Windows Genuine Advantage

[OutThere]

Microsofts new anti-piracy ploy, which makes you verify that you have a legal copy of windows before getting add-ons or non-essential updates from MS Update.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/26/technology/microsoft_piracy.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

 

[kettle]

Microsofts new anti-piracy ploy, which makes you verify that you have a legal copy of windows before getting add-ons or non-essential updates from MS Update.

http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/26/technology/microsoft_piracy.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes

Wow, that's really going to kick themselves in the knakers.

edit: shame they're going to allow free virus/security patches. They really could have made a huge number of switchers, rather than a lot of switchers.

 

[aricher]

Whatta pain in the a$$. The IT crew in my office is not pleased with this at all.

 

[edesignuk]

Whatta pain in the a$$. The IT crew in my office is not pleased with this at all.

eeerrrr...why? Your office run dodgy copies of Windows? Besides, things are always slightly different for business users. Updates are managed & deployed, it's not just a windows update free-for-all on every desktop

 

[spercharged69]

eeerrrr...why? Your office run dodgy copies of Windows? Besides, things are always slightly different for business users. Updates are managed & deployed, it's not just a windows update free-for-all on every desktop

I've heard from a few people I know that some of their VLM keys which I know for a fact are legit are being turned down on their authentication site.

 

[varmit]

I believe that you can still get updates though the automatic update utility, just you can't go to the update website no more without registering your copy.

 

[daveL]

eeerrrr...why? Your office run dodgy copies of Windows? Besides, things are always slightly different for business users. Updates are managed & deployed, it's not just a windows update free-for-all on every desktop

I think it's more the added overhead of validating your legal copies, although I agree that large enterprise shops probably get handled differently than described.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I don't like this idea at all. It gives me all the more reason to continue using Windows in a permanently offline state, never connected to the Internet, like I do now. If I want updates, I'll just bypass the Windows Update service completely (Microsoft has other places to get updates that work with non-MSIE/Win browsers).

 

[OutThere]

I don't like this idea at all. It gives me all the more reason to continue using Windows in a permanently offline state, never connected to the Internet, like I do now. If I want updates, I'll just bypass the Windows Update service completely (Microsoft has other places to get updates that work with non-MSIE/Win browsers).

Good thinking, as it takes an unpatched copy of WinXP 10 minutes to go down with viruses and spyware after being plugged into the internet. (No user interaction required).

 

[Duff-Man]

Duff-Man says....while schemes like that are a pain in the a** and I don't like seeing stuff like that happen, in a way I can't blame them for clamping down - the level of piracy has obviously gone way beyond their tolerable threshold.

This kind of thing should also be a lesson to the Mac crowd too. I am sure Apple has level of piracy they deem "tolerable" (they are not stupid enough to think they'll ever eliminate it totally) and while it may be a higher level than M$ it is a line we don't want to see crossed. Already there are signs of it too - like serial numbers for iWork.....so without being too preachy etc...I just say...don't ever force Apple's hand and have us end up with schemes like Microsoft....oh yeah!

 

[jlewis2k1]

yea this sucks ... well i have a OEM version of xp and i have to say it sucks badly. for this fact ... i have to practically use IE to install these stupid updates...

 

[KD7IWP]

Good.

Whether you like them or not, they are a business. I used to use pirated software, then realized what a stupid example I was, so i deleted EVERY piece of it. Now I feel so much better. How do you feel about Apple losing money to software pirates? It's the exact same, not just because Apple may make better products.

 

[Sun Baked]

MS Press Release - Windows Genuine Advantage Verifies the Authenticity of Windows Software and Helps Customers Avoid Risks Associated With Counterfeit Software

As far as keeping Auto Update running, they make it sound like that is only temporary.

Might see further changes when Longhorn ships.

One of MS Problems is that they have a hard time convincing people to switch to the new versions of the Software -- we may see something that'll goose the switch along.

 

[GodBless]

Whether you like them or not, they are a business. I used to use pirated software, then realized what a stupid example I was, so i deleted EVERY piece of it. Now I feel so much better. How do you feel about Apple losing money to software pirates? It's the exact same, not just because Apple may make better products.

I agree. Stealing software isn't a pretty picture. For one stealing is just clearly wrong and for another how will companies be able to release better software that is more efficient to use with little income? It usually takes money to make quality. Why do you think macs are so expensive?

 

[wrldwzrd89]

MS Press Release - Windows Genuine Advantage Verifies the Authenticity of Windows Software and Helps Customers Avoid Risks Associated With Counterfeit Software

As far as keeping Auto Update running, they make it sound like that is only temporary.

Might see further changes when Longhorn ships.

One of MS Problems is that they have a hard time convincing people to switch to the new versions of the Software -- we may see something that'll goose the switch along.

I would much rather bypass this whole thing by accessing the Download Center with my Mac. If Microsoft disables this access (by doing something that requires MSIE for Windows, such as using an ActiveX control), I'll be crying foul and limiting my downloads of Windows updates to whatever Microsoft decides to allow me access to.

 

[dejo]

I agree. Stealing software isn't a pretty picture. For one stealing is just clearly wrong and for another how will companies be able to release better software that is more efficient to use with little income? It usually takes money to make quality. Why do you think macs are so expensive?

I agree that stealing software is wrong. But "be able to release better software that is more efficient to use with little income" does not seem to describe Microsoft much, on all three points.