Windows XP Product Activation...

[health_wellness]

No matter what type of copy protection scheme that has ever been
devised, there was always a lot smarter pirate out there figuring how
to get around it. These companies just have to face the facts that the
pirates are a lot smarter than they are and that treating the honest
paying customers like criminals by making them prove they didn't steal
the software (Activation) will never stop the pirates who don't have to
deal the activation or verification in the first place.

You know the real funny thing about this and another example of how
stupid companies like MS and Symantec and other activation advocates
are, look how much money they poured into the development, maintenance
and manning of the activation scheme to stop piracy of which pirates
never ever see or have to contend with. I mean, these idiots are world
class when it comes to brain farts.

NIK

***Email Address is a Spam Trap***

 

[Stephen]

The activation schemes are not designed to stop dedicated pirates. They are
designed to stop casual copying in the home or small office. Microsoft, for
crying out loud, puts out a version of Windows - the corporate version -
that doesn't require activation; essentially defacto handing Windows to the
pirates and saying "Go to it". I explained the probable reasons for all
this. It's not that they take moral issue with pirating; it's that they
allow/disallow it according to how it will affect their profit. I think they
should send an upright consistent message, their accountants think otherwise
and currently they are going with their accountants. That could change. But,
at this point, considering this, their talking all high holier-than-thou to
the consumer is a bit hard to swallow.

 

[kurttrail]

The activation schemes are not designed to stop dedicated pirates.
They are designed to stop casual copying in the home or small office.
Microsoft, for crying out loud, puts out a version of Windows - the
corporate version - that doesn't require activation; essentially
defacto handing Windows to the pirates and saying "Go to it". I
explained the probable reasons for all this. It's not that they take
moral issue with pirating; it's that they allow/disallow it according
to how it will affect their profit. I think they should send an
upright consistent message, their accountants think otherwise and
currently they are going with their accountants. That could change.
But, at this point, considering this, their talking all high
holier-than-thou to the consumer is a bit hard to swallow.

The reason VL has no PA is that MS bowed down to the pressure of their
corporate clients. Period.

--
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"

 

[Stephen]

Right - there was profit in their releasing a version which could act as a
mastercopy for pirating. If they didn't, some corps wouldn't have upgraded
because of the difficulties inherent in the WPA process. But if Microsoft
were steadfast against pirating, they'd have stuck to their guns ...

.... And that's the rub, the problem with morality, eh? To have some it
costs ya.

 

[kurttrail]

Right - there was profit in their releasing a version which could act
as a mastercopy for pirating. If they didn't, some corps wouldn't
have upgraded because of the difficulties inherent in the WPA
process. But if Microsoft were steadfast against pirating, they'd
have stuck to their guns ...

... And that's the rub, the problem with morality, eh? To have
some it costs ya.

PA is not about piracy, but about control. It cannot control it's
corporate customers, without them getting in an Anti-Trust frensy. And
they can afford to lobby the government to go after MS again.

Small business, and individuals don't have that kind of power. PA is
meant to control their behavior. Behavior modification through
technology. And only MS's non-corporate paying customers are a part of
the experiment of mass behavior modification.

You accept PA, you accept the FACT that you are MS's lab rat! Go push
the lever that gives you a pellet of food! Good Rat!

The Piracy Rate was declining long before MS introduced PA into
mainstream software. If anything Since the introduction of PA, the
Piracy Rate's decline has leveled off since its introduction.

--
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"

 

[Stephen]

And I thought I was cynical! LOL I've been reduced to a lab rat.

 

[kurttrail]

And I thought I was cynical! LOL I've been reduced to a lab rat.

Yes, I am cynical. And if you read between MS's lines you may be able
to see that the true motivation behind PA is behavior modification of
its paying customers.

http://www.microsoft.com/piracy/activation.mspx

--
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"

 

[Shooter]

I've been reduced to a lab rat.

We use to (and still do) call it people unknowingly paying MS to be
beta testers for their OS's. IOW, why waste time, money and resources
getting it right before distributing it if you can get everyone to pay
for it 'as is' and report the problems to you later.

Now, add onto that, that you have to prove that you didn't steal the
software that you just shelled out hard earned bucks for before you
can unknowingly be a beta tester. Remember, Pirates (the ones that
don't have to deal with activation and verification) don't send in
problem complaints.

Regards,

 

[Steve N.]

Like the pirates wouldn't get around that too! Please!

The first computer company I worked for the boss used to copy IBM-PC
BIOS chips and burn the code to EPROM BIOS chips for use in some of his
PC clones. There's a way around anything, especially concerning digital
technology.

Steve