Do not validate your software

[kurttrail]

Greg;
"Microsoft said they wanted feedback of this. Here it is."
Actually, No.
Since these peer to peer newsgroups are not officially monitored,
Microsoft may never see your comments.
If you want Microsoft to see it, you should post to a location
Microsoft will see:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=114491
http://register.microsoft.com/mswis...=/isapi/gomscom.asp?target=/mswish/thanks.htm

Some of your points have some validity but your #5 is silly.
While it may cause some to not update, you make it seem like you are
punishing Microsoft by not updating and keeping your computer secure.
Guess who loses most if your computer is insecure and all your data is
lost or compromised?

FUD! A totally unpatch MS OS can be run with absolutely no chance of
unauthorized intrusions.

With a good firewall, up-to-date AV, accessing the net with a non MS browser
and email client, and a little common sense, one doesn't need to rely on
MS's patchwork quilt of security updates.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Alex Nichol]

Robert Moir wrote:

Quotingendquote


Rather a long history of catching people who have been cheated by
pirates into buying pirate copies. Unfortunately these are still stolen
goods, and all one can say is Buyer Beware

 

[kurttrail]

Robert Moir wrote:

Quoting
endquote


Rather a long history of catching people who have been cheated by
pirates into buying pirate copies. Unfortunately these are still
stolen goods, and all one can say is Buyer Beware

Below is an incomplete list of error codes that have accompanied various
different license check errors.

0x80090006 - http://snipurl.com/990a

0x80070002 - http://snipurl.com/990d

0x80004005 - http://snipurl.com/990e

0X800700C1 - http://snipurl.com/990g

0x8007007e - http://snipurl.com/990i

0x80070003 - http://snipurl.com/990m

0x80090019 - http://snipurl.com/990o

0x8007007f - http://snipurl.com/990t

This is a small sample of MS's Product Activation problems that have been
reported to MS Newsgroups. How many more have gotten similar PA problems
but didn't write to a MS Newsgroup about them? And these problems are NOT
caused by piracy.

And Product Activation is of absolutely no use to the End User. Now MS is
trying out validating OS's before updates, with an eye to make it mandatory
in the future! Just another layer of crap that can go wrong for the End
Users that is totally useless to them.

Where will it all end? DNA checks at every boot before using a MS OS? One
day that technology will be feasible too!

And that is my real reason of opposing PA all this time, not what PA/DRM and
the like are today, but what they will become in the future.

"Those who are willing to trade civil liberties for temporary security,
deserve neither." - Benjamin Franklin

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Matthew Shaw]

But how would DNA checks help prevent software piracy, and what purpose
would they serve to Microsoft?

lol.

 

[kurttrail]

But how would DNA checks help prevent software piracy,

At installation, you would have to supply a DNA sample, and the DNA code
would replace the Product Activation code, so instead of checking the
hardware for changes at every boot up, the DNA license check would have to
verify your DNA code before logging on.

Ever see the movie Gattaca with Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law? It
may be science fiction today, but such instantaneous DNA checking
technologies aren't all that far off.

and what
purpose would they serve to Microsoft?

What purpose does PA serve MS today? Enforcing their BS EULA usage rules,
over an individual's LEGALLY ESTABLISHED "fair use" rights, in the privacy
of an individual's home.

"Any individual may reproduce a copyrighted work for a "fair use"; the
copyright owner does not possess the exclusive right to such a use." - US
Supreme Court.

"Nothing in this section shall affect rights, remedies, limitations, or
defenses to copyright infringement, including fair use, under this title." -
DMCA [Digital Millennium Copyright Act]

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Greg R]

Kurttrail

That dna would not work. More than one persons uses a computer. Office
full of workers. (Some quit, new hires e.t.c.)

I watch tv news. You have to get a warrant or the persons permission
before doing this for DNA anyhow.



Greg R

But how would DNA checks help prevent software piracy,

At installation, you would have to supply a DNA sample, and the DNA code
would replace the Product Activation code, so instead of checking the
hardware for changes at every boot up, the DNA license check would have to
verify your DNA code before logging on.

Ever see the movie Gattaca with Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law? It
may be science fiction today, but such instantaneous DNA checking
technologies aren't all that far off.

and what
purpose would they serve to Microsoft?

What purpose does PA serve MS today? Enforcing their BS EULA usage rules,
over an individual's LEGALLY ESTABLISHED "fair use" rights, in the privacy
of an individual's home.

"Any individual may reproduce a copyrighted work for a "fair use"; the
copyright owner does not possess the exclusive right to such a use." - US
Supreme Court.

"Nothing in this section shall affect rights, remedies, limitations, or
defenses to copyright infringement, including fair use, under this title." -
DMCA [Digital Millennium Copyright Act]

 

[Al Smith]

And Product Activation is of absolutely no use to the End User. Now MS is

trying out validating OS's before updates, with an eye to make it mandatory
in the future! Just another layer of crap that can go wrong for the End
Users that is totally useless to them.

Where will it all end? DNA checks at every boot before using a MS OS? One
day that technology will be feasible too!

