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Microsoft plans to give some pirates a break
May 4, 2005 -
It's Windows vs. Windows as Microsoft battles piracy
February 3, 2005 -
Microsoft: Can we check your software license?
September 17, 2004
Beginning Tuesday, the piracy check will be mandatory for all customers worldwide who want to download add-ons for Windows XP.
The only exception is for security-related patches. Regardless of whether a system passes the test, security updates will be available to all Windows users via either manual download or automatic update. The Microsoft Update and Windows Update utilities, which provide notifications of new patches, will require validation.
It's all part of Windows Genuine Advantage, a stepped-up effort by Microsoft to increase the number of Windows users that are actually paying Microsoft for its software. Currently, the company estimates that roughly a third of Windows copies worldwide are not legitimate.
"We really want to cut that rate," said David Lazar, director of the Windows Genuine program.
With Windows' share of the desktop market estimated to be well above 90 percent, cracking down on illegal copies of the OS is seen as one of the few ways for Microsoft to grow its Windows business. The two other main ways that Microsoft has identified are increasing the number of PCs per household and expanding computer usage in emerging markets.
Lazar declined to say how much Microsoft hopes to cut into the piracy rate with the Windows Genuine push. However, he said the company does see a need to create a clearer distinction between genuinely purchased and bogus copies of the OS.
"One of ways we are going to do that is by enhancing the value of genuine Windows," he said.
As part of that, Microsoft is adding a few more freebies to the "carrots" it gives to those whose Windows copies pass muster. Lazar said that Microsoft has also refined its online tool that checks for genuine copies such that customers won't have to enter their Windows product code, as was sometimes the case while the Windows Genuine program was in testing.
Meanwhile, those who fail the validation test will be presented with two options. People who send in their CDs, show proof they bought Windows and fill out a piracy report will be eligible to get a legitimate copy of Windows at no charge. Those who don't have CDs or a proof of purchase but fill out a piracy report will have to pay for a licensed copy--$99 for Windows XP Home and $149 for Windows XP Professional. Those prices are higher than the upgrade cost for Windows XP, but lower than the price one would have to pay for an entirely new copy of the OS.
Microsoft has been testing the Windows Genuine program since last September. At first, the program had neither benefits for those who passed inspection nor any penalty for those who failed or opted not to go through the piracy check. Gradually, though, Microsoft has been adding perks and moving to make the process mandatory.
Lazar said the company has erred on the side of caution, noting that Microsoft does not know of any cases in which its piracy check falsely concluded that software was illegitimate. There has been a hack reported in which customers who have one genuine copy of the OS can pass along a validation code that can be used with nongenuine copies of the OS. Lazar said that method would require someone to get hold of a new code each day he or she wanted to download new software, though.
"It doesn't really scale," he said.
See more CNET content tagged:
piracy, add-on, copy, patch management, Microsoft Corp.
Someone who has a illegal copy is not going to give a hoot about crappy add-ons that just bloat an already bloated OS.
As for the silly program to get free windows, all that will do is cause poor users to get an illict disk and trade it in, at best. It will also **** off their honest customers, since they are effectively being fined $100-$300 for being honest.
I do however think its a bad idea, more so for the legit customers that have lost their install disks etc. Microsofts choice though...
W.S.
http://www.inaniloquent.com/PermaLink.aspx?guid=a26a584d-14a3-45a8-8d21-c4786adb8332
Im suprised that microsoft has only recently done piracy checks. Back in the days of windows 98, everyone passed around a windows 98 cd and everyone used it, and used windows update and such.
1. Is it worth upgrading from XP to Vista? I mean, is the difference between the two very obvious??
2. Since they're not going to get round implementing the new file system and Avalon, why would it worth upgrading?
3. What are the most obvious technological advances with Vista that will entice people to upgrade?
I'm not that familiar up with these issues, so a few brief answers would be cool.
thanks
2. Probably not. More defragging, more third party apps to secure it, blah blah blah. If they fix most of the security issues, it might be worth it, then again, it probably isn't since other OS'es have been reasonably secure for years. Look at the underwhelming upgrade numbers from the NT and 98 paths. It doesn't matter how old a piece of software is, if it get the job done, why waste money?
