Big $M just will not leave it alone...

If i buy a peice of software from the store why should i have to go out of my way to prove it's not a illegal copy? i bought the damn thing, now let me use it.

This is my main problem with all these "checks". I want to be able to use the product, as is, without needing to do a "special" procedure, and wihtout needing "special" hardware that woudl not be needed with other subsitutes for the product, in this case less than legal software.

I attempt to buy everythign that is reasonable to buy, i even waited for a few years till i coudl get XP cheap before upgrading, because i think it's worth some $$$ and i will give 'em what it's worth. However making it a PITA to use because i wanted to give them some $$$ isn't goign to make me want to take that route agian.

benbaked said:

yeah, like how apple sell os x for example. $129 for a single license, upgrade or not (doesn't matter either way, it's always a full version). or if you want to install it on multiple computers in your house, buy the 5-user "family pack" for $199. that comes out to about $40 a seat and is a good deal i think.

why hasn't microsoft implemented the family pack idea?

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Avarice.

More like incentive. Do you think Linux would be free if 90% of all computers ran on it, I don't think so.

I was looking at buying office because i need it for school.... full version from a good place >$140. that is screwed up i linux is on its way this summer and this time i will make it work

El<(')>Maxi said:

More like incentive. Do you think Linux would be free if 90% of all computers ran on it, I don't think so.

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QFT. I would like to see Linux remain free once it's the more popular OS.

Ok, we have to clarify things just a touch here:
Apple charges $129.00 for OS X because they make the majority of their money on hardware and iPods.
Linux is free because IBM and other server manufacturers front a very large percentage of the professional development costs. If you think Linux is all made for free by shirtless *nix gurus that live in their parents' basements, well... time for a reality check.
Windows is expensive because Microsoft has one of the largest software empires in the world, has a lot of employees, and is constantly amassing money to fund acquisitions and rough times ahead. When you have $40+ billion in cash reserves, you can afford to drop $400 million on an in game advertiser without blinking, or pay your search division any amount of cash required to compete with Google. Oh yeah, and the whole publicly traded company thing has a lot to do with it as well.

And stop whining about software licensing, all. It can get a lot worse before it gets any better, and most likely it will. Anyone here familiar with high-end DCC applications? Nope, didn't think so. Chances are if you are, you wouldn't be complaining about Microsoft or Valve taking the approaches they have. Certain multi-thousand dollar applications such as the top versions of Maya and AutoCAD require that not only do you pay the initial investment on the software (either outright buying it, or leasing many copies), you also have to run a server that keeps track of currently used licenses and updates this information with a server on the manufacturer's end as well. What happens if someone spills coke on the licensing server? Too bad, nobody can run their software until a connection can be re-established.

Microsoft cannot do the same for obvious reasons, but beyond that, they barely even care about the people who buy their operating system without a computer. They have 90% of the market, and 90% of their customers buy Windows preinstalled on an OEM box. You don't like it? So they lose another percentage point to Linux or Apple because the 9% of the PC world who actually buy the OS and install it dwindled down to 8%.
Fact of the matter still remains that Microsoft is still making a killing convincing millions of people to buy a product that consists of a very long string of ones and zeroes.

Captain Newbie[i said:

As long as you charge obscene amounts of money for the product, someone will pirate it.[/i] Really, now. Would piracy be such a big problem if you charged about $40 a copy instead of $160? (No.)

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Check out how many pirated copies of Linux are floating around

Vole said:

more than 21,000 suspected illegal sales were halted on eBay in the second half of 2005

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ahahaha - they stopped two sales of mine that were perfectly legal. Luckily, they had already sold by the time the auction was pulled so I still sold them. Seriously, they shouldn't pull MY auction unless they KNOW it's illegal!!! Who's needs the money more - me or them?

Cyrix_2k said:

ahahaha - they stopped two sales of mine that were perfectly legal. Luckily, they had already sold by the time the auction was pulled so I still sold them. Seriously, they shouldn't pull MY auction unless they KNOW it's illegal!!! Who's needs the money more - me or them?

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that's the problem with the current system. it has too much effect on those of us that have full legal copies.

do whatever you want to those with illegal versions, but if i bought the damn thing don't go bugging me to prove it. that's liek stopping everycar on the road all the time asking if the driver has a lisence.

Well said futura2001

DvBoard said:

that's the problem with the current system. it has too much effect on those of us that have full legal copies.

do whatever you want to those with illegal versions, but if i bought the damn thing don't go bugging me to prove it. that's liek stopping everycar on the road all the time asking if the driver has a lisence.

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Theft and criminal activity of every type costs every legit customer. From candy bars to insurance, to software. Simple enough, the costs are not always money, they are just as much a price paid in inconvenience.

Do you think we would be having this conversation if no one stole software?

we have to accept one thing, WORLD is getting greedy day by day and we will never find happy end.
we wish free stuff from someone and they wish our $$$.
is never ending loop, If M$( or any other company) will come out and give software for free we will find way why they are no good, on other side they are thinking similar way about us.
Let's face the fact M$ and any other company are making software to make $$. Kick back that we get by using their software is, we can improve our life(faster, smarter, etc)


From what i see our life works like this ( you can do 1000 things perfect no one will give you much credit than you do one little thing wrong and they hold that for rest of your life against you)

what I'm trying to say is no matter which way all this legal/illegal stuff go their allways would be some one that will destroy peaceful harmony of the life.