Microsoft has gone nutty when it comes to controlling the use of
their software. It's not about lost revenue -- Microsoft has never
lost money, they've always made a huge profit. It's not about
piracy, which has never hurt the company's bottom line (in spite
of their claims). It's not about security -- the only security
they give a damn about is their own. It's about controlling
everything.

They will eventually achieve a model in which the end user doesn't
even get the code on a disk, but must downloaded some sort of
locked and encrypted code from the MS site, that is time limited
and use limited. My guess, that's just around the corner.
Microsoft has long passed the point where I have any patience or
respect for them. I'm looking forward to the day when their insane
policies drive them out of business.

 

[CS]

Microsoft has gone nutty when it comes to controlling the use of
their software. It's not about lost revenue -- Microsoft has never
lost money, they've always made a huge profit. It's not about
piracy, which has never hurt the company's bottom line (in spite
of their claims). It's not about security -- the only security
they give a damn about is their own. It's about controlling
everything.

They will eventually achieve a model in which the end user doesn't
even get the code on a disk, but must downloaded some sort of
locked and encrypted code from the MS site, that is time limited
and use limited. My guess, that's just around the corner.
Microsoft has long passed the point where I have any patience or
respect for them. I'm looking forward to the day when their insane
policies drive them out of business.

Even the Roman Empire fell. It may take some time, but MS will
eventually fall, and when they do, they'll fall hard. You probably
remember when Ronald Reagan defined the "Evil Empire", well, MS is the
"Evil Monopoly".

 

[kurttrail]

Kurttrail

That dna would not work. More than one persons uses a computer. Office
full of workers. (Some quit, new hires e.t.c.)

DNA Active Server. They'd have a central server load up a users DNA code,
which could be deleted upon termination.

I watch tv news. You have to get a warrant or the persons permission
before doing this for DNA anyhow.

If they put it in their EULA, MS believes they are above the law. PA, as it
is now, is an search of your computer's hardware that is outside the bounds
of the Due Process of Law.

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Greg R]

They will eventually achieve a model in which the end user doesn't

even get the code on a disk, but must downloaded some sort of
locked and encrypted code from the MS site, that is time limited
and use limited. My guess, that's just around the corner.
Microsoft has long passed the point where I have any patience or
respect for them. I'm looking forward to the day when their insane
policies drive them out of business.

I can’t believe that I am defending Microsoft. Microsoft is not the
bad as people think they are. I really don’t think Microsoft would
do a dna id and they already said "They will not go do a subscription
service with any operating system" Plus companies like emachine,
dell and hp would not allow this. Those companies would lose a lot of
sales. The office subscription failed.

Greg R

 

[kurttrail]

I can’t believe that I am defending Microsoft. Microsoft is not the
bad as people think they are. I really don’t think Microsoft would
do a dna id and they already said "They will not go do a subscription
service with any operating system" Plus companies like emachine,
dell and hp would not allow this. Those companies would lose a lot of
sales. The office subscription failed.

Greg R

Greg, the DNA check is a scenario for the future. My idea of what might
happen in 50 years or so. What is objectional about MS is their developing
technologies that stops consumers from using the products they buy as they
see fit in the privacy of their own homes. MS is using this technology to
limit personal choice, but it is just in infancy, and the scary thing about
it isn't what it is today, PA is really such a joke, but what will such
personal choice limiting technologies become for our children, and
grandchildren. If we, as consumers, accept this stuff now, what will it
become in the years to come?

MS started with PA just a few short years ago, and now MS is trying to add
an OS Check before giving out updates. What will they add in a few more
years? In 20 years? In 100 years? Will these personal choice limiting
technologies just stop with copyrighted material, or will it be added to
other aspects of our lives?

Where will it end, Greg? If we don't try to stop this crap now, what will
this personal choice limiting technology turn into in the future?

--
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei!"

 

[Shane]

grandchildren. If we, as consumers, accept this stuff now, what will it

become in the years to come?

Something written by Philip K. Dick.


Shane

 

[Greg R]

"They allowed the blaster patch to be put on other sites"
Are you sure?
Microsoft is the only legitimate source for Microsoft patches.

Some sites may have appeared to distribute Microsoft patches but
usually a closer look actually shows a redirect to Microsoft.

If any site other than Microsoft is actually distributing Microsoft
patches, they are doing it against Microsoft.
They are also potentially creating a security problem.

Yes, at first the blaster patch was only either on the windows update
site or another location at Microsoft. Since, the virus blocked access
to the Microsoft website. Microsoft was forced to allow this patch
to be redistributed. So other website were allowed to put it on
their servers. Otherwise, No one would have been able to get the
patch. One site was download.com

Greg R

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

No, Microsoft does not allow others to redistribute their patches for
security reasons.
Download.com is redirecting as they have with other Microsoft patches.
Go to download.com now and try it with the blaster patch.
Look closely at the grey box, it is a redirect to Microsoft.

There were others that distributed the patch illegally.
Just because they were distributing it does not mean it is right.

Getting a patch from an unauthorized is a potential disaster for your
computer.