Microsoft says it will give away Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, but remains coy about the exact nature of “XP Reloaded.” Additionally, Microsoft said that the SP2 won’t be available to pirates.
Microsoft readies XP Update Giveaway
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
WTF.
Microsoft never said that they will give it to pirates, some news sites said so, not MS. Now, MS clears up the situation with a statement. That’s the whole story.
Too bad because viruses/worms will proliferate just as easily then.
Microsoft never said that they will give it to pirates, some news sites said so, not MS
The source for the Computer Times article was a Microsoft executive:
“We haven’t explicitly done anything to SP2 to exclude it from pirated copies,” said Microsoft group product manager Barry Goffe.
“It was a tough choice, but we finally decided that even if someone has pirated copy of Windows, it is more important to keep him safe than it is to be concerned about the revenue issue,” he added.
“Having these unsecured users means bigger worm and virus outbreaks – which also impacts the Internet and consequently, our legitimate users as well.”
So either this executive was misinformed, or Microsoft is waffling…
Indeed, thanks for the info.
“Too bad because viruses/worms will proliferate just as easily then.”
In theory the only people that should have to worry are those that did pirate the software since the legal owners will be better protected. Judging by how quickly people found work arounds for SP1, I wouldnt worry quite so much about pirated versions running unprotected for very long.
I’ve heard that MS was going to release an updated Windows XP for retail that had SP2 and WMP 10 packed in, called Windows XP Premium. Anyone heard about this?
AFAIK the only protection on the service pack will be a serial blacklist. Since all the real pirates are using keygens to avoid blacklisting, it will have little impact.
The people who will find it a problem are those who did not buy their illegal copy from a reputable source, that takes the proper precautions.
Those who just downloaded their XP copy rather than pay a couple of dollars for a CD+keygen from a street market are just taking money from the pirates. They worked hard to crack the software, and downloading their work is stealing.
I’m glad Microsoft see that these pirates should be supported in their efforts to ensure high quality cracks.
Yesterday 10 May 2004 I filed a police report against MS in Sweden/Orebro for “encouraging of pirate copying” by giving away SP2 even to pirated winXP. I even sent an email to reporters at http://www.idg.com sweden and MS public relations office in Stockholm
you think that scared MS :^)= ?
As if that would be a problem anyway… its just a few extra minuts of hacking, and you can create your own WinXP CD with SP2 preinstalled…
Not that i’m promoting pirated copies, but i’ve seen it done, and its as easy as copying a file from a folder to another…
>In theory the only people that should have to worry are >those that did pirate the software since the legal owners >will be better protected. Judging by how quickly people >found work arounds for SP1, I wouldnt worry quite so much >about pirated versions running unprotected for very long.
No, many legal owners won’t be protected because THEY DON’T UPDATE. These people are the issue. And if their poorly maintained systems create Net Lag, and what have you, from future infections, then it can affect even the people with legal copies who do update. It’s great if your box is legit and uninfected, but your broadband internet connection moves at a snail’s pace!
Arg! Now me mates and I will have to shove off to ye olde shoppe. Yar!
Yesterday 10 May 2004 I filed a police report against MS in Sweden/Orebro for “encouraging of pirate copying” by giving away SP2 even to pirated winXP. I even sent an email to reporters at http://www.idg.com sweden and MS public relations office in Stockholm
you think that scared MS :^)= ?
dude….I think you have way to much time on your hands and should get a life….even if its just a little one.
If they separated security updates from feature or system updates, this wouldn’t be an issue. You make the security updates as easy as possible for everyone to apply, in an attempt to avoid rogue machines. Feature and system updates can be for legitimate buyers only, because pirates don’t really deserve a free ride.
Your not giving it to pirates, but pirates will do what they do best……pirate things…..and they’ll have it installed in no time.
It’s the pirates who are usually the ones that update their systems on regular basis and keep things updated, not the legit users.
Most legit users are probably Home users anyway, running XP Home, and do you really think they are going to wait for 300MB for a service pack to download…….I don’t think so.
Since when has a employee of a company saying something mean the company has stated something? He/she is just a person. When a company says they are saying something they put out a press release. Or say the CEO says something during a big presentation like “we will be at 3 ghz in a year”. Such a statement can be held against the company. But some person at some level saying something to someone does not mean MS said they would be doing whatever.
I agree with Microsoft, it’s not their job to give support and service to people who did not pay for it.
However, they need to find a decent way to do this or not do it at all. I just know that somehow my legally obtained copy is gonna be on that list, and man would I be more than ticked off. I’d have to go and get another license from school (I pay almost $300 a year for M$ software, I get almost as much as I want which so far has been nothing)!
