Vista to take hard stand against piracy

[kern]

Vista to take hard stand against piracy -(AP) Oct 4
SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp.'s forthcoming Windows Vista will take much harsher steps to curtail piracy than previous versions of its operating system, including crippling the usefulness of computers found to be running unlicensed copies of the new software.

The world's largest software maker said Wednesday that people running a version of Windows Vista that it believes is pirated will initially be denied access to some of the most anticipated Vista features. That includes Windows Aero, an improved graphics technology.

If a legitimate copy is not bought within 30 days, the system will curtail functionality much further by restricting users to just the Web browser for an hour at a time, said Thomas Lindeman, Microsoft senior product manager.

Under that scenario, a person could use the browser to surf the Web, access documents on the hard drive or log onto Web-based e-mail. But the user would not be able to directly open documents from the computer desktop or run other programs such as Outlook e-mail software, Lindeman said.

Microsoft said it won't stop a computer running pirated Vista software from working completely, and it will continue to deliver critical security updates.

The company also said it has added more sophisticated technology for monitoring whether a system is pirated. For example, the system will be able to perform some piracy checks internally, without contacting Microsoft, Lindeman said.

Microsoft also is adding ways to more closely monitor for piracy among big corporate users, who tend to buy licenses in bulk.

Microsoft plans to take similar tough measures with the forthcoming version of its Windows server software, dubbed "Longhorn," and to incorporate it into other products down the road.

The crackdown shows how much more seriously Microsoft has started taking Windows piracy, which for years has been extremely widespread in areas such as Russia and China. The Business Software Alliance, a software industry group, estimates that 35 percent of software installed on PCs worldwide is pirated.

In recent years, the market for Windows — one of Microsoft's main cash cows — has become more saturated. That's left the company eager to make money from users who may otherwise have obtained illegal Windows copies.

Microsoft has already instituted tougher piracy checks for Windows XP users who want to get free add-ons such as anti-spyware programs. But until now, the warnings and punitive measures were mainly seen as annoying, rather than debilitating.

Cori Hartje, director of Microsoft's Genuine Software Initiative, said the company now wants users to notice the difference between legal and pirated copies of Vista.

"Our goal is to really make a differentiated experience for genuine and non-genuine users," Hartje said.

Analyst Roger Kay with Endpoint Technologies Associates noted that Microsoft has the right to curtail illegal distribution of its software. The new piracy measures, he said, "seem harsh only in comparison to how lenient it has been."

Nevertheless, Kay said he expects that the anti-piracy tactics will keep some people from upgrading to Vista from the current operating system, Windows XP.

"There will be an XP backlash, which is to say people (will) cling to XP in order to avoid this," he said.

Kay also doesn't expect the new piracy measures to be that effective against hardcore pirates, who have built de facto businesses selling illegal Windows copies. But he thinks it will stop some lower-level piracy.

After many delays, Redmond-based Microsoft is expected to release Vista to businesses in November and consumers in January.

[dbarrow]

As with XP, I predict cracks and hacks will be available before it hits the shelves.

[Tortanick]

Sigh, hurry up Linux! I don't want to have to live with big brother on my PC.

[jcampi]

Isn't this already an issue with much of the software that requires activation? As a Microsoft share holder I am very happy with the anti piracy stance. If Linux makes you happy go ahead and use the crap. Just remember, Linux is free and I still don't see people breaking down the door to get it. Doesn't that tell you something??

[Tortanick]

We've been through this before. People arn't getting linux because no one reads about computers, they don't even know that Nod32 exists and thats the best anti-virus arround, so how do you expect them to realise non-windows OSs exist.

And as a M$ stockholder you should be furous. This new anti-piracy:


Costs $$$ to create
Makes Vista less friendly to its users
Won't stop pirates!

[PeteF]

Sigh, hurry up Linux! I don't want to have to live with big brother on my PC.

If you check out the statistics from my website below, you will see that
Microsoft is losing ground to Linux. I'm able to track the OS and Browser
of the visitors to my website. My website does not currently promote
anything Linux so the visitors are not attracted to the site for anytihng
related to Linux.

http://www.htworkshop.com/public/mywebsite_stata_os_br_0609.jpg

[PeteF]

Just remember, Linux is free and I still don't see people breaking down the door to get it. Doesn't that tell you something??

