Microsoft Starts Windows Auto-piracy Check Today

[george]

Microsoft starts Windows auto-piracy check today

Microsoft launches Windows auto-piracy check

PCs vetted during Windows automatic updates

PCs using Microsoft's automatic Windows update service will be checked for pirate versions of the operating system from today – and dodgy copies will be refused all upgrades except critical security patches.

Users will have the option, in a pop-up box that appears at the start of a scheduled update, to opt out of the validation, but they too will be refused full updates.

Validation under Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) scheme is already necessary to get downloads of programs such as Internet Explorer.

Unvalidated users will also be nagged by a reminder box that appears at any time the automatic update procedure is run.

'You will be able to suppress the box but you will not be able to remove it,' said Michala Alexander, head of anti-piracy at Microsoft.

Users who fail the test can opt to go to a page explaining why and advising how to get a genuine copy of the operating system.

They are advised to contact their supplier if they bought the software in good faith, pre-loaded on a PC.

Alexander said this is the case with nearly one in 10 pirated copies and that it is not simply Microsoft that loses out.

Customers are being cheated because they are not entitled to full support, she added.

'And if Dodgy Dave is selling multiple copies of Windows on several machines he is undercutting genuine dealers,' she said.

A pilot of the validation system has been running in Norway and Sweden and is extended today to Britain, the US, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

Launched today is a parallel scheme called Office Genuine Advantage which will validate Microsoft Office code.

This will be completely voluntary at the start but is expected to go the way of WGA by being linked to automatic updates.

A similar scheme is being extended to Microsoft Office installations but it is not clear whether this will be voluntary.

Alexander said: 'Our aim is to educate our customers about the risks associated with using counterfeit software and equally, the value they can gain from ensuring the software they are running at home and at work is genuine.'

--Personal Computer World 2006-04-26

[Membrane]

Sounds fair to me! The little guy has pushed Microsoft around for far too long!!

Edited April 26, 2006 by Membrane

[sriracha john]

'And if Dodgy Dave is selling multiple copies of Windows on several machines he is undercutting genuine dealers,' she said.

Hmm... I know him. He sold me WindowsXP Pro for 99 baht. Does that mean it's not a real version?

Edited April 26, 2006 by sriracha john

[p1p]

It would be interesting to see a cost comparison of windoze / office as a % of average monthly income in the territories in which it is sold.

Where it costs an equivalent to, or more than an average monthly income, I am not surprised if it is bootlegged.

Computers seem to be a necessity for many sectors of society now, and Macroshaft a victim of its own success. There is no truly viable alternative for many people.

If I was faced with a choice of purchasing a genuine version of Windoze or feeding my children for a month, I'm afraid I know where my hard earned lucre would go.

[chuckygobyebye]

I've always thought that microsoft became the dominant operating system because everyone copied it. Way to loose market share.

[kippers]

this isn't "new news" since about august last year it has been the case

[stumonster]

'You will be able to suppress the box but you will not be able to remove it,' said Michala Alexander, head of anti-piracy at Microsoft.

[Mel Brooks]

Cracked already.

[deminister]

They shoot themselves in the foot. Not allowing them full updates (what already was the case by the way) means more ways for hackers to exploit windows machines. What undermines their credibility. Besides MS is greedy. Why is Apple charging 129 $ for a license and foir a family pack of 5 licenses 199$ while the inferior windows will cost for an professional version at least double. You can't ask an Asian laborer to pay up two or three salaries for a genuine version and the stripped down version is not working. Ahh well in the end it will prove the governments of China, Korea and Japan right. Watch out when they assault MS in a few years time with an open source OS.

[Foggy Bottom]

This method of authentication was added as early as Y2K with Windows 2000 Server

It's been introduced in all server software versions since then

It hit the mainstream desktops with WinXP

eBay is going to love this as many genuine "not for resale" copies of MS products are sold on there as discs + license only (contravening the license conditions - sale with a new PC only).

