Starting Tuesday, the Microsoft will push out a test tool that checks whether the copy of Windows a PC is using is properly licensed. It will be sent to millions of people in the United States, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
Microsoft Steps up Piracy Check
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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A piracy tool being released nine months before there next OS release, give me a break. Hello?, XP was released 5 years ago, this a laughable.
This is truly lame. Like adding a nag message is really going to get people to register their warez copy of Windoze… I’ll bet that the crackers will be out with a way to disable this within days.
Well, odds are fairly good that it will do more than just nag, such as phoning home to the mothership or some other wonderful Microsoftism. AND, how long before it becomes mandatory? Remember when Windows Genuine Advantage was voluntary?
So what ? It’s enough to have one guy in the neighborhood who is willing to download all the updates and share it with others. No need to crack anything.
>>I’ll bet that the crackers will be out with a way to disable this within days.
If you had read the article – you don’t need a crack – they let you deny the download AND you can uninstall it if you answer the question wrong, or even disable the warnings with a right click without deinstalling…
Making the entire thing a complete waste of resources… I mean what is this supposed to accomplish? People with legal copies it does nothing, and people without will just deinstall it or not allow it to install in the first place because 99% of them could give a flying {censored}
Then you have people like me who owns XP Pro legally, but still runs the cracked corporate build because I got sick of the bullshit in the legal version.
You do realize that you’re breaking Windows’ EULA, right? 🙂
Most people I know, don’t care about breaking the EULA. They often talk about warezed software on their PC as it would be the most natural thing on earth to install stolen software.
Some of them have the same excuse as the other guy, telling that he does not like the “bullshit” of the legal version and that this is reason enought for using the illigal version.
He might have his resons for using the illigal version but that still does not make his action legal.
Well, since XP came out my machine changed in parts uncountably, and totally for 3 times. No sw company could make me “activate” their software or os or else for such reasons. Luckily, for years now, 99.9% of the time Linux rules on the boxes.
Well, luckily most of it is void in Europe, and I don’t think all of it would hold in court in USA.
If you had read the article – you don’t need a crack – they let you deny the download AND you can uninstall it if you answer the question wrong, or even disable the warnings with a right click without deinstalling…
Making the entire thing a complete waste of resources… I mean what is this supposed to accomplish? People with legal copies it does nothing, and people without will just deinstall it or not allow it to install in the first place because 99% of them could give a flying {censored}
As somebody else said, most copies of Windows comes from OEMs. I think the point here is that this is a way you can check to make sure that the copy you got from your OEM is really legit. I don’t think MS cares as much about people warezing the software as much as people selling illegal copies of the OS and advertising it as legal.
No, you are wrong. One copy, 10 copies, a million copies, it don’t matter that is still lost sales to Microsoft.
If there was a truckload of apples, and you stole one, is that OK, since you did not steal them all ?
A thief is a thief is a thief. Casual piracy is still theft.
Hopefully Microsoft will do something to pirates, like format their hard drives.
Hopefully Microsoft will do something to pirates, like format their hard drives.
Wow! I bet you can screw up your fully-legal system in such a way that it fails the test–maybe accidentally delete a DLL and replace it with a download. If a legal owner got his hard drive wiped he’d have just cause to do something violent. (Therefore, MS will never do that.)
Piracy is not theft. Neither legally, logically nor morally.
True. Piracy is indeed not theft, but it is a violation of copyright and illegal in most countries.
I agree. We should remember though that piracy is a civil legal issue between companies and other companies or private individuals. Although software companies and organisations like the BSA would like us to confuse piracy with theft, the two are quite different from each other.
I have a banned VLK and I bypassed the legit check and now get my automatic updates again
I ran no script I did nothing fancy, just deleted a certain file
Why not put your money where you mouth is and buy a copy of Windows? If it is so compelling to use I would imagine it is worth spending the money and following the EULA.
I have a valid license. I just run a clean retail version. If they want license conformity I show my OEM key. Its legel here (Im not in the US). EULA’s mean jack shit in my country, its not legally binding. You want ME to be ACCOUNTABLE when YOUR SOFTWARE COMPANY does NOT WANT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE? I smell a double standard. I did spend the money when I bought my laptops. You FORCE FED ME IT. SO LUBE UP tard.
Edited 2006-04-25 21:45
You can turn it up and down, but it still does not make your action legal.
If you are so sure about your action, then please go here http://reporting.bsa.org/usa/ or http://www.bsa.org/uk/report/index.cfm and add your name and address into the form and hit the submit button.
USA and UK laws DO NOT APPLY TO ME. Want me to draw a picture?
