Madmanmcp Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Micro$ofts newest "update" has a prize included...if you have an illegal copy of Windows a popup will now tell everyone nag you till you say uncle and purchase a legal copy . Now I don't like people who knowingly steal the software but really now. The majority of folks out there had no clue when they purchased the PC built at the local Mom & Pop PC's are Cheap shop that the version they got was illegal. I don't like this move at all! h_tp://star-techcentral.com/tech/story.asp?file=/2006/4/25/prodit/14029720&sec=prodit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Interesting, thanks bob. I hope that microsoft sticker on the front of my emachine is real Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abinidi Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 This doesn't bother me, personally. If I had purchased a computer from a mom and pop store, and paid for a genuine copy of Windows, I want what I paid for. If I have to go back to the mom and pop store to make them fix the problem, then that is what I would do. All, in all, it's pretty mellow. Imagine if M$ patched Windows so it woudln't RUN if it weren't a validaded version. THAT I'd have more of a problem with. But I think M$ has a right to defend itself agains illegal uses of its software, and in the end, this a mostly fair way of doing that, I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marie b. Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Personally, I think it's a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Tim Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 A little bird told me that if you have an illegal copy of Windows, and you try to update it through Windows Update, you will get an error telling you that you have an illegal copy of Windows and you can't get any of the latest patches. But you can buy a license for $149. At least they give you an easy way to go legit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevevan Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Sounds like another reason to go Linux! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Tim Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Sounds like another reason to go Linux! Or to not pirate software. However you want to look at it I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Bruce Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Being a software developer I am not against this idea at all. I feel for the unsuspecting soul that purchased a machine with an illegal copy. But if you don't know what your buying maybe you should learn a little more before you spend your money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Tim Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 If you buy a PC from a Mom & Pop shop and they hand you a Windows CD with "WinXP Pro" written on it with a Sharpie, a red flag should go up. Back when I was a network admin flunky we bought 20 Win2k PCs from a local shop. During some audit we did later on we discovered that all 20 were loaded from the same CD and it wasn't a corporate license. Apparently the whole "where are the CDs and licenses" thing slipped through the cracks. That was a ***** to clean up. Lesson learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 The recent windows update did not cause a popup or anything of that sort as I do have legal software. However, it did cause my OUTLOOK 2003 to lose functionality, on my office machine. Emails could be sent, but no attachments, etc. If I tried to insert a file that was on the server, CRASH. Then found out that part of the the "fix" could NOT be uninstalled. Spent most of Monday morning dealing with the issue and only resolution was to roll back to previous restore point (was Sunday Night). Now I have the permanent display in the bottom of my computer screen that says WINDOWS UPDATES AVAILABLE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j2k4b Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 It is a great idea... I bet they spent $1,000,000 on figuring out how to do it. I think they need to find a way to make it more secure. LoL Go Linux! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jslagle Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 However, it did cause my OUTLOOK 2003 to lose functionality, on my office machine. Same thing happened to a friend of mine. He's a consultant and it shut his business down for a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-JimE Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 I Believe Microsoft do know about the Outllok 2003 problem and are trying to resolve it You can of course not download that particular windows advantage update. JimE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 You can of course not download that particular windows advantage update. There were 4 updates in that last batch that could affect Outlook 2003 and I don't know WHICH to avoid. So for right now, I am avoiding all updates on home and office machines! As to the NAG.... I don't blame MS for doing it. I have spent alot of money on the software that I use. I have aquaintances that want me to burn a copy for them so they can try out the software and they are willing to do the same and they get upset with me when I refuse. I have warned some of these folks the time is coming that machines will start noticing that the software xyz was already installed elsewhere and they better get their act straight... Now maybe they will..or find new ways to get around the system.