Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - Hardware/Software - Microsoft to limit Security Fixes to Legal Copies of Windows
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Ailure
Posts: 7491/11162 |
It even said that Windows wouldn't get as big breakthrough if it wasn't pirate alot in the Windows 3.x days. Hell Windows didn't have any type of protection back in thoose games, almost no game had protection. 
So maybe you could blame piracy for making Windows widespread, but it's not the only reason thought. Low memory requirments is another... |
HyperLamer
Posts: 3075/8210 |
Originally posted by Rydain
dan makes a great point that I hadn't even considered. People and businesses who build computers for others might very well install illegal copies of Windows on them. In fact, a local computer store recently got busted for this (and they had even been previously warned by Microsoft to knock it off...talk about a bunch of greedy nimrods...the store, I mean, not Microsoft  ). Joe Sixpack probably doesn't even know what an operating system is, let alone comprehends that Windows is commercial software that must be licensed. Average people seem to see Windows as some nebulous part of the computer ("My Windows isn't working") assuming they even pay much attention to its existence at all.
A damn good point. A large number of computer users don't know a thing about computers. All they know is that if they click on the 'e' they can go on the Internet, if they click on the 'W' they can write, and if they click on the deck of cards they can play Solitare. If Windows suddenly starts telling them they have an illegal copy, they're either going to panic and think it means someone thinks their computer is stolen, or call Microsoft and complain that Windows says something about an illegal copy and now they're getting viruses. (I mean, we're talking about people who think this when they get an 'illegal operation' error, and that Macs are explosive.  ) |
Tarale
Posts: 1218/2720 |
Server 2003 is a nice server platform; I use it daily at work, mostly for messing with Active Directory.
But yes, XP is pirated a LOT. Although I guess back in its day, 95 and 98 were also pirated a lot too....
If its Microsoft or Adobe, it seems to be incredibly easy to come across a pirated verison of it....  ; |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1044/1657 |
Yeah, XP is definately pirated more. But I know a few people that use 2003 as well. The reason I used it was that Windows XP wouldn't want to activate (this is on a Compaq computer that has nazi OS requirements). Strangely, I was unable to find the corpfiles for WinXP but I found a set for 2003, which I already downloaded through Microsoft's evaluation program.
Just about everything that runs on WinXP will run without anything special on Server 2003. It's mainly anti-virus programs that don't run because companies want money from people running servers. That doesn't affect me though since the computer isn't on a network, and thus I can control what goes in and out of the computer entirely.
The only real annoying thing about Win2k3 is that the defaults are made for servers, so special effects and things aren't there (not even the ones in a Win2000 Pro default setup). You pretty much have to enable graphics accelerating, sound, and install DirectX if you need them. And unneccessary, but the Themes service is disabled by default. I enabled it, patched the UXTheme.dll, and installed the Watercolor XP 4.3 visual style on it. Over all, it makes a nice desktop OS once you got the settings that were tailored for servers worked out. |
neotransotaku
Posts: 1982/4016 |
i see...well, i guess the question now is who in the population would use Windows Server 2003... I think between Server 2003 and XP, I think XP has bigger piracy problems. |
Proto K
Posts: 232/279 |
Originally posted by neotransotaku
true but what is Windows Server 2003 in comparison to the current flagship OS of XP. Do many programs run on Windows Server 2003?
Nearly everything that will run on XP will run, but not most Anti-Virus programs and disk utilities (server edition required, which is really no different most of the time from the standard versions except for the name and higher cost). |
DarkSlaya
Posts: 3330/4249 |
I shouldn't have anything to fear since I got WinXP legally (I still have everything that came with the CD, so if they've got anything to whine about my Windows, then they may come....I'm waiting for them) |
neotransotaku
Posts: 1981/4016 |
true but what is Windows Server 2003 in comparison to the current flagship OS of XP. Do many programs run on Windows Server 2003? |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1043/1657 |
Oh, I don't think so either. They're a multi-multi-billion-dollar company. the piracy may account for a few million, but compared to Microsoft, that's pocket change.
I downloaded the evaluation version of Windows Server 2003. The funny thing about it is that they give you Enterprise Edition to evaluate, the most featureful retail version. I got sick of the activation and timebomb, so I got the corpfiles. Works like a charm... If I could, I'd tell Microsoft that they were only asking to have their OS cracked by making the $2000 copy a free "evaluation" download (one that isn't cripled). |
Tarale
Posts: 1217/2720 |
You know something -- I find this really interesting now that I've found out that Microsoft has had record earnings for this quarter.
