Microsoft Plans Restrictions on Fixes

[matt526]

I really don’t think there is much to worry about; I have used Windows XP-Home Addition and Professional, and I think I have done the windows update maybe once in about 2 years ago. And have never had a problem. Off course I have a firewall and Norton’s Antivirus,
On the other hand, I don’t think paying $150-$200 is too much to pay for an Operating system that I use everyday for hours at a time. What would this world be like if not for Bill Gates/MS. Yes he is filthy rich, but who can fault him for that, I just wish it was me . Bill Gates and all the Windows code writers deserve to get paid for the work they have done.
If you don’t want to pay for Windows XP, than don’t, use a pirated version, I’m sure you can find the updates on some 3rd party web site or maybe on some file sharing network.

But don’t wine and complain about Microsoft cracking down on there software, we all knew it was coming sooner or later. EITHER PAY OR FIND ANOTHER WAY.

[Snee]

Lazar said piracy has cost the Redmond-based company "billions of dollars over the past 10 years," but he would not be more specific.

It hasn't really cost them anything, unless you count the so far ineffective anti-piracy measures they've implemented to stop the pirates. All that has happened is that they've made less money.

And come to think of it, it might actually be that users using pirated copies can't afford it, which will mean that a lot of ppl will be forced to look for an alternative, rather than pay ms.

They really don't care about the users at home anyway, their big source of income is the companies they cater to. And if it hadn't been for half the companies in places like china using pirated windows versions ms might not have bothered.

If it ever comes to ms trying to squeeze a monthly subscription fee out of everyone who is using windows, I hope there'll finally be some major protests, 'cos for them to be selling an OS full of bugs and holes, and then charging people, every month, to fix it, is just insane.

I've spent ages fixing busted installs, legal installs I might add, of win95, win98, Me and XP for relatives, friends, and even myself. And I gotta say that it sometimes feels as if we are paying ms for the opportunity to try and fix whatever mess they've come up with next.

I hope they gaming industry will see this for the problem it might become and start adding linux compatibility to future releases so we can leave this godforsaken OS behind. Linux might not be perfect, but I'll be damned if the distros I've tried haven't been more stable from the get go, while at the same time being free or costing me a fraction of the price of an original MS disc.

[4play]

It has cost microsoft money think of all the bandwidth it takes to give the updates to pirates.
Its cost them lots in lost sales. The problem is people are so used to using windows that they often refuse to use anything else. At uni i have meet other computing students who flat out refuse to use linux because its too difficult or complicated. these people are meant to be learning and should have a good understanding of computers but cant be arsed to learn how to use a new os from scratch.

face it a massive amount of people if forced to either pay for windows or get linux for free would still choose windows.

oh yeah m$ just posted record earning due to increased server sales. they have total sales for the first quater at $10 billion.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...crosoft28.html

[Snee]

Yeah, but lost sales aren't really a cost, it's just less profits, which isn't the same thing. You could in fact say that they make money by having windows available for free for private citizens, since ppl are more likely to be able to use it effectively at the workplace, if they use it at home. Which also will mean that they'll suggest buying windows if they have any say when it's time for the company to upgrade.

You do have a point about the bandwidth, but I'm not sure how big a hit it actually is, especially since they actually gain something by updating even pirated systems, since it means less risk of ddosing to their servers.

It's at the companies the real profits are made anyway, like I said. And using some bandwidth to prevent zombification should be considered an acceptable cost. Even if some of the systems being plugged aren't paid for.

EDit: Linux hard? when it comes to advanced settings and stuff sure, but something like suse or mandrake is easy to use as long as you confine yourself to installing and running precompiled software, of which there is plenty.

[Izagaia]

I believe as someone stated earlier regarding XP Corporate versions: they are volume licensed by default. Odds are likely that they contain serial ID coding to enable it so that an unlimited number of copies can be produced and installed. So I am doubting that Microsoft will be able to do much to combat those pirated corp versions. The licenses they sell, allows administrators to produce those copies off the company master for their own use.

Why not simply become more stringent against the use of pirated activation keys instead?

[zapjb]

That nice to hear about VLK/Corp XP Izagaia. Hope it's true.

[peat moss]

I believe as someone stated earlier regarding XP Corporate versions: they are volume licensed by default. Odds are likely that they contain serial ID coding to enable it so that an unlimited number of copies can be produced and installed. So I am doubting that Microsoft will be able to do much to combat those pirated corp versions. The licenses they sell, allows administrators to produce those copies off the company master for their own use.

Why not simply become more stringent against the use of pirated activation keys instead?

That was me , But wth their new bag of tricks, who knows. Heres a quote:

Microsoft designed Product Activation almost solely for individual licenses, so the feature won't affect most corporations, which typically purchase Microsoft products with volume licenses. Microsoft says that it will include Product Activation only in retail Windows XP versions or versions that consumers acquire through PC makers and other OEMs.

[gd3110]

ya ..and I was shit scared of windows activation ..the big security step M$ took bfr launching WinXp.. but thn that was history

[Cheese]

If I had the money spare to buy Windows XP I'd buy something else anyhow. Paying for for an over-priced OS is very very low on my list of priorites. I have a good firewall and good anti-virus and I use Firefox, so I consider myself fairly safe.

I guess I may become more liable to future attacks but I could update through other methods, I'm gussing come this crackdown we'll be able to get updates elsewhere. Of course, I shall be very careful before installing these updates.

Until Bill Gates stops trying to fleece the European market he can go fuck himself if he thinks I'm paying for his bug-ridden software.

I have Linux installed as well before some saddo says go use that instead if you hate M$ so much, I like my games though so I'm kind of stuck having to use XP.

[peat moss]

Funny after shooting my mouth off about have I corp version . Tryed the windows valadation tool . My key failed , I tryed about 50 XP corp sp2 keys after that to no luck. Used Jellybean and Rockxp. Seems they have found a way to block certain PID version's of Xp corp including VLK . Example mine is

xxxxx 644 -xxxxxxx-xxxxx . Found by right clicking my computer , properties .

Quote: With SP1, only the two known leaked keys were blocked. They both generated 640, and crackers assumed ALL 640 keys were blocked. Key generators making corporate keys will always generate codes of 641-649. These keys worked... until now. Microsoft has never used 641-649 in any keys so they disabled them. Service Pack 2 RC1 (current Technical Preview) is unaffected, but all builds after v.2111, including the soon-to-come RC2 and the final public release, will not let you log on if your product ID contains 641-649.
But there are ways to change that too !
Link: for Windows valadation: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/h...s/default.mspx

Use at your own risk of cource . I just found it interesting.