In the long run, this will be a huge boost for Linux and it's supporters

[schmokinn]

this is old news...as in 6months+ old.i used a crack on one of my pcs but left the other,about a month later it just reverted to normal and started downloading updates normally.

i think microsoft realised they would be causing more problems for legitamate users by not updating pirate versions.

one of there wonderful ideas that was not so good in practice.

regards scmok

[Plus]

People who really need those updates might simply buy latest pirated CDs and run them over existing Windows without losing any data.

[mrbojangles]

Well, that's me Goosed

On a serious note though. I had to spend an absolute arm and a leg for installing XP Prof and Office onto each computer in my office (i won't do illegal in Business ) It's no wonder people rip them off when they charge so much. And after me spending all that money, i still can't "Legally" install it on my Home PC

[Pui]

this is old news...as in 6months+ old.i used a crack on one of my pcs but left the other,about a month later it just reverted to normal and started downloading updates normally.

i think microsoft realised they would be causing more problems for legitamate users by not updating pirate versions.

one of there wonderful ideas that was not so good in practice.

regards scmok

This has been the case for a long time. Maybe now it’s official. But I can remember this happening when trying to update to SP2. That must have a been a year ago.

1, The windows system/sucess was copied from Apple anyway.

2, Does Bill Gates need more money?

Wheres there's a will there'll always be a way.

Glad i live in Thailand.

[dotcom]

It would be interesting to see a cost comparison of windoze / office as a % of average monthly income in the territories in which it is sold.

Where it costs an equivalent to, or more than an average monthly income, I am not surprised if it is bootlegged.

Computers seem to be a necessity for many sectors of society now, and Macroshaft a victim of its own success. There is no truly viable alternative for many people.

If I was faced with a choice of purchasing a genuine version of Windoze or feeding my children for a month, I'm afraid I know where my hard earned lucre would go.

Victim of it's own GREED.

[lecter]

I have a genuine copy and it failed. Probably means that the "genuine" copy I bought had already had the numbers flogged....

bar-stewards!!

[Pui]

I have a genuine copy and it failed. Probably means that the "genuine" copy I bought had already had the numbers flogged....

bar-stewards!!

Thats so typical...

[Hendrikus]

To whom it may concern,

Most likely I am preaching to the converted, but just to be sure.

I use a multitude of programs which are free and legal to download and use in this state.

To mention one:

Open Office, being a substitute for 'Microsoft Office', which fill my needs in regard to an Office program.

http://www.openoffice.org/

Cheers

[meadish_sweetball]

1, The windows system/sucess was copied from Apple anyway.

Yes... what fewer people know though, is that Apple stole the idea of the computer mouse as well as the idea of a graphical operating system from Xerox...

[Hendrikus]

Humans, by nature, are imitative. After all, using a multitude of command lines is also imitating.

Cheers,

[pistonpilot]

This is not news, at least it is not "new" news.

Microsoft can go suck eggs because the check can be bypassed. When you get to the windows in the update where is says custom or express, pasted this into the address line, and make sure you hit the enter key.

java script:void(window.g_sDisableWGACheck='all')

Then choose custom or express.

No more check.

[re_fuse]

1, The windows system/sucess was copied from Apple anyway.

Yes... what fewer people know though, is that Apple stole the idea of the computer mouse as well as the idea of a graphical operating system from Xerox...

I thought the Graphical interface came from the O'l Commodore Amgia

[egeefay]

They shoot themselves in the foot. Not allowing them full updates (what already was the case by the way) means more ways for hackers to exploit windows machines. What undermines their credibility. Besides MS is greedy. Why is Apple charging 129 $ for a license and foir a family pack of 5 licenses 199$ while the inferior windows will cost for an professional version at least double. You can't ask an Asian laborer to pay up two or three salaries for a genuine version and the stripped down version is not working. Ahh well in the end it will prove the governments of China, Korea and Japan right. Watch out when they assault MS in a few years time with an open source OS.

I have often heard Thais say the reason they buy illegal copies of DVD's and Software is "They can't afford it." However, that reason never seems to stop them from buying a new car that cost them the equivalent of 10 years of income.

I think it's rather that they know it is illegal but since there are no penalty in Thailand for buying bootlegged copies (despite the official policy), why not. Everyone else is doing it.

