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Microsoft To Disable Windows Phone 7 Unlocking
Alex writes "In the first update to Windows Phone 7, Microsoft is planning to block ChevronWP7, which allowed users to unlock any retail Windows Phone 7 device for application side-loading without having to pay $99 per year for a WP7 marketplace account. The update, which is slated for release this month, will also introduce copy and paste functionality, among other improvements. ChevronWP7 was discontinued less than a week after its release about two months ago. ChevronWP7's three developers, Long Zheng, Rafael Rivera, and Chris Walsh were approached by Brandon Watson, Director of Developer Experience for Windows Phone 7, and decided to kill their app."
So how much did they get for this?
Only if you're a developer. Apple charges the same fee, if I recall.
But don't let me get in the way of your anti-Microsoft ranting, informed or not.
What about the law that says you have the right to unlock your own phone?
You still have that right. But there's no law that says the manufacturer has to make it easy for you.
It's called a "business strategy". You may think its either smart or foolish, but it's a strategy. No one said businesses had to act in a democratic way.
Whenever in an argument, remember this.
"Zheng, Rivera, and Walsh have said Microsoft wants them to become more involved with the shaping of the homebrew scene on the Windows Phone platform, but ChevronWP7 will not be the way to do so. In fact, the trio has a meeting with Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 team next week in Redmond, and they will be focusing on homebrew as well as stronger protection of WP7 developer intellectual property."
My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
Exactly. Microsoft is positioning itself as a low-rent copy of Apple in the phone space. Say what you will, but it is a strategy.
...until a few more suckers bought their product first? Consider it a loss leader. Are they so optimistic that they're gonna win against android and apple, that they can already afford to alienate their user base?
Fundamental question: What makes a smart phone smart? Answer: Ability to run applications you want that actually improve your life in some small way. Taking away the ability and deciding for me what apps I can run and at what cost is a dealbreaker. Same reason I won't touch an iPhone no matter how many lame fart apps appear for it. DRM lockdown turns a smart phone into an idiot phone -a dumb piece of shit. Certainly not worth hundreds of dollars to me. Microsoft, keep it, and shove it!
These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
Where do you think botnets come from? Users who download and install software from websites that they shouldn't but they aren't smart enough to know the difference, or skilled enough to notice the data usage spikes.
You really don't want that kind of power on limited bandwidth cell networks. Remember the average person is an idiot.
i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
Not if you buy a good one dumbass. Heck, mine is not even running a vendor or carrier built OS.
It's a dictatorial business strategy. Yes, it is evil. Open computing has changed our world dramatically for the better. And every phone company out there apparently wants to put a stop to that.
"Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
That is patently false. All you have to do is check the box labeled allow unsigned software.
Rooting software? I flashed a new image right on my phone. Your spewing FUD.
Because the auto industry got bad enough at a time we still cared about protecting consumers that we actually passed laws targeted at automotive companies abusing them.
I think we should pass similiar laws protecting consumers of other items, and in general. But lately all we pass are laws protecting corporate interests.
>>>You really don't want that kind of power on limited bandwidth cell networks
Yes I do.
I should not be prevented from loading VLC Player or Opera or any other 'free' program on my Phone (or PC or Mac), just because most users are idiots. Let's not downgrade our phone, laptop, and desktop computers to Lowest Common Denominator uselessness. Otherwise we might as well not have computers, if we can't run the programs we want to run. We might as well wrap chains around the computers instead, and bow down to kiss Microsoft's smelly feet : "Oh please sir, please let me run jEdit on my phone. Please master, please."
Bullshit.
If that's how "smart"... correction: dumb phones will be, then count me out. I'll stick with my open, not blocked computer rather than waste money on a phone that won't let me run the programs I desire to run.
My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
Where do you think botnets come from? Users who download and install software from websites that they shouldn't but they aren't smart enough to know the difference, or skilled enough to notice the data usage spikes.
But why does that only seem to happen to Windows users?
You really don't want that kind of power on limited bandwidth cell networks. Remember the average person is an idiot.
Is that why you feel comfortable posting your logical fallacy?
Have you got your LWN subscription yet?