Our life is like Yin/Yang we need to balance our life, as good as we have or not we need our opposite part.

DvBoard said:

that's the problem with the current system. it has too much effect on those of us that have full legal copies.

do whatever you want to those with illegal versions, but if i bought the damn thing don't go bugging me to prove it. that's liek stopping everycar on the road all the time asking if the driver has a lisence.

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Well if as many cars were being stolen as XP were being pirated, then most likely something like that would happen. Don't blame MS, blame the people who steal their software. MS is simply protecting their interests along with the users of legally licensed versions.

A couple of mouse clicks can't really be that annoying.

Well if as many cars were being stolen as XP were being pirated, then most likely something like that would happen. Don't blame MS, blame the people who steal their software. MS is simply protecting their interests along with the users of legally licensed versions.

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Do the words "innocent until proven guilty" say anything to you?

That said: everytime MS pulls such a stunt I rejoice. If they finally managed to suppress all copyright infringement of their software it would make me (and a lot of other people) very, very happy indeed.

I'd...just like to laugh.

After all since Linux is un-American, we should all keep with our traditions of protesting in this country and bend over and take it from Microsoft.

The right to make a profit is not in question with me. The right to make TOO MUCH and potentially tread on other things, such as fair use of copyrighted material, is in question. And it's the scary part.

That article is rediculous and Linux isn't your only choice either. Ever hear of MAC?? How much money a company makes on a given product is subjective, some pay without hesitation while others would never consider it. Again it's your choice.

It really boils down to cost. People that think it's too expensive use that as an excuse to hate MS and validation for software theft. That view makes them blind to all the positives. Would you rather have a foreign company as the source of Windows? MS has been a great benefit to millions of Americans, too bad so many refuse to see that.

Captain Newbie said:

I'd...just like to laugh.

After all since Linux is un-American, we should all keep with our traditions of protesting in this country and bend over and take it from Microsoft.

The right to make a profit is not in question with me. The right to make TOO MUCH and potentially tread on other things, such as fair use of copyrighted material, is in question. And it's the scary part.

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Is that guy for real, made me laugh so hard. I'm probably going to hell because I use freely distributed software. We should tell him that most of the parts in the computer where built and disigned outside of the United states.

Captain Newbie said:

I'd...just like to laugh.

After all since Linux is un-American, we should all keep with our traditions of protesting in this country and bend over and take it from Microsoft. ...

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ROFL! Thanks for the link, Cap...That kind of lunatic-fringe nutball stuff is as amusing as it is frightening...

nutball said:

If you see a company using Linux, it may be that they have not paid for this software. Report them to the Business Software Alliance who have the legal authority to inspect any company's computers for illegal programs like Linux.

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Oh crap there goes 44% of the internet.

That site for the BSA is not even valid HTML.
http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http://www.bsa.org/

El<(')>Maxi said:

Well if as many cars were being stolen as XP were being pirated, then most likely something like that would happen. Don't blame MS, blame the people who steal their software. MS is simply protecting their interests along with the users of legally licensed versions.

A couple of mouse clicks can't really be that annoying.

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Your assuming everythign goes right. Have you forgotten all the "problems" every has had with XP activation? It's certianly not always just a few mouse clicks. Plus why do they suspect me? I haven't done anything to make them think i would steal it, why treat me like i'm a criminal?

Is cars where copied as easily as OS's where, there would be as much stealing of them. But stealing something physical and stealing "data" is different as nothing is "loss" when data is stolen, but something is loss when a car or CD or such is stolen. I'm not saying it doesn't cost the company money to make the OS in the first place. But the amount of money lost on a few copies isn't a significant amount. aka, they are prbly losing only what it woudl take for them to produce that copy which is very low once they make millions of copies.

Also consider: how many people who have a stolen copy woudl even have XP if they hadn't stole it?

I was looking a bit more into this and I read the EULA again. In it, it reads

Microsoft Genuine Advantage EULA" said:

1. OVERVIEW.
· When you install the software on your premises, it will check to make sure you have a genuine and validly licensed copy of Microsoft Windows XP (“Windows XP”) installed. If you have a genuine copy of Windows XP, you receive special benefits, which are listed on the following link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39157.
· If the software detects you are not running a genuine copy of Windows XP, the operation of your computer will not be affected in any way. However, you will receive a notification and periodic reminders to install a genuine licensed copy of Windows XP. Automatic Updates will be limited to receiving only critical security updates.
· You will not be able to uninstall the software but you can suppress the reminders through the software icon in the system tray.

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So, as I read it, you're only going to be receiving pop ups if your stuff isn't legit. And even if you do have a less than legit copy, you'll still be able to get updates of the Critical variety. Not to mention, you can turn the pop ups off.

This hardly seems to be a big deal. Maybe I'm missing something.

Captain Newbie said:

I'd...just like to laugh.

After all since Linux is un-American

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Hahahahahaha...that article is so ridiculous. I fear that an uncle of mine may believe it however (I had to boot Knoppix on his computer for classwork over a vacation and got lectured at for using "pirated software" just because his Windows laptop could not longer see that one on the network for all of five minutes).