would making his desktop look 1337.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
This latest feature is just one more reason for people to run pirate copies, with that particular "Advantage" disabled.
Microsoft really doesn't get it. The only way to make people buy your software is to make it useful and friendly, not by making it annoying.
This is just a small part of Microsoft's huge misconception about operating systems. No Microsoft, people don't buy operating systems to benefit you, nor to benefit third parties like content providers. People buy operating systems to benefit THEMSELVES.
Such a simple concept, but apparently incomprehensible to Microsoft.
"The question of whether machines can think is no more interesting than [] whether submarines can swim" - Dijkstra
What requires WGA anyhow?
* Microsoft Marketing
* Microsoft Sales
* Microsoft Legal
* Bill Gates' wallet
* Steve Ballmer's wallet
I'm sure there are more that you can think of.
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
Relative: Why does my computer lose my wallpaper and give me a black screen every hour?
Me: Ah, that's just Vista for you. You have to pay Microsoft to get rid of that.
Relative: Why? Why should I have to pay Microsoft? Why doesn't it just work?
Me: A.) It's not Linux, so it won't "just work" no matter what you do, and B.) You didn't really expect Microsoft to let you use their computer for free, did you?
Relative: Um, I already paid for it-
Me: Yes, you paid for the computer. But you didn't pay Microsoft. You have to pay Microsoft before you can use it. You own the computer, they own the software.
Relative: So wait - you have to pay for both the computer and Microsoft?
Me: No, I use Linux. I only have to pay for the computer.
Relative: But if I paid Microsoft, I'd own both the computer, and the software, right?
Me: No, you would own just the computer. Microsoft would still own the software.
Relative: But I could move the software to a new computer if I bought the software, right?
Me: No, that's not how Microsoft works. You pay them, and you get to use the software on that computer. They still own it - you don't - and you can't move it from computer to computer.
Relative: So let me get this straight: I pay Microsoft for software, and they still own it?! What kind of $&*!@ is that?
Me: Yep, that's how proprietary software works. You get to use it, but you can't own it.
Relative: So how is it that you don't have to pay Microsoft?
Me: I run Linux.
At this point, it starts to sink in that pirating Windows isn't doing them any favors. As far as I'm concerned, if you want to use proprietary software, you can pay for it.
The society for a thought-free internet welcomes you.
If you want to run windows update without IE:
http://windizupdate.com/
I suppose you could use it to update without installing WGA.
As a paying customer I don't want to take the time to call you and sit on hold for hours just so I can use what I paid for after your "upgrade" happens by YOUR mistake.
I get so sick of companies treating me a paying customer as an adversary. Years ago I played games and actually enjoyed them. But when DRM made me into a CD swapping machine despite me having more than enough HD space they lost the fun factor and became a hassle. Now I don't game hardly at all. Of course anyone that illegally subverted the DRM is still gaming including non-paying customers. Seems self defeating.
Good luck MS though I see this as another reason that Apple and Linux will continue to grow.
I'm trying to figure out what all the fuss is about but I can't find this WGA thing. Does anyone know what repository it's in?
load "$",8,1
The more you tighten your grip, the more systems will slip through your fingers.
It was a tossup between that quote and "Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board."
More of the same. Just let go.
That's a good thing. Treat the noobs respectfully. Ultimately it's lack of respect from MS that's driving them away. If they get that same attitude from Ubuntu they'll just label you as asses and go back to MS.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
It's too bad that WGA never recognizes genuine copies of Windows given to students at my university. I think it is due to the fact that the disks are produced on campus under a distribution license, or, The Pirate Bay is hosted inside the dark cave on campus. Just a thought.
Doesn't update all optional packs and updates, though, and doesn't host patches that require validation. (Which is a good thing, but it's still very limited.)
"You can either have software quality or you can have pointer arithmetic, but you cannot have both at the same time."
And the answer is none. None more black.
Modded troll or not, I have to agree. Smart users don't even have WGA installed on their legal copies of XP (yes, I like to think I'm one of those). I don't want a background process eating my machine's resources just so Microsoft can do the electronic equivalent of a strip-search every 10 minutes. If it doesn't actually benefit me it gets the hell off of my computer, fast.
I dream of a better world... one in which chickens can cross roads without their motives being questioned.
It's a tough job handling the ubuntu IRC channel. The other day some guy was asking how to maximize firefox. We told him to click the box in the upper right corner, and he didn't understand. So someone asked what version he was running, and he gave the output of firefox -v (or whatever command it is for version). It was baffling that he could use the command line but not maximize the window. I think (hope) he was joking. Or maybe it was Richard Stallman.
You can always run your own WSUS server.
This lets you control exactly what does and does not get installed, and WGA isn't even available through WSUS (although Office Genuine Advantage is). If you have more than two computers running Windows 2000 or later, WSUS is a big help for saving bandwidth and assuring you get patched up-to-date quickly.
Unfortunately, it requires Windows 2003 Server to run, but it is completely free (as in beer).
Is it only me who think that real target are the pirates in 3rd world (China, India) and real goal is to push them to adopt Vista?
Economy of piracy has its mechanics and M$ exploited it many times. Many developers get first taste of programming on pirated Windows using pirated development software. M$ had rather them pirating Vista.