I don’t know in wich country you live. But I am sure, that you would not report yourself to the BSA (in your country), because you know that they would be against the use of a illigal version of Windows (no mather if you have the legal key/license or not).
Too late:
http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gtg990h/lawsandborders.png
What can I say, I was bored…
USA and UK laws DO NOT APPLY TO ME. Want me to draw a picture?
No need to draw a picture. Quite obviously, you live in the state of moral decay.
let the “lite” edition be free and charge for the “pro” and “ultimate” versions.
don’t know how could this be implemented .. but hey! it’s an idea!
And it’s a good one, and it’s an old one, some people just keep saying this for a long while now, but nobody really seems to pick up the idea. But it really would make sense since there are many people out there who only need windows on their home pcs for a few specific things and a stripped down version would really suffice. My example: I wouldn’t need media player, iexplorer, olexpress, AD, file sharing, printing, about 95% from the rest of the services, games, 99% of the accessories, admin tools & mmc, and I could go on. I’d only need a basic version with basic networking capabilties, on which I could play some media while I work in visual studio.
Obviously this wouldn’t meet everybody else’s opinions about a stripped down windows version. So they should make it extensively modular where people – well, those who have enough knowledge, the rest can buy the full version – would pay for those modules they’d need. Or some similar scheme.
90% of consumers own a legal license, its called OEM, comes with all prebuilt machines. Even if they install a different version they still have a valid license (in alot of non US countries). Microsoft wanted us to have windows with all machines so now we turn the tables, its legal to have a retail version downloaded.
OEM copies are Junkyards for tired and dying applications that dont get used so they bundle anyway. Junkware. This is why OS X is a much nicer environment out of the box, no OEM junkyard in sight.
Maybe in your country (USA?) but not mine. I have a valid license I got force fed when I buy OEM machines. Im not the monopoly. Please do not apply US laws to me. They do not apply. Different country different set of laws. Its even legal to reverse engineer here. EULA’s are NOT legally binding here. Arrogant prick.
Edited 2006-04-25 21:49
But DO they own a copy of Windows, alot of OEM’s dont provide a Windows CD, they just shove it on another partition with the hidden partition as the apps. It’s a con to me.
Microsoft is in more legal trouble than the people you claim are performing “illegal” actions (under US and UK laws according to other posters)? Pot, the Kettle called and it wants its color back.
Edited 2006-04-25 21:55
Its a scare campaign. http://www.microsoft.com/resources/howtotell/ww/windows/default.msp…
The people they are targeting use OEM licenses anyway. They make it look like theyre educating users but its scare tactics.
Read this dictionary entry.. SCARY ISNT IT
http://www.microsoft.com/canada/home/terms/2.7.1.13_N.asp
naked PC
n.
A personal computer sold without an operating system (OS) installed. The purchaser of a naked PC must then choose and install an OS before the computer can be used. Naked PCs are chiefly purchased by users with some degree of expertise with computer equipment who may want to install a version of Linux or an offshoot OS. Computer and software manufacturers have expressed concern over the possibility of software piracy with the sale of naked PCs.
“possibility of software piracy with the sale of naked PCs. ”
SCARE TACTICS.
Except my 3 IBM ThinkPad’s, all of my PC’s and server where buyed without Windows version.
Today I run on all of them Linux, even on the IBM ThinkPad. I don’t care about Microsoft and their software and their scare tactics.
Good for you, show me where “CONSUMERS” can purchase Acer, or Dell LAPTOPS or other brands NAKED or with other ALTERNATIVES.
Edited 2006-04-25 22:15
http://www.windowsrefund.org/
http://tuxmobil.org/reseller.html
Turning myself into the Boy Scouts of America sounds rather kinky or were you referring to the British Stammering Association?
Edited 2006-04-25 22:05
.. but who is? Microsoft
Says alot doesn’t it.
When employees of a company have to run around waving their commitments sheet around like a wet blanky and cry about being “visible” for every action they take and the company itself is more managers than technical skills (for a technical company) and has to get on every device known to man by FORCE, its a sign that company is dying and fighting for survival. Look at its stock, it hasnt risen in years! Sign of no innovation. Microsoft has peaked. They scared OEMs into licensing Windows with every unit, now theyre scaring consumers. The very hand that feeds them with Naked PC and legit windows controls.
Edited 2006-04-25 22:17
Microsoft are starting the downward slide. Soon (probably in Vista SP2… ok, NOT soon 😉 ) this crap will become unavoidable, so people will start asking how they can avoid Windows. Hello, OSX and Linux!
Aren’t the main areas where Microsoft has a problem with piracy outside the countries it is targetting?