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Tim Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 The online registration thing has really made the tracking dream a reality. Not to mention their ability to update your OS however they please and pull whatever information they want. A pirated copy of Windows is really more trouble than it's worth. Get a job and just buy it. Or use Linux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samrc Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Using free, freeware, linkware and opensource programs are great when they are available. But sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and BUY a program. And the amazing thing that still shocks me.... The same folks will scream that they can no longer use that software that is 5 years old, even though it is a major security threat, won't run on modern computer has had 4 updates since that version.. The expectation is they bought the software and it is permanent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deverill Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 A pirated copy of Windows is really more trouble than it's worth. Get a job and just buy it. Or use Linux. Y'know that's not the only way to get non-working software. At my day job we have about 350 computers country wide. We buy PC's that are only available with XP from a national (read big) vendor and we are standardized on Win2K. We asked MS about it and they said we could downgrade the loaded XP to a 2K load. So now we have about 30 2K disks that we got before the vendor switched to XP-Only so one of those is what we Ghost onto new PCs. MS says it's cool, but how long will it be before they "disable" the 2K license duplication? We don't have a corporate license because we don't know if we'll need 1 or 1000 computers over the next year and with the economy, fuel, vacationers, weather, season, hurricanes, etc staring us in the face, our tourism-based company can't afford $50k for something we may or may not use. My only hope is that 2K is too old to either retro-disable or for them to care about... but the company is considering using Vista if/when it comes out for new PCs. If we standardize on that and in 2008 we decide not to go with Win2K08 what kinda mess will we have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Tim Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 My only hope is that 2K is too old to either retro-disable or for them to care about Haven't had problems with 2k yet. Yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abinidi Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 So now we have about 30 2K disks that we got before the vendor switched to XP-Only so one of those is what we Ghost onto new PCs. MS says it's cool, but how long will it be before they "disable" the 2K license duplication? My only hope is that 2K is too old to either retro-disable or for them to care about... but the company is considering using Vista if/when it comes out for new PCs. If we standardize on that and in 2008 we decide not to go with Win2K08 what kinda mess will we have? It sounds like you're already installing an OS on a computer when it comes, regardless of the OS that comes with the product. So it seems that if you were to encounter this type of problem if/when a successor to Vista comes out then you could switch all your systems to Linux or something else at the time. Or you could just figure out how to make your environment play with more than one "standard" operating system. I think it is reasonable for MS to expect that more than most of computer users should only have legitimate copies of its software (installed properly). Your case of downgrading from XP to 2K is an exception to the rule, but how many people out there who are installing software in that fashion are doing so in a legit manner? Few, I suppose. So MS will continue to protect their brand and you'll have to make modifications in the way you do business to accommodate that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-Don Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Well the update went smooth for me. I haven't noticed any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajunman4life Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 (edited) Went fine for me as well. This is the copy of Windows that came installed on my laptop, so if I did have problems... when then Toshiba would have some 'splaining to do. As for using Linux... why not? Personally, I prefer BSD. It's got that happy median. Edited April 27, 2006 by cajunman4life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevan Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I had some odd things go on during the update that processed today on my laptop but nothing of concern ..yet. Using XP Media Edition 2005 and Office 2003. So far, sending attachments from the local laptop is working fine. I'll try to send an attachment from the network tomorrow. btw, Media Center 2005 will NOT let you log into a domain. However, with user rights, you can connect to folders and devices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TCH-JimE Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Sam, have you got the latest service packs etc for Outlook 2003? Now that I said the above, I can't seem to find the post on another website which explained all about it. Doh! JimE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deverill Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 So it seems that if you were to encounter this type of problem if/when a successor to Vista comes out then you could switch all your systems to Linux or something else at the time.Unfortunately, the business world is not always able to function with Linux. Ours certainly falls into that category. but how many people out there who are installing software in that fashion are doing so in a legit manner? Few, I suppose. Sadly you are correct. Too many thieves is why they go overboard in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makaveli Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 its cool idea, but i think they shoudnt be allowed as top mentioned to take what they please datawise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendragon Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 btw, Media Center 2005 will NOT let you log into a domain. However, with user rights, you can connect to folders and devices. Actually (from all I've read) it will, but you MUST specifiy the domain when you install MCE, as you cannot change or add it later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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