Microsoft: Legit Windows or no updates

[shift]

Quote:Aiming to crack down on counterfeit software, Microsoft plans later this year to require customers to verify that their copy of Windows is genuine before downloading security patches and other add-ons to the operating system.

Full story: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5550205.html

Well... erm... how was the Linux status right now for a multimedia pro user?

...


I\'m serious

[tomcat ha]

how the hell should i verify it. i got win xp on the computer from the store.

[viper]

in other words they have a list of pirate cd-keys.etc or have a unique tag identifier for real ones.... (maybe the pirates have a cracked part to stop the activation request system)

tomcat, if its legit and from a computer store you should of got a sticker in you documentation with your cd-key plus a barcode on it.... and if your windows is illigitimate and you bought it with a PC, you can A. Demand they give you a legit copy. B. Notify the police, C. Sue em!

[joeb]

Quote:One software industry study estimated that more than a third of software is pirated, costing the industry $29 billion a year. Microsoft won\'t put an exact figure on its losses, but said it is certainly in the billions over the past 10 years.

I really find these kinds of things annoying, as if those \'illegal software users\' were going to suddenly buy everything they have cracked.

[IntRed]

just found out uni students can get MS software for free

[The_Punisher]

It\'s actually a great idea. But if I was microsoft, I wouldn\'t send off bells and whistles when the person tries to update. I\'d just upload a file that makes windows stop working.

That\'ll make em buy windows REAL QUICK, or switch to something else.


Btw, my Microsoft code is right on the bottom of my laptop.

[viper]

my sticker is sitting on the side of the case, couldn\'t be arsed to stick it on the front lol

[Big-Al]

bloody hell, not again...

[=D.C.L.I=Everest]

Hooray for pirate software! To hell with MS!!!

[isoFlux]

MS has a point: Microsoft products need to be bought from Microsoft. i think this is a good thing, because people should pay for proprietary products.

with that said:
http://www.opensource.org
http://www.linux.org
http://fedora.redhat.com
http://www.mandrakelinux.com
http://slackware.com <--what i use, but not for the lighthearted/newbie
http://gentoo.org

support the Open Source Initiative. free software (not like in free beer, but free as in you can do whatever the hell you want with it), free support, and free distribution.
contrary to MS\'s ad-campaign: Linux is cheaper. in fact, its so cheap, nothing will leave your pocket. fight back against the PC-monopoly with stuff that really works.

if you don\'t want to jump into the cold linux water right now, try out some OSS for Windows:
http://openoffice.org
http://gaim.sourceforge.net