As far as popularity goes, I think advertizing has a lot to do with it.
With Linux, in the past there is no advertizing so mostly computer geeks
know about it. This is all changing now.

Linux is typically FREE but there are now companies coming to the
scene who add some value to the basic free Linux and are successfully
selling it at prices that might shock you.

Check the prices here...
https://secure.technalign.com/oscommerce/catalog/index.php

Here's how they are selling it.
http://www.tafusion.com/

Basically, they are using many of the negative aspects of Vista
to promote a pay version of Linux. In my opinion, if MS does not
produce with Vista an extremely secure product that solves a
majority of the malware issues there will be a substancial boost
to Linux distributions as more people move to Linux and also
dump products like MS Office and go for the FREE OpenOffice
Suite.

For the first time, I can now invision a major decline to the
Microsoft empire. Vista could very well be the turning point.

PS: When LINUX ADs begin to appear on TV, Radio, or major
print, that will be the signal to sell your MS Stock. I think
you are safe for the time being.

---pete---

[kern]

As far as popularity goes, I think advertizing has a lot to do with it. With Linux, in the past there is no advertizing so mostly computer geeks know about it. This is all changing now.

Linux is typically FREE but there are now companies coming to the
scene who add some value to the basic free Linux and are successfully
selling it at prices that might shock you.

imho, the reason Linux has not gained much ground with the average pc user is the lack of tech support. until that changes, M$ Windows will remain the dominant operating system.

[fleamailman]

The problem is that one has install linux, the moment the computer comes with linux preinstalled at a good price, with afterservice, and none of the blinckers of windows, people will go for it. I don't even think it is a performance or compatibility thing anymore, the issue is bigbusiness's constraints on allowing the user to do what he likes.

[dbarrow]

Microsoft to lock pirates out of Vista PCs
http://news.com.com/Microsoft+to+lock+pirates+out+of+Vista+PCs/2100-7355_3-6122462.html?tag=cd.lede

*Let me get this right...
WGA isn't working right in XP and they want you to buy Vista and then lock you out entirely?
Looks like they are moving from shooting self in foot to shooting self in groin.

[Tortanick]

And by removing pirates, the marketshare falls to linux!

[jcampi]

Pete and company, youre responses about how great Linux is are simply rediculous. 'No one reads about computers.' I don't even know what you mean by that statement. Linux is open source (it's free). If it were so great everyone would use it. Who the heck wants a OS that's command line based and isn't plug and play???? Huh? And about MS losing market share to Linux. As share holders were are all shaking in our boots over it. What percentage of new PCs come with Linux? Hey, if Linux makes you happy use it. I'll religate it to the same place I put DOS - in the trash. Thank God for Windows and MS. By the way - do either of you use MS products or a Windows based PC???

[Tortanick]

Command line? no Plug and Play? have you looked at Linux in the last 5 years? (http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=XGL&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images&nojs=1) Thats XGL, its still beta but lets see Aero Glass beet that.

Sure we have a Damm good command line, but most users will only ever copy and paste forum advice into it. None of this muccking about with telling users where to find a button just copy and paste this command and you're fixed! Vista is even copying us and improving the command line (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_PowerShell)because its so usefull. Although .NET was a mistake, text works with everything .NET dosn't.

as for no plug and play, Linux has plug and play for more hardware than any other operating system, EVER! Of course windows supports more hardware that home users are likely to use, but Linux supports more hardware overall so your plug and play statement can be called Rubish.

Microsoft Plug and play: Install Windows to the hard drive, go to venders site, download drivers.

Linux Plug and play: Insert CD, everything is reasonably up to date and working with the latest Open Source Drivers, BEFORE you install to hard drive.

[fleamailman]

Title should be edited to:
"Micosoft to lock users out of Vista PCs" um, how long was it before WGA was cracked, I think I read it was 24hours, whereas lots of people with genuin editions of XP were refused.

[dbarrow]

Actually, this may backfire on them even more than they anticipate as this is a direct and open challenge to the hackers who may work extra hard at breaking it wide open.
The gauntlet has been thrown down.

[jcampi]

All you guys that bad mouth MS and love Linux - go ahead and use it. If it's so great you should be happy.

