Microsoft softens XP anti-piracy feature

LikeLinus · Post by **LikeLinus** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 8:32 am

http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1003-200-66 ... ?tag=mn_hd

Kakarot · Post by **Kakarot** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 1:31 pm

LOL

Microsoft also plans to publish some technical data about how activation works. While some information needs to remain secret so it can't be circumvented by pirates, the company says it wants to lay to rest any suspicions.

uhhh... too late

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 6:49 pm

So they DO hear our cries! And all this time I thought they didn't care about us consumers.

PreDatoR · Post by **PreDatoR** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 7:51 pm

I won't be upgrading to XP any time soon. I think its a bunch of BS myself. AS much as i upgrade my computer i'll be calling those pricks about once a month. How many people will be running XP? How many phone calls with MS be getting? How long will i have to sit on hold while trying to get my new number. God Gates is a friggin' moron. Do they honestly think this will stop piracy? I highly doubt it. It will be cracked sooner or later. Might delay things but anything is possible!

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Thu Jul 19, 2001 8:33 pm

You can certainly understand why the IT guys are going ape shit. Think about it - if I'm working on someone's system and swapping cards to try to troubleshoot something NOW I've also gotta worry about triggering this protection crap.

Of course the real joke is that as soon as the final version of the protection is solid, it'll be hacked and it won't slow down piracy ONE BIT. Meantime, it's going to inconvenience a hell of a lot of honest consumers.

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 12:10 am

It just their way of bleeding us for every penny.

See my lenghty post in this thread -
http://www.pcabusers.com/forums/showthr ... adid=10221

LikeLinus · Post by **LikeLinus** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 7:43 am

I think people are making way too big of a deal about it. You wont be running and calling MS for support just cause you changed a few hardware pieces. I've had it running on several machines and changed hardware (mind you this was RC1, not including their new relaxation of the hardware changes) and never had to call them or re-register. Plus it's as simple as just getting back on the net and registering or picking up a phone! Damn people are lazy these days. Have you ever had to even call Microsoft Support? I called when my Mouse went bad and they answered on the spot and i had a mouse 2 days later. There was no sitting on hold or anything. Just cause you hate MS doesnt mean they have horrible Tech Support...that is one thing they do good.

Microsoft isn't just going after the "hacker" here. Thats just what you think they are going after cause you have no clue what they actually are doing. They are going after home users who pass around their CD to all their friends and coworkers. This happens ALOT more than you might realize and definately puts a dent in overall sales. MS understands hackers are going to be hackers and end up hacking it, that is bound to happen. People make MS out to be "stupid" but in all truth they are a hell of a lot smarter than you might think. If in one household they can stop it being placed on a 2nd and 3rd computer/laptops, that will make people purchase another license...at $100 a pop. Thats $200 per single household! You know how that will span over the entire USA, much less the entire world? The general population who does give their CD out...doesnt know about the "hacks" and certainly is going to have a much harder time finding them. You really think your aunt thelma is going to go searching for a hack? They aren't "bleeding us for every penny", apparently you've never gone and read the agreement that you click "agree" to. It is for SINGLE computer use only. So this makes you a theif, not them trying to "steal money from you", you are stealing from them. It's like purchasing a car and then stealing a couple more off a lot for your family and friends. Then complaining that they put up gates and you cant just steal the cars anymore. Hell you paid alot of money for that car, why shouldnt you be able to steal other cars for friends? Sounds stupid doesnt it? But it's exactly what you are doing.

Simple solution. If you dont like it, dont buy it. But don't sit around complaining about a product you dont even use and like. Go use Linux or Mac. If you don't understand the business impact of people pirating software then you apparently don't understand why they are trying to stop this. The computer world is a cut throat business and marketshare is what it's all about. Eventually the world will go the way of .NET (Not nessesarily MS's .NET, but the Net as a whole). MS wont always be able to sale Windows 2040, eventually they will have to move on to a new venture. The more bankroll they have in place to do this, the better their business outlook will be in the future. It's all about who can develop the technology first.

Kakarot · Post by **Kakarot** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 8:24 am

Actually, IT managers shouldn't have to worry about the registration crap... MS is excluding it from all Business/Enterprise sales. Its only in the home version and the retail pro version from what I understand. It will be disabled on any enterprise version bought(the one you get when you buy many licsenses)...

LikeLinus · Post by **LikeLinus** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 9:59 am

Actually you are right Kak, i didnt really think about it. The open license copies we have at work, you dont have to register with, so the IT managers hating it is a moot point. This is actually the copies that hackers will use to send out, why crack it when you can steal it from work and send it out? This further just goes to point out that Microsoft isn't going after hackers, they are going after home/small offices that pass copies around. Which they have the right to do, no matter if it is a pain in the ass to the occational techy. I've actually changed RAM, Video card, and another video card and didnt have any problems with reregistering. I added more ram...then took out a video card inplace of another..only to end up putting the old one back..lol. But i never ran into the re-register problem.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 10:08 am

Not everyone in IT works for a large corporation...

I do on-site computer repair (my corporate IT days are over thank God), and will have to deal with it because small businesses and individuals will have the protected version. Just one more hassle.

Here's another issue that's already cropped up as well. The serial and licensing info is in a file. If that file is corrupted you'll get a re-activation message (oh and can't you just see that file as a prime target for a virus designer?). Depending on the time elapsed since install that activation message may be immediate.

So (this has already happened to someone running RC1) you're in an airplane and fire up the lappy to do your work and the activation lockout occurs...

Or it's the big presentation, you plug the lappy into the projector and boom, you get the activation screen...

It's one more thing to worry about. I don't need that on my personal system.

Since there's not really much difference between Win2K and XP except for the GUI and a few other things, I'll stick with Win2K for my personal systems for now.

IF I install XP, legal copy or not I will hack it so I don't have to worry about it.

And no, I am not a corporation, and I refuse to buy a seperate copy for my workstation and my lappy.

My 2 cents anyway....

MegaVectra · Post by **MegaVectra** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 12:34 pm

Having to buy an additional copy for every computer in my house is just stupid.

XP is going to turn half the world into practicing hackers. People that never even thought about hacking software will be made aware of it. Good job Microsoft.

As of right now it has been hacked. Its as easy as installing XP, double clicking on an EXE, and voila! Activation is history.

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 2:22 pm

Here's another perspective -

http://www.tech-report.com/columns/diss ... dex.x?pg=1

Executioner · Post by **Executioner** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 2:46 pm

Here's another issue that's already cropped up as well. The serial and licensing info is in a file. If that file is corrupted you'll get a re-activation message (oh and can't you just see that file as a prime target for a virus designer?). Depending on the time elapsed since install that activation message may be immediate.

No kidding! I see this as a really large problem considering most users were always hit with virses targeted at Microsoft Outlook because they know most people use it. It will be the same with XP and this little licensing file. This os will be hacked when the final version hits the shelves later on this year. Will I be using XP? I don't think so. I'm perfectly happy with Win98 as all my 5 pc's at home are running it.

LikeLinus · Post by **LikeLinus** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 3:19 pm

Thats kinda silly. If someone is going to get a virus, they are going to get a virus, regardless of what its written for! You have to be uneducated enough about computers to just open any .dll, .exe, .com, or .bat file to get a virus. So what does it matter if it corrups your windows install? Better than having a Subseven trojan or something that destroys all your HD data. Thats a lame excuse.

Should you really be blaming MS for virus or the freakin stupid hackers?

Kakarot · Post by **Kakarot** » Fri Jul 20, 2001 4:17 pm

Damn Joe Sixpack and all his money to hell! He's the same jerkass that causes me a migrane everyday.