All this WGA thing is really nothing, because there are bunch of packs floating on net with XP and Vista stripped of all unnecessary stuff (like license checks). Most active pirates will not be affected by M$' change of WGA by a bit.
All hope abandon ye who enter here.
Were you a victim of Linux Genuine Advantage scheme to make millions? Linux Genuine Advantage Crack will restore free as in speech rights to what should have been in the first place. Down with the man!
niggle, new word for me...
http://www.debian.org/
http://www.fedoraproject.org/
http://www.ubuntu.com/
http://www.opensuse.org/
http://www.slackware.org/
http://www.gentoo.org/
http://www.freebsd.org/
http://www.openbsd.org/
It doesn't actually run in the background. It does the authenticity check at startup, and it vets your computer when you try to install an update which requires authentication, and that's it. And there are actual, honest-to-goddess important updates that won't install without such authentication.
*shrugs* but I guess I'm not what you'd consider a "smart" user, in that I choose to let it do its rigamorole on the 4 computers I have running Windows... my laptop, which dual boots with XP MCE, my HTPC which is running Vista Ultimate (both came from MSDN), and my parents' laptops, running XP Home and Vista Home Premium respectively.
Incidentally... none of those systems have ever had issues, performance or otherwise, with WGA. I'm not saying that it doesn't screw over legitimate users. But I am saying that I've never seen an issue with it, and that the ability to install security and stability updates that you couldn't otherwise install outweighs the marginal increase in boot time, which is about the only thing you actually notice when you install/activate WGA.
If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
Wrong:
* Mandatory Activation. The license rights granted under this EULA are limited to the first thirty (30) days after you first install the Product unless you supply information required to activate your licensed copy in the manner described during the setup sequence of the Product. You can activate the Product through the use of the Internet or telephone; toll charges may apply. You may also need to reactivate the Product if you modify your computer hardware or alter the Product. There are technological measures in this Product that are designed to prevent unlicensed or illegal use of the Product. You agree that we may use those measures.
(Emphasis mine)
Sounds like you agreed to anything Microsoft wants to do, including harassment. Just another reason you shouldn't be using an OS that assumes everyone is a criminal by default.
Copyright infringement is "piracy" in the same way DRM is "consumer rape"
I choose to not allow WGA to install itself, however a family member recently accidently installed this update, and upon reboot was horrified to find a new login screen and desktop. They thought it was a virus!
I took a look at the processes running, and found WGATray, which upon killing, restarts itself within seconds. It was the only windows update in add/remove programs that couldn't be uninstalled. This stuff is as bad as spyware/malware.
If you want to get rid of it, find a copy of RemoveWGA.exe on google, this thing works wonders. I ran it, rebooted, and WGA was well gone.
Wow, that is copy protection. Guess what, my default screen is black. Even though OSX does not allow it, I just set a black gif (10x10 pixels) as the BG image.
I know, many of you like (just as me scuba pictures, cars, babes, bikes, nersy images, superheroes) but at the end I WANT TO SEE MY DAM ICONS, so the best is a black background.
OK, Working as a programmer in the sportsbetting industry today (kickoff day) is a bit stressy, and after coding 12 hours at my (8 hour a day) consulting job pretty much kicked my arse, and I drank some rum from the Dominican Repubic ( ie I am kinda drunk).....
Anyway, black BG is best, that is the ultimate oldscshool, and working in the *NIX environment this is the best you can set.
So does MS expect to scare people with this mean black BG ?
Um....I hate to break the news to you,but if you would have read the news section at Windiz after nobody came forward when they requested help coding the site they quit updating it. So the newest patch there is from 2006. Doesn't really help when the latest bug strikes. There used to be a site with a batch file which downloaded Windows Updates,but I'm afraid I no longer have the link. But going to Windiz is pretty much a waste of time and I don't know why the site is still up.
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
Well, if so many weren't too niggardly to purchase a legit copy of Windows, this wouldn't be a problem!
Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
Think about it. Microsoft could have did stuff like this. Thankfully, they didn't.
Change the homepage to Microsoft's website, perhaps a page about Windows XP and piracy.
Have Clippit pop up in the corner of Windows XP, saying, "It looks like you're using a pirated copy of Windows. Would you like to purchase one now?"
Slow one's Internet connection to 56kbps speed, except when doing Windows Updates.
Disable any and all video capabilities.
Limit the display to 800 x 600 at 8-bit colour.
Disable accessing certain file types, such as video files, music files, etc. (Jokingly, because if you pirate Windows, you might be pirating other things as well.)
"Every time you operate one of these weird black controls, labelled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up black to let you know you've done it"
"The dew has clearly fallen with a particularly sickening thud this morning"
If this stops my screen going blue every 15 minutes I'll be happy
Karma: Bad. (As in Good?)
My wallpaper is a screenshot of the entrance to that giant space cigar Doomsday Machine from Star Trek and I like to sit in front of it, squirming in my chair making faces-of-horror and sweating while singing "da-da da-da DA-DA DA-DA".
But look at who I'm telling! Of course most of you reading this do the exact same thing! Ha ha ha.
What?