[fleamailman]

Marketshare could equally go to Mac, so I am not saying linux here but I do believe that MS should not trying to blinker us yet again because each time it opens our eyes open just that little bit more. Ask yourself what taught you the words like VLK, runarounds, bypassing, cracks, hacks, exploits, payloads, trojans, poc, pot, rootkits, rats, etc., etcs., - simply the obstical placed infront of you. I wrote half as a joke. "the Internet is an education is based on two things malware and piracy, because one is that which one wants and can't get while the one gets and doesn't want" not meaning that I want to plunder everything out there nor clean out everyones malware, but meaning that something inside me then always wants to know how it is done. Example, the village library here has a computer, that lets me have 30minutes free Internet and then closes and locks, there is nothing in that computer, promise, and I do nothing, promise, but my mind then spends hours puzzling how to use my USB key as a virtual control panel to change the timedate, yes I am crazy that is the nature of the beast I believe, a beast within most geeks.

[PeteF]

Pete and company, youre responses about how great Linux is are simply rediculous.

jcampi,
Just for the record, in this thread, I never stated how great Linux is.
The main point I was making is that things are changing as more and
more people begin to dump Microsoft products and go for the alternatives
like Linux, Firefox, and OpenOffice. My point about Vista and what others
here are also saying is that if MS fails to do the right things with Vista,
the trend of people dumping MS products will only increase.

For me personally, I'm so deeply involved with MS products that I
couldn't possiblly make the switch to Linux. HOWEVER, I do know many
people that only use their PC to browse the web, do email, and a few
other simple things. It's these people who could do much better by
switching to Linux. Many of these people would not even know the
difference because Linux can be configured to very closely resemble
Windows. People who can't grasp the concepts of how to defend
themselves by using Anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, etc, could
do so much better with Linux because it's simply not a big problem
as it is with MS Windows.

I don't believe that everyone should make the switch. I wouldn't even
try to convert a loyal MS user as yourself. As I stated earlier, *I* could
not make the switch at this point in time because I'm so heavilly involved
with MS products like MS Office, VBA and VB6. I typically don't buy
software, I write my own software using VBA in MS Office to do so many
things. I've got over 10 years invested in custom applications that won't
easilly port over to Linux or OpenOffice.

Right now I use Linux mostly to help fix MS Windows PCs, but I see
a definite trend where a certain kinds of people are making the switch.

Linux certainly does handle Plug-n-Play. I can insert the Linux CD,
install it, and be online browsing the web in 15 to 30 minutes.
If that's not plug-n-play I don't know what is. HOWEVER, you
might have to use certain hardware that is compatible with
the Linux version you are using. Some versions handle more
hardware than others. This is where the pay versions of
Linux do best.

Again, I don't think Linux is for everyone; at least not yet. Maybe
5 or 10 years from now it will have a more equal market share with
MS Windows. It kind of reminds me of that story about the tortis
and the hare. Eventually, MS (the hare) in it's arrogance and
negligence will fall asleep as Linux (the tortis) slowly passes it by.

As for me, I expect one day in the future MS will do something
foolish that will make all my 10+ years of coding custom programs
incompatible with the latestest version on Windows. That's when
I plan to totally dump MS for my personal needs and make the big
switch.:)

---pete---

[Tortanick]

All you guys that bad mouth MS and love Linux - go ahead and use it. If it's so great you should be happy.

Well you badmouth Linux quite a lot by calling it worse than Windows. and "Shock Horror" worse value for money than windows.

[Terry Hanushek]

Pete

For me personally, I'm so deeply involved with MS products that I
couldn't possiblly make the switch to Linux. HOWEVER, I do know many
people that only use their PC to browse the web, do email, and a few
other simple things. It's these people who could do much better by
switching to Linux. Many of these people would not even know the
difference because Linux can be configured to very closely resemble
Windows. People who can't grasp the concepts of how to defend
themselves by using Anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, etc, could
do so much better with Linux because it's simply not a big problem
as it is with MS Windows.
Very well stated. All too often we mistake the needs ourselves as power users with the needs of casual users. There are lot more casual users in the world who do not know or care what o/s or browser they are using. They are interested in cost, ease of use and reliability (in that order, I believe). The rising cost and more stringent anti-piracy measures may very well tip the scales with many users.

Terry

[dbarrow]

Microsoft on WGA
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=112

*Yada,yada....
If WGA is turning into a real PITA for you ... simply wait for the inevitable crack/hack to get around it rather than getting into a frustrating fight.
Whatever M$ builds today, somebody will take apart tomorrow...