How does Microsoft prevent people from using pirated Volume License Windows XP?

[Õý°æÓû§]

In Asia, many people use "Select" version (Volume License) Windows XP, so
that activation is not required at all. What Microsoft going to do about
this?

I see people downloading or buying so called "Corperate" version of XP...
It's not fair as I pay full price for a Windows while they can get a fully
functional XP for free or for US$1.50 !!

 

[Matt Gibson]

In the future, you'll need to verify that you're running a "legit" version
of windows before you can download patches/updates/whathaveyou from
Microsoft. Volume License keys that have fallen into the "pirate domain"
will not be considered legit.

Matt Gibson - GSEC

 

[kurttrail]

In the future, you'll need to verify that you're running a "legit"
version of windows before you can download
patches/updates/whathaveyou from Microsoft. Volume License keys that
have fallen into the "pirate domain" will not be considered legit.

Matt Gibson - GSEC

Of course all that will do is have a whole lot more unpatched systems on
the net. Zombies waiting to happen.

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

 

[kurttrail]

In Asia, many people use "Select" version (Volume License) Windows
XP, so that activation is not required at all. What Microsoft going
to do about this?

I see people downloading or buying so called "Corperate" version of
XP... It's not fair as I pay full price for a Windows while they can
get a fully functional XP for free or for US$1.50 !!

What, are you a shareholder or something?

In the Western World, the software piracy rate is lower than it was in
1994. Has MS taken that into account in their pricing? Nope, so if you
are a shareholder, the Western customer is paying for all the piracy.

Go to the BSA site and see for yourself, and the numbers they use to
figure out the piracy rate come from their members, like MS, Abode,
Symantec . . . . so if anything the numbers aren't all that
conservative.

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

 

[pjp]

I suspect if they simply sold a version of Windows without all the extra
crap they insist MUST be part of the OS, piracy would diminish. It'd also
help if they actually sold a product that reliably worked without all the
constant babysitting one must do to keep it running "safely". Mind you,
that's assuming they'd lower the price to something that's more realistic
with less included in the OS (highly unlikely).

For example, imagine if the only car you could buy was a Lexus with every
add-on imaginable when all that's wanted is a car that will run as new for
at least as long as it takes to pay for it. How'd you feel having to pay for
things like AC when where I live it's at best nice to have all of a month or
so a year.

Basically MS is a GREEDY GREEDY corporation with little regard for morals
and/or ethics. For many, that's reason enough to never give them a dime.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

All the more reason for those who have legitimate systems to keep them fully
patched with a firewall running 24/7. Too bad the reality of it is much
different.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

I suspect if they simply sold a version of Windows without all the extra

crap they insist MUST be part of the OS, piracy would diminish.

Why would that change the piracy rate? Would people suddenly start to steal
more Ford Escorts than they do Toyota Camry's?
(http://www.crimedoctor.com/autotheft2.htm) That arguement doesn't make
sense.

It'd also help if they actually sold a product that reliably worked
without all the constant babysitting one must do to keep it running
"safely".

That's a myth you are perpetuating, any OS needs to be periodically updated
and patched according to security vulnerabilities and exploits that are
discovered. No OS is perfect, and none can be run safely without doing this.
There are roughly a 100 more patches for Mandrake Linux 9 than there are for
WinXP. Not that it doesn't run fine without them, but it isn't secure
without them.

Mind you, that's assuming they'd lower the price to something that's more
realistic with less included in the OS (highly unlikely).

That I'd like to see as well. But I doubt it will ever happen as long as the
market bears the current pricing. Keep in mind as well that the majority of
users now expect everything to be there when they buy the system, they don't
want to have to purchase extra software to do this and that.

For example, imagine if the only car you could buy was a Lexus with every
add-on imaginable when all that's wanted is a car that will run as new for
at least as long as it takes to pay for it. How'd you feel having to pay
for things like AC when where I live it's at best nice to have all of a
month or so a year.

No arguement.

Basically MS is a GREEDY GREEDY corporation with little regard for morals
and/or ethics. For many, that's reason enough to never give them a dime.

I've yet to see a corporation that wasn't out there to make money. That's
what all they do despite any altruistic pleadings and "green" public faces.
First they make money, then they think about ethics, morals, etc. If they
aren't making money and keeping shareholders happy, they won't exist long
enough to do anything else despite how good any product they make is.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

news:[email protected]...

 

[kurttrail]

All the more reason for those who have legitimate systems to keep
them fully patched with a firewall running 24/7. Too bad the reality
of it is much different.

The reality is, the more crap that MS puts on getting updates, the more
computers that will be going zombie. And many legitimate consumers will
suffer because of it.

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

 

[kurttrail]

Why would that change the piracy rate? Would people suddenly start to
steal more Ford Escorts than they do Toyota Camry's?
(http://www.crimedoctor.com/autotheft2.htm) That arguement doesn't
make sense.

Since it's in the third world where piracy rate is the highest, lowering
the cost of software MIGHT help in getting a handle on piracy.

<snipped the rest>

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

 

[Guest]

OK given what is 'bundled' in XP we seem to get a lot of Bang for the Buck:
and most of it would be absolutely fine and dandy if we never used Internet
Explorer or Outlook Express or Media Player to gain acccess to the internet.

Now..we could all go back to DOS 5 and Windows 3.1 or IBMs OS2.

Then we'd need to buy a Browser, Email Client, PPPoE App, CD Writing App,
DVD Writing App, DVD Decoding Software, Fax Software, System Restore
[Go-Back], etc etc.

Any more folk really think that they are getting a raw deal from MS can walk
down the road and buy the latest release of Mac's OS X or attempt to install
and perform all their present functions on Linux [after all a Linux
Installation CD only costs < $20]; after all the choices have been around for
years.