The version was still obtained illegally. The person who copied it and redistributed it commited a copyright violation, which is most assuredly illegal in your country. Not agreeing to a EULA is not against the law pretty much everywhere but for a few U.S. states, however copying and redistributing warez very much is.
Downloading it and installing it is yet another matter: you may or may not be committing an illegal act, however Microsoft could in fact ask you to remove the software from your system, and it could conceivably obtain an injunction to force you if you refused.
I don’t know in wich country you live.
Appparently a country where insulting those you disagree with is seen as a legitimate form of debate.
Chops, try to cool down a little.
flobberchops, maybe you’re new to this Internet thing, but you should know that writing in ALL CAPS is synonymous to SHOUTING and it’s really ANNOYING! It does NOT make you sound MORE CREDIBLE!
Thanks.
If Microsoft said before that the best way to treat their highly infected OS is by erasing the hard disk and reinstalling the OS ( or loading a clean image ); then you can see how legitimate customers are gonna suffer from MS horible OS activation, updates, genuine tests and now other tests when they are gonna reinstall.
For me I used to erase windows every 6 months because it cannot tolerate infections from internet web sites, networking tools, games and collaborative tools.
Now I am running RH for internet purposes and left windows box for compatibility and other limited uses.
Customers are becomming more and more angry with MS decisions on their short half-life windows XP; Could they hear our desperation??????!!!!!!
I understand your switch to RH as it suits your own purposes better, but theres an alarming statement in your post.
“For me I used to erase windows every 6 months because it cannot tolerate infections from internet web sites, networking tools, games and collaborative tools. ”
If other people don’t have this problem with windows, and you do, it means you don’t know how to use the tool. You don’t blame a hammer when you can’t hit the nail.
Morglum
I hate this argument, and I hate how it is used.
1) Most people here are technically competent and are often asked by freinds and family, to correct there spyware, virus, other nasties…and those people are not stupid. Protecting any OS is tricky.
2) If the tool is designed correctly for beginners and experts alike, then they should be protected, regardless of what OS they use, the OS is *wrong*.
Linux, XP, MacOS should be all working to make life easier to protect the User, and they are.
We see today that Microsoft has made the bad choice of leaving Vista unprotected, and I can only think its the right choice from a Useability point of view. Although I do think after 6 years a better solution should be available.
of the house that piracy built kicking at it’s own very foundations. Guess they gotta at least pretend like piracy is a concern to them.
Some new way to holding customers is highly needed. I’m not an expert, but this is not not anything new and it is not going to stop anything they’re trying to stop. Just my 2¢
This is a test of a test. It doesn’t do anything but test the test.
//Microsoft will push out a test tool that checks whether the copy of Windows a PC is using is properly licensed. It will be sent to millions of people in the United States, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.//
If millions of people start saying “my Windows has a valid license but your test doesn’t think so” … then the test has problems.
Once the test works correctly … only then will the test become a required (even forced) update and the result of the test start to trigger nasties.
“For me I used to erase windows every 6 months because it cannot tolerate infections from internet web sites, networking tools, games and collaborative tools. ”
—
yeah I will comment on that too. Have one pc that installed xp on in it 4 years ago it was still working with no reformats up until last week, only reason it isnt now is because the computer is just painfully slow to use and have replaced :p 2 laptops that were installed 2 and 3 years agos both havent had any reforms. except I did ghost one cuz the hard drive was failing good old toshiba harddrives.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905474/en-us
Microsoft is shooting themselvs in the foot, this is so 80s shareware.
on OEM licenses. Technically you are NOT ALLOWED TO UNINSTALL IT AND INSTALL YOUR OWN. The only softwre your OEM HARDWARE (laptop or whatever) LEGALLY permits is the RESTORE/RECOVERY IMAGE from the OEM. SO please Pot, stop calling the kettle black. Installing Linux on your OEM laptop is ILLEGAL too under OEM licenses.
I doubt that this is true. Do you have a link to validate this, or did you just pull this out of your hat?
Oh, and please stop using all caps. It makes you sound like a raving lunatic.
I called MS and they said basically thats the terms of the OEM license for my laptop Windows. Its sold as a complete unit and treated as such. Not seperate.
Edited 2006-04-26 19:34
That doesn’t mean you can’t uninstall Windows, wipe the hardrive and/or install another (legitimate) copy of Windows or an alternate OS. In fact, I’m pretty sure that this is quite legal.
Now, it may be that the EULA forbids you to install that copy of Windows on another PC – though even doing that would not be illegal, as it’s not illegal to break a EULA except in a few U.S. states.
> “Removal of Windows is illegal on OEM licenses”
> …….
> Installing Linux on your OEM laptop
> is ILLEGAL too under OEM licenses.