Seriously, I think companies put more money into anti-piracy than they end up stopping. If you’ve ever been to a LAN party you understand this. My friends seem to be able to copy any game and make it run on my computer so that we can all play. Now we aren’t bad people, we buy the games; but when you just wanna play it for 3 hours you aren’t gonna go buy 3 more $50 copies.
They seriously should just give up. Have those people work on improving the product, or even selling it. If the information is there, there is a way for anyone to get to it. Even quantum encryption is succeptable; you just know it immediately after it’s broken.
“I just know that somehow my legally obtained copy is gonna be on that list, and man would I be more than ticked off.”
Yea, I see what you mean… I would think they will be blocking the well known keys, like that “FCKGW” one that seems to be around all over the place. With some of the key gens in circulation for Windows XP, I wonder how many users have purchased a copy of XP only to find that someone had already registered their key with Microsoft already!
I’m not against anti-piracy protection, but stuff like product activation is just plain old annoying, even for a legal owner of a piece of software. Product activation has even deterred me from making purchases. I dont mind it on Windows or Office, since I have been able to fix them so I dont have to activate. Take Microsoft Flight Simulator, where a majority of the add on planes for purchase require product activation. I’ll make a purchase if there is a crack out there to disable activation. If not, then I will purchase elsewhere.
hehehehe I pissed meself laughing at that post
This is a step in the right direction for MS. When I heard that SP 2 would be available to all I was worried that Microsoft had wised up, and was doing the “right” thing to maintain internet security, but now that they are saying they will not do this I am confidant that they are still marching towards obsolescence.
“Yea, I see what you mean… I would think they will be blocking the well known keys, like that “FCKGW” one that seems to be around all over the place.”
Unfortunately blocking that one will stop legitimate corporate users from using the software. That is a corporate licensing key used for Select. What they should do, if they must have keys, create a unique one for each corporation for the bulk licensing/select. That would make it trackable and then maybe they could hold whoever responsible for it. Makes me wonder how many people got it from a “friend” who happens to work in the IT industry….
That’s a good idea. Now if you could find anybody at Microsoft that would listen… Lie detector tests for a whole IT office are cheaper than the fine(s).
—
Makes me wonder how many people got it from a “friend” who happens to work in the IT industry…
I said “No, I don’t need XP Pro; I’m doing fine.”, because who wants to be ‘friendly’ with “Big Bubba” in a jail somewhere.
Seriously, I’ve made a guess that SP2 will not be released until August or later.
> As if that would be a problem anyway… its just a few
> extra minuts of hacking, and you can create your own WinXP
> CD with SP2 preinstalled…
> Not that i’m promoting pirated copies, but i’ve seen it
> done, and its as easy as copying a file from a folder to
> another…
its called steamlining, and i think this way ms supports admins to install xp in big enviroments without the need to patch every single computer after the base install.
and its a way to put ur scsi/sata driver onto the cd in case u have no floppy, wich would be in need otherwise.
> “Yea, I see what you mean… I would think they will be
> blocking the well known keys, like that “FCKGW” one that
> seems to be around all over the place.”
> Unfortunately blocking that one will stop legitimate
> corporate users from using the software. That is a
> corporate licensing key used for Select. What they should
> do, if they must have keys, create a unique one for each
> corporation for the bulk licensing/select. That would make
> it trackable and then maybe they could hold whoever
> responsible for it. Makes me wonder how many people got it
> from a “friend” who happens to work in the IT industry….
fckgw and 1 or 2 other keys were allready blocked with SP1.
anyways… soon after sp1 a keygen appeared, so all pirates use this keygen now to use sp1, and so they will use this key with sp2 too. i wonder how ms could stop this from working. i guess even if they find a way to stop those unique keys (blacklists dont work anymore since this keygen!) another crack/patch/keygen whatsoever will appear and fix this. remember its not too long ago when parts of win2000 source code leaked. the user/hacker base is too big and uncontrollable for now and forever i guess… if u want more proof, check out the css crack story and the apple itunes crack, and even the xbox was cracked and this piece used hardware protection mechanisms…
anyways i dont want u to use pirate copies because i dont want u to use windows at all… but if u must or want use windows for whatever reason and u buy it… u should not give up privacy and u should not be forced to follow the activation path by calling ms and such things… so please avoid this by using such a crack/patch/keygen on ur bought product! as a sidenote: behaving like this is leagal of course 🙂
Eugene
http://tongwen.mozdev.org
mozilla chinese simplified traditional converter switcher home page homepage html