I'm sure all lost revenue from bootlegged DVD's and software makes the the United States feel a little like the Thais did back in 2001 when the United States began genetically copying Thai Jasmine rice.

Edited April 26, 2006 by egeefay

[Plus]

If there were "illegal" Toyota's for 10% of thw price of the original that were just as good, except you couldn't take them to authorised Toyota garages...

Music industry here is a better example - when legal cassettes were only about 100 baht no one knew where to find an illegal copy. Same albums on CDs are 500 baht and know one knows where to find a legal one.

SP2 was 150 Mb download, and there were not that many ADSL lines then, which Thai in his right mind would choose to download it instead of buying already upgraded Windows for 100 baht?

[pistonpilot]

1, The windows system/sucess was copied from Apple anyway.

Yes... what fewer people know though, is that Apple stole the idea of the computer mouse as well as the idea of a graphical operating system from Xerox...

I thought the Graphical interface came from the O'l Commodore Amgia

The windows system came from PARC which I believe was part of HP - Steve Jobs saw it when he visited and they had no qualms about showing it to him. They were scientists, not marketers. Jobs was a marketer.

[Guest endure]

1, The windows system/sucess was copied from Apple anyway.

Yes... what fewer people know though, is that Apple stole the idea of the computer mouse as well as the idea of a graphical operating system from Xerox...

I thought the Graphical interface came from the O'l Commodore Amgia

The GUI came out of Xerox PARC together with the mouse, the Dynabook which was the predecessor to today's laptop, object oriented programming - much of it developed by Alan Kay.

[pistonpilot]

1, The windows system/sucess was copied from Apple anyway.

Yes... what fewer people know though, is that Apple stole the idea of the computer mouse as well as the idea of a graphical operating system from Xerox...

I thought the Graphical interface came from the O'l Commodore Amgia

The GUI came out of Xerox PARC together with the mouse, the Dynabook which was the predecessor to today's laptop, object oriented programming - much of it developed by Alan Kay.

Thank you, I thought HP sounded off, but not by much. It was indeed Xerox Parc. What an example of wasted potential. They didn't know what they had. Pity.

[Kerryd]

If there were "illegal" Toyota's for 10% of thw price of the original that were just as good, except you couldn't take them to authorised Toyota garages...

True enough. Plus take in to consideration that many Thais don't "buy" their vehicles. They lease them with a small down payment and monthly payments for years. If they can't afford the monthlies, the vehicle gets repossessed and they wait until they have a new down payment then start over again.

Music industry here is a better example - when legal cassettes were only about 100 baht no one knew where to find an illegal copy. Same albums on CDs are 500 baht and know one knows where to find a legal one.

The recording industry got greedy, big time. Charging huge prices for CDs full of crap. They will sign almost any band to a recording contract these days as long as they have at least one half-way decent song, then fill the rest of the CD with garbage and charge $25-30 for it.

Not too long ago, I found a CD from a group that hadn't been together in 30 years. They only produced one album when they were together, but to buy it now on CD ? $32.00 !!!!! For a cheap piece of plastic. The mark-up on each CD produced must be huge.

And they wonder why music swapping is so popular

SP2 was 150 Mb download, and there were not that many ADSL lines then, which Thai in his right mind would choose to download it instead of buying already upgraded Windows for 100 baht?

In the markets in Afghanistan, they sell the latest copies of almost everything at $2-3.00 per disk. Most are copied in Pakistan and/or India. I laughed, because the vendors don't really have a clue what they are selling, which is why you can get complete WhineDoze apps, other apps, brand new games and movies all at the standard price (if an app or game comes on 2 CDs, they were charging $4.00).

MS (and other companies) could never sell their product in countries like that, at anywhere near their normal price.

[hardy1943]

this isn't "new news" since about august last year it has been the case

You are right this is is old news, my updates have not worked since last August

[francois]

hi'

'You will be able to suppress the box but you will not be able to remove it,'

I know some guys who will love it! a challenge launched by microsh1t

and as someoe said it's cracked but no "official removal tool" yet

soon, very soon

francois

ps; forgot to say that for a lot of Linuxers, windows is part of the latest generation game