3. For a complete list look at what has been going on with the last 2-3 OSX upgrades, and what has been happening with the Linux kernel and desktops. Seriously. What they will use to entice people is a vague and deceptive use of the word innovation and its derivitives. One good thing is that IE7 will not be a part of the OS, hopefully that will cure a few of the security issues, for the rest of IE7 innovations, look at current and upcoming features of Firefox.
So it seems like MS isn't offering any reason to upgrade, but maybe there will be some must have 3rd party applications that will *require* the new GUI, but that seems unlikely since it's just eyecandy. To be honest I'm using 2000, since XP offered next to nothing for me. When I got my laptop I had a choice between the two (2K or XP) and I chose 2K and am glad I did. Next time I get a computer, probably in the next three years, it will have Vista on it, but maybe I'll buy a 2K disk and downgrade it if it annoys me.
software. So the requirement for 'proof of purchase' is totally
legitimate. I am not a fan of MS, but I did pay real money for the
copies of XP on my five PC's. And should I ever consider moving to
Vista, I will pay for that too. (Just don't hold your breath....)
The add-ons offered are generally pretty lame (wallpapers), but not always, I like the MS Anti-Spyware, for example. They might extend this to other products, such as office and their games (which I don't play, but there's room for value there). So it's not like this will end piracy, but it will have some effect especially for those who got pirated copies without wanting such a copy.
You have to love the big business mentality. Keep growing no matter what... keep those share prices rising...
All businesses must take legitimate measures to protect their investments and intellectual property. A virtual pat-down every time I have to download another patch to fix another bug in the alpha-priced beta-release of your software is not a legitimate means of protecting your interests. Fortunately, I think I?ve found a way to protect my legitimate expectation of privacy and my reasonable demand that my business relationships be based on freedom of choice and good will: http://www.linux.org/
Every few months after some major security update is released, and they tell you that your copy isn't valid. You don't have your origional recipt, so they tell you that the sticker on the top of your computer is fake, thus making you buy a new copy. The problem, several months later, it happens again and you have to buy ANOTHER one.
This may be extreme, but can't see it not happening. Once they start this, it would be easy for them to turn it into a subscription service.
The people who are good at pirating are probably going to find a way around this, so it's the honest user who will be taken for a ride.
For every wall, there is a ladder.
I have already seen sights that have those add-ons and updates available for download. Guess what you don't have to use the Piracy Checker to get them either.
OEM license, they also agreed to provide all support for the OS.
MS doesn't really want to hear from you if you didn't buy the OS
directly from them.
Personally, I think that this is one very big wimp-out by MS. It IS
their OS, no one has changed anything, but this was MS gets out
of having to provide any support for their own product. Must
save them a bundle, plus the bundle they got for the OEM
license - looks good on the bottom line........
And then, ...surprisingly, ...the ONLY-THING installed, WAS the Microsoft "Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool".
Let me make this PERFECTLY clear...
The ONLY REASON I regularly run "Update" is to patch the ENDLESS series of SECURITY-HOLES, and BUGS in "Microsoft Windows".
I did not load any "add-ons".
I did not authorize the "Piracy-check".
I was NOT informed of the REAL nature of the "...update".
I was NOT allowed to decline the investigation of my PERFECTLY-LEGAL-COPY of Windows.
In short, Microsoft LIED TO ME to get what they wanted. They commandeered MY COMPUTER for THEIR OWN business-whims.
And, you wonder why I am now, also, running "Linux", ...or, why I have "Automatic Updates" turned-off..?
Here is a suggestion for Microsoft, to help cut down on "piracy". Produce a BETTER PRODUCT (instead of the JUNK that you have FORCED upon the world). And, charge a BETTER PRICE (instead of DEMANDING profit-margins that exceed those of ANY OTHER INDUSTRY, ...including ILLEGAL-DRUGS).
Luckly for us, we actually do have a choice. We can all abandon windows and become mac users. We can also all switch to various distros of linux or even FreeBSD.
We still have the power to choose, no matter what Microsoft tries to convince us otherwise.
Personally, I'm considering switching to linux. I've been eyeing fedora core 4 myself.
You don't own the software anyway, they do.
They spend 1 billion us$ on a good set of OSs for systems from 100mb up to current dual core 64s.
They sell them through downloads for 5 us$ each.
That's a 4 billion us$ profit...not enought for anyone?
