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Microsoft Uses WGA To Obtain Record Jail Sentences
theodp writes "According to Microsoft, 'No information is collected during the [Genuine Advantage Program] validation process that can be used to identify or contact a user.' That's little comfort to the software counterfeiters who were just handed jail sentences ranging from 1.5-6.5 years by the Futian People's Court in China, especially since Microsoft contends that much of the estimated $2B in bogus software was detected by its Windows Genuine Advantage program. 'Software piracy negatively impacts local economic growth,' explained Microsoft VP Fengming Liu in a celebratory New Year's Eve press release. But then again, so does transferring $16B of assets and $9B in annual profit to an Irish tax haven, doesn't it?"
Seriously, There is a persisting writeup from a japanese LUG years ago talking about how pirated copies of windows cannibalize the linux userbase and dev base.
Pirated windows is the bane of linux, and I applaud microsoft for slitting their own throat by pursuing windows counterfeiters.
VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
I'm betting that a good amount of the information used in this case came from posters on the WGA forum, where people can post if they're having issues with WGA. One of the tools available in that forum is a WGA diagnostic tool which will generate a sanitized text dump of a user's windows validation information. Most cases on that forum are people whose brother, cousin, or sketchy PC shop installed a common warez release of Windows on their systems, but several there are people who bought apparently legitimate software from resellers which failed validation and later turned out to be counterfeit. Microsoft got in touch with these users, identified the resellers, and I'm betting that this news story is the result.
We can't all be tax-havens. It is only useful to small countries that can exist on the small transfer fees of enormous corporations from other countries.
Microsoft says pirating software takes money from local economies! (read: pirates are stealin' America's money!!1one)
Microsoft uses an Irish tax haven to keep billions of their dollars out of reach of the American tax man.
If you don't see the hypocrisy in that, please read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocrisy
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
I'm using an illegitimate copy of XP right now. My genuine copy lies at the bottom of my desk drawer, rendered useless by the asshats that decided to make small hardware changes require reauthorisation, using up my allotted attempts. After getting no help at all from customer service I downloaded and installed a cracked copy in less than the time than it took for customer service to answer my bloody call...
I am now certain to exterminate WGA from any and all computers I come into contact with.
Ezekiel 23:20
You don't think that striving is beneath you. You think that giving up a little pleasure now for a hugely improved life tomorrow is pretty damned smart. You don't think that having to skip a few nights out at the bar is a violation of your human rights. You don't think that some dude shooting his load inside your mother somehow entitles you to a life of luxury and idleness. You aren't so full of false pride that you have to be the center of attention and importance in everything you do. You don't reject every piece of advice because you know that you don't know everything. You aren't a lazy whiner who thinks that even the slightest bit of effort is too much. You don't insist that everyone blindly and baselessly treat you with the respect and deference given to people who've spent decades proving their capability and knowledge.