I am convinced that you are misreading their OEM terms. They are simply stating that the OEM version is not licensed to be installed on any other hardware, and that the OEM license cannot be interpreted as a license to install another OEM, VLK (corporate) or retail version of Windows.
If I buy a piece of hardware, I can damn well run anything I want on it (unless the hardware is configured in some way to prevent such installations, as is predicted to happen with future BIOSes, EFI or other boot code). But Microsoft most certainly cannot FORBID me from wiping their OEM OS and installing ANYTHING ELSE for which I have a LEGAL license. That may be a retail version of Windows, a corporate license version of Windows, MSDOS, DR-DOS, FreeDOS, Linux, BSD, anyone’s hobby OS (even one I could write myself), etc…
I am still debating with myself how to interpret your extreme misreading of their terms: involuntary obtuseness, deliberate FUD, or something else entirely…
EULA:
By reading this sig, you agree to any and all opinions stated in the above post.
It’s all testbed for what WILL do things in Vista.
They’re just using the current XP users as a testbed for Vista lockdown technology.
“Technically you are NOT ALLOWED TO UNINSTALL IT AND INSTALL YOUR OWN.”
Nonsense.
“Installing Linux on your OEM laptop is ILLEGAL too under OEM licenses.”
It’s as absurd as if the car you bought had a license that said you could only use Shell petrol and no other.
You bought it, you own it, you can do whatever you want with it.
(*) No matter what Microsoft does, demands, provides or “forces” upon end-users, no abuse by itself will ever deter people from running Windows. The only thing which will erode Microsoft’s dominance of the OS market is when it becomes less convenient to run Windows than some other OS. There’s always “the one game I just gotta run,” or “the one app for which there’s no Linux equivalent,” or “I just don’t have THE TIME to learn how to use a Mac.” People who use Windows will complain, then open their mouths wide, and let Microsoft shove in whatever it damn well wants. This is how it has always been and, I am convinced, how it always will be.
(*) If you run Windows, you pretty much deserve it. I run Windows on two machines – one which I have a boxed copy (of Win2K) for, and one laptop for work, which has a legal copy my company bought. People who own legal copies have nothing to worry about. I don’t buy the argument about “sealed” EULAs, that you buy software first and only afterward have access to the EULA once you’ve opened the box or installed the software. Fairly certain you can find most EULAs and the like online, or at least google on articles which discuss the uglier parts.
Does anyone really not know what they’re getting into? There are probably more obscure pieces of software for which this is the case but I have a hard time believing that people don’t know what they’re getting into when they decide to be a Windows user.
The vast majority of people who run Windows *don’t care.* They may complain now and again but for most, it is just not a major issue. Personally, Win2K is the last Windows I’m going to buy. I have since migrated the rest of my machines over to alternatives, and hopefully soon we will have a useful video production suite for Linux, which is the only reason I even have a Windows box up and running. So yes, I’m one of those people who runs it for ONE application.
(*) I suspect the main intent of this pop-up app is to scare companies into buying licenses, if they’re running copies they haven’t paid for. Many a disgruntled employee has wreaked havoc upon an old employer by ratting them out to the BSA. I doubt this has much at all to do with home users who knew exactly what they were doing when they pirated Windows in the first place.
(*) If you live in a country where nothing is enforceable and you can de jure or de facto run whatever you want, cheers! Enjoy it while it lasts.
There are legitimate business needs to run Windows – custom apps or very specialized apps that have no equivalents in any OS. But for a general desktop platform for basic office tasks, I am less and less sympathetic to those who claim to need to run Windows.
There are now commercial alternatives and, in fact, completely free ones which are quite user-friendly.
Most people will simply complain, and then, as I said earlier, open wide for whatever Microsoft chooses to shove down there.
I’m finding it hard to sympathize or get outraged at Micosoft.
It’s hard to feel sympathy for a slave who has a choice to leave but chooses to stay and take his lashings because he’s scared of the outside world and alternatives to his present lifestyle.
Oh, and I would add – don’t get mad at Microsoft. Get mad at people who have specific reason to be running Windows, and refuse to change, and start with the computer geeks who run Windows but complain about Microsoft the loudest. I bet everyone here knows at least one person who has no good reason to be running Windows. Get on THEIR backs. Consumers ultimately have the power. It doesn’t require a unanimity either – just a significant segment of a consumer base to revolt, to change matters. Put in the time to help people move to alternatives. Companies care about money, and money only – as much as some would like to think so, this isn’t *personal* on Microsoft’s part. It’s about dollars.
Hit em in the wallet. The people who enable Microsoft are consumers.
Edited 2006-04-27 16:43