What...no stampeed at the PC magazine store...never was to get Linux for
free... so MS must be doing something a little bit right.

If you won't change, then don't complain. You are like the silly old fool
who complains every day about having to wipe the cobwebs off the door before
he can go out...he never looks to kill the wretched spider!

 

[kurttrail]

OK given what is 'bundled' in XP we seem to get a lot of Bang for the
Buck: and most of it would be absolutely fine and dandy if we never
used Internet Explorer or Outlook Express or Media Player to gain
acccess to the internet.

Now..we could all go back to DOS 5 and Windows 3.1 or IBMs OS2.

Then we'd need to buy a Browser, Email Client, PPPoE App, CD Writing
App, DVD Writing App, DVD Decoding Software, Fax Software, System
Restore [Go-Back], etc etc.

Any more folk really think that they are getting a raw deal from MS
can walk down the road and buy the latest release of Mac's OS X or
attempt to install and perform all their present functions on Linux
[after all a Linux Installation CD only costs < $20]; after all the
choices have been around for years.

What...no stampeed at the PC magazine store...never was to get Linux
for free... so MS must be doing something a little bit right.

If you won't change, then don't complain. You are like the silly old
fool who complains every day about having to wipe the cobwebs off the
door before he can go out...he never looks to kill the wretched
spider!

Linux ain't ready for my system, YET.

It is mainly a server OS, not a multimedia consumer platform. But the
times they are a-changin!

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

 

[Richard Urban]

Lets see here!

In 1993 I purchased a copy of Windows for Workgroups (upgrade I believe) for
about $89.00.

In 2001 I purchased a copy of Windows XP Home (upgrade) for my sons computer
for - guess what - $89.00.

Why does everyone think that Windows XP is too expensive? They're just
bitching because they want the O/S for FREE!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you thought you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Richard Urban]

Linux ain't ready for my system, YET.

It is mainly a server OS, not a multimedia consumer platform. But the
times they are a-changin!

I agree!

Every once in a while I fire up a version of Linux on either VirtualPC or
VMWare work station. I play around with it for a while and then quit. When I
can install a program just by clicking on a known standard "setup" file, or
just by inserting a CD - then I will consider using it for a desktop!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you thought you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[T. Waters]

The mean annual expense of my XP license is about what I spend on chewing
gum.

 

[Alias]

More like bitching because they can only be installed on one machine.

Alias

 

[Richard Urban]

If I stopped smoking I could put XP on many computers I build for customers
for free. Do you think that will bring me more business, or that the
customer will appreciate it?

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you thought you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Robert Moir]

All the more reason for those who have legitimate systems to keep
them fully patched with a firewall running 24/7. Too bad the reality
of it is much different.

Isn't that like attempting to cure typhoid by telling healthy people to stay
indoors and run away from anyone with a cough, because someone thought that
sounded easier than treating sick people?

I have no problems with product enhancements being denied to pirates, I have
no problem with (reasonable) precautions against piracy, but denying
security updates to machines connected to the internet hurts everyone else
connected to the internet.

--

 

[Robert Moir]

I suspect if they simply sold a version of Windows without all the
extra crap they insist MUST be part of the OS, piracy would diminish.
Why?

It'd also help if they actually sold a product that reliably worked
without all the constant babysitting one must do to keep it running
"safely". Mind you, that's assuming they'd lower the price to
something that's more realistic with less included in the OS (highly
unlikely).
For example, imagine if the only car you could buy was a Lexus with
every add-on imaginable when all that's wanted is a car that will run
as new for at least as long as it takes to pay for it. How'd you feel
having to pay for things like AC when where I live it's at best nice
to have all of a month or so a year.

Ah. So how do you explain people who have (and I've seen this) pirated games
software thats released on a budget label for a nominal fee? Or people who
do likewise with cheap shareware (and lets see you defend crime against
shareware authors by claiming they are greedy)?

Basically MS is a GREEDY GREEDY corporation with little regard for
morals and/or ethics. For many, that's reason enough to never give
them a dime.

A corporation by definition cannot have any regard for morals or ethics.
Microsoft are no better or worse than any other corporation in this regard,
the whole damn system is setup to be corrupt by default.

But I don't see what that has to do with piracy.

 

[Robert Moir]

Then we'd need to buy a Browser, Email Client, PPPoE App, CD Writing
App, DVD Writing App, DVD Decoding Software, Fax Software, System
Restore [Go-Back], etc etc.

Pretty much all of which is available for free. Lets see now... Firefox,
Thunderbird, CD BurnerXP, DVD Shrink & DVD Decryptor (neither of which come
bundled in XP btw but seeing as you mention them).

So bring it on. I wouldn't be scared of a "cut down" version of Windows with
that stuff removed. As a power user I've gone out and got hold of either the
shareware listed above or more powerful "pay for" software anyway.

Any more folk really think that they are getting a raw deal from MS
can walk down the road and buy the latest release of Mac's OS X or

Got it, thanks.

What...no stampeed at the PC magazine store...never was to get Linux
for free... so MS must be doing something a little bit right.

Yes, I think they are too. There are things I'd change in Windows (and more
of them are licence issues than technical ones) but overall I'm reasonably
happy. But Windows isn't perfect and people ARE allowed to criticise.

I don't think any of this part of the arguement, the bundle and the like,
has got anything to do with piracy. Software is expensive, especially
compared to the average monthly wage in many countries, but even without
that, some people will steal software no matter what the price and no matter
what the bundle.

--

 

[Robert Moir]

More like bitching because they can only be installed on one machine.

Well when you look at Apple's "Family packs" for OS X and iLife, there is no
doubt that Microsoft could do better here. No arguements at all from me
here!