So, I don't think the piracy's been hurting them. |
Darth Coby
Posts: 1069/1371 |
Originally posted by Trapster
Can I replace it without re-installing the whole computer?
Yeah, seems like it. XPkey.exe is currently looking for a valid CD Key, in the zip I downloaded is also another program wich should allow you to change the CD key you're using. |
Ran-chan
Posts: 6991/12781 |
Can I replace it without re-installing the whole computer? |
Ailure
Posts: 7462/11162 |
...but didn't Microsoft just have a campaign where you could replace your pirated version of Windows XP with a legal one?
Mine is legal thought, I doubt that HP goes the shady way.
The thing with Linux distro, partially people in the Linux community must realise that the biggest breakthrough would be a Linux distro which is easy to use as Windows. Hell, make it easy to use as Macintosh but still safe. Make most adminstration tasks possible in a GUI enviroment. (but it's still needed to write in the root password, I don't want a easy to use Linux where your logged in as root all the time...)
I could see it very possible, and the Linux hardcore people don't need to use that distro if they wish. It even seems that some Linux people seem to even disrespect people who are allergic even to the so simple DOS... |
Rydain
Posts: 429/738 |
dan makes a great point that I hadn't even considered. People and businesses who build computers for others might very well install illegal copies of Windows on them. In fact, a local computer store recently got busted for this (and they had even been previously warned by Microsoft to knock it off...talk about a bunch of greedy nimrods...the store, I mean, not Microsoft ). Joe Sixpack probably doesn't even know what an operating system is, let alone comprehends that Windows is commercial software that must be licensed. Average people seem to see Windows as some nebulous part of the computer ("My Windows isn't working") assuming they even pay much attention to its existence at all. |
dan
Posts: 370/782 |
In the end this is really gonna end up biting Microsoft up the ass. Firstly, how are non-computer literate people supposed to know whether they have a valid serial key? Especially, if their computer wasn't a PC bought from a big retailer, but built by some guy they know or something.
If they lose the ability to receive security fixes (although, I think it's just updates from Windows Update that are being restricted, not the auto-upgrade tool), and their machine gets infected and trashed by a virus, who are they going blame? Microsoft. |
neotransotaku
Posts: 1975/4016 |
hmm...well, I think to be safe, I might as well go download the operating system that I'm entitled to for free (thanks to an agreement with microsoft and my computer science department)
anyways, in time we'll see how this plays out |
BMF98567
Posts: 610/1261 |
I installed a pirated version of Windows 2000 on my parents' computer (Windows 98 was not working well with their hardware at all, and I'm NOT going to pay hundreds of dollars to update an OS that's only going to be used a couple hours a week or less), and the VERY FIRST time I connected to the Internet, BAM--a trojan appeared. Killed that one, and yet another one appeared, and started using TFTP to download the rest of its payload (thankfully it never finished what it was doing). All within a couple of days. It didn't stop until I installed all of the available patches AND a copy of ZoneAlarm, which now allows me to see the HUGE number of incoming connection attempts likely coming from other unsuspecting users with similarly infected systems. If Microsoft actually goes through with this incredibly bone-headed plan, I can only imagine how bad things are going to get.
Way to look beyond your bottom line, guys...  |
Proto K
Posts: 231/279 |
I manually tried the test, and this is what it does:
1) Scans your product key. If valid, go to step 2. (If not, I don't know, but it'd probably say 'Key is not valid' and not let you continue)
2) Answer stupid, simple questions. The first part was a dropdown list of where you got the OS (came with PC, retail, VL, etc), then you pick what the cd should look like, then the last three questions are 'Can you see the hologram on <part of the cd>'. Anyone with half a brain will pick 'Yes' to the last three.
So, it's not really that big of a deal if you have a good valid key, unless Microsoft changes the test somehow (doubtful).
Colin
Posts: 6412/11302 |
And that's why I adore XPKey.exe.  Sure, it takes a little while to come up with a code or two, but the vast majority of them work on any XP machine. 
(Translation: If it generates a unique or fairly unique code, you're cool.) |
FreeDOS
Posts: 1040/1657 |
"We need a Linux distro that's as easy to use as Windows. "
Define your term of "easy to use" if it's the glaring "WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST COMPUTER" ease, then yeah... nothing matches that because they don't expect dumb people to download and install them. Windows is particullarly difficult to get it to do what you want to do (especially releases after 2000, where security options seem to have no more shortcuts).
There's Fedora, SUSE, Red Hat, Mandrake for ease-of-use to a newcomer... I wouldn't recommend any of them to people who want the fastest or best-performing GNU/Linux system. |
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