PS...they haven't lost anything by illegal loaders, those people wouldn't or couldn't pay and today they have an excellant alternative in Linux with only a small learning curve (even the games work when installed through WINE...I even got a foxpro database program to load through WINE).
end rant
I did not load any "add-ons".
I did not authorize the "Piracy-check".
I was NOT informed of the REAL nature of the "...update".
I was NOT allowed to decline the investigation of my Windows.
I hear what you say. Last Tuesday Microsoft LIED TO ME as well so that they could hijack my system. When I updated all I saw was the WinXP Pro logo in the top right of the screen then suddenly all of my system files and DLLs were being attacked, identified as corrupt and immediately erased. Yes the system was completely erased, by a MS virus/trojan
I was not even given the graciousness of being able to submit any kind of report and claim a free copy of WinXP.
The only compensation I ask of these creeps is that they kindly replace my 10,000 odd archived emails which have been kindly destroyed by this laffarious act of wanton stupidity BY MICROSOFT
Windows has hit the ceiling. It faces increased competition from Linux, which once commoditized will force Microsoft to drastically reduce the price of Windows.
It faces adoption of Linux by some of the big kids on the block (IBM, Sun, even Intel). Mac OSX is moving to Intel, and though it remains to be seen how that will effect the PC market, the potential is for more commoditized versions of Macs as well.
While MS will continue to be dominant in the OS market for the foreseeable future, I think it is entirely possible that their marketshare will sink to 70-75% within five years.
Another part of the OEM licence is that it can't be transfered to a different system. For example, if your computer is hit by lightning and turned into a door stop you are supposed to buy a new copy of Windows with your new PC. Unless of course you purchased it with a mouse and you move the mouse to the new system, but if you change a mouse you have to buy a new copy of Windows.
Ever wonder why Microsoft doesn't charge for the point upgrades like Apple does? Because they are charging you for a new OS everytime you buy a new peice of hardware if you follow the rules. Most people don't.
Buying from Amazon or eBay doesn't mean you are getting it from a reputible source. Amazon has listing from other companies. eBay doesn't sell those products either. If you get a copy of Windows Pro Full OEM for less than a $100 then you probably should be worried.
In your dreams.
- You Gotta Love Microsoft-Euphemisms...
- by Had_to_be_said July 27, 2005 5:45 PM PDT
- "Software Assurance" - Whose only "assurance" is that Microsoft maintains a bloated revenue stream, by requiring its customers to lock themselves into future Microsoft-software purchases, and agree to upgrade on Microsofts time-table, ...not when customers want to, or actually need to.
- Like this Reply to this comment
-
Showing 1 of 2 pages (92 Comments)"Get The Facts" - Whose only real "fact" is that Microsoft has spent tens of millions of dollars in a huge, anti-Linux, disinformation and propaganda-campaign.
Trusted Computing - Which is actually designed purely to insure that Microsoft, and their "licensees", can "trust" that your computer will only obey them, ...not you.
And now...
"Genuine Advantage" - Whose only actual "advantage" is apparently to give Microsoft even more, compulsive-control, over computer-users.
These Microsoft initiative-names would almost be funny, if Microsoft werent a repeatedly- convicted Illegal-Monopoly, who has been caught, on numerous occasions, lying to, cheating, and stealing from... people, institutions, governments, and elements of the computer-industry, all over the world.
You know... The more I think about it, the more such Microsoft-isms remind me of "new-speak" from George Orwells book - "1984".
This "Orwellian-connection" would also explain why, of all the posters here, there are only a few who consistently support all of Microsofts actions, ...no matter how outrageous, or unreasonable. Maybe, its just their job. Perhaps, these people actually work for the "Microsoft Ministry of Customer-Love", and the "Microsoft Ministry of Computer-Industry Truth".
Perhaps, Microsofts "War against Piracy" is just a manipulative social-policy designed to maintain the Status-Quo of Microsofts-monopoly, ...at all costs.
HHmmm...
Microsoftia is at war with Software-Pirates. Microsoftia has always been at war with Software-Pirates.
Proprietary is Freedom. Open-Source is Slavery.
2 + 2 = ?
Does Microsoft actually think that Linux is being used by Linus Torvalds (Microsofts "Emmanuelle Goldstein" ???) to lead the ignorant-proletariat into the unspeakable "Thought-Crime" of user-controllable Open-Source, and societally-subversive free-competition?
Just a thought...