Piracy-check mandatory for Windows add-ons

From now on, customers looking to get the latest add-ons to Windows will have to verify that their copy of the operating system is legit.

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.

[Bill Dautrive]

The only way to enhance the value.

Is to fix security issues. Now that might be worth $100+, maybe. At least they are not going down the road to disaster by restricting security updates. Although, if this doesn't work, they might start to play around with the meaning of security update.

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.

So whats the problem?

Sorry, I fail to see an issue with a company - no matter how much money they make - only providing a value-add service to the customers that have actually paid for a product.
I do however think its a bad idea, more so for the legit customers that have lost their install disks etc. Microsofts choice though...

[William Squire]

Market Demand

Microsoft software is highly desirable and the black and grey markets exist because customers want Windows, but they don?t want to pay for it. Even with a multitude of open-source licensing options available, people continue to break the law to obtain copies of Microsoft Windows.

W.S.

http://www.inaniloquent.com/PermaLink.aspx?guid=a26a584d-14a3-45a8-8d21-c4786adb8332

[wazzledoozle]

If they already have a pirated copy...

By telling them they cant have add ons right now near the end of the life of windows XP, and they can still ahev security updates, im sure all these people are going to upgrade

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.

[City_Of_LA]

3 Questions about Vista

Probably not the correct area to post this but close enough anyway...I have 3 questions about Vista and seem to be finding conflicting answers everywhere.

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

[Earl Benser]

It's a fair move...

.... whatever else, MS deserves to collect from anyone using their
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....)

they assume you are stupid.

So the only place online to get updates is from the microsoft site? I would assume that if you are smart enuf to have a pirate OS that you can find pirate updates...

[Efrow]

big business mentality

"...one of the few ways for Microsoft to grow its Windows business..."

You have to love the big business mentality. Keep growing no matter what... keep those share prices rising...

Open letter to Microsoft

While I am deeply concerned over Microsoft?s bottom line, and outraged over the reported loss of $41 billion in revenue to your company in 2004 as a result of alleged piracy, I want you to know, and I would ask that you also inform Mr. Tim Prime in your Canadian subsidiary, that my privacy is even more important to me than my substantial ire over the crippling losses Microsoft now suffers at the hands of ruthless software pirates.

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/

[startiger]

Dangerous slop they are standing on

Here's a way for microsoft to increace their revenue:

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.

[System Tyrant]

Getting around Piracy Check.

This is not a tutorial.

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.

[Michael Grogan]

Who validates the validaters?

I just tried to validate the copy of XP that I bought through Amazon.com for $100 about 6 months ago. Guess what? M$ says it is invalid! Big surprise, they want me to buy another copy! More theft from M$; of course, that's what I expected the validation program to be all about anyway. By the way, the last time I installed, after a crash, I had to get a new code over the phone from M$; now they say they never issued it.

[Maniacus]

What about Compaq

Compaq does not supply an individual oem copy of XP. it is part of a restore cd set which you must burn when you purchace the computer, the only product code it supplies in the paperwork is one for the MS Office trial it also includes, So how will a user like myself be able to verify ownership of a copy?

[Gayle Edwards]

The "Microsoft Windows Update" site FLAT-OUT LIED...

When I ran "Windows Update", I was told that, "Your Windows installation requires a software update". The reason for this "update" was stated to be that, "some of my software components" required "updates". The further explanation given, for the "update", was that this "update" was designed to give me "Faster Updates" and "Better navigation" of the "update-process". It said nothing about trying to "Validate" my copy of Windows".

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).

1 Billion served

1 Billion served. So, let me see....

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

Microsoft Windows Update

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 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

[R. U. Sirius]

It's Downhill from Here

The first sign of a product in decline are draconian tactics to boost sales numbers. The problem is that it is a temporary (if it works at all) increase in revenue.

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.

[jjsweeney2000]

My real OEM software doesn't work now...

...and I just don't get it. It is sealed Microsoft product that I bought on Ebay as an OEM product. It has a real COA/Product Key and until yesterday, was allowed the updates. My question is: Why is this product now not valid? You can buy OEM OS from TigerDirect and Amazon. These companies are not going to put themselves in the position to get MircoSoft upset with them, so what is the real story behind OEM software?

[Bill Dautrive]

You don't need them?

So you are saying your computer is fine with only the lame MS security center up and running?

In your dreams.

[Had_to_be_said]

You Gotta Love Microsoft-Euphemisms...

"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.

"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...