WTF M$

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Buddha443556
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Post by Buddha443556 »

Microsoft in legal trouble over Windows Genuine Advantage
Los Angeles resident Brian Johnson has field suit against Microsoft in the U.S. District Court in Seattle, charging the company with failing to disclose the true nature of a similar anti-piracy tool that Microsoft has distributed. The tool in question is the now-notorious "Windows Genuine Advantage"—an descendant of sorts from the old WPA approach. Johnson's complaint centers around the fact that previous versions of WGA constantly "called home" to Microsoft, which in his view constitutes a a violation of anti-spyware laws in both California and Washington State. Johnson's suit seeks class-action status for the complaint, and it is being fronted by Scott Kamber of Kamber & Associates LLC in New York. Kamber recently served as plaintiff's counsel in the rootkit fiasco centering on Sony.
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Benjamin
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Post by Benjamin »

The problem I see with WGA is that it might be a first step to transition Windows into a subscription based service. Once people get used to the fact that Microsoft can remotely disable their computer, Microsoft can start selling subscriptions to Windows. If I'm not mistaken, this is a goal that Microsoft is working towards.

WGA would make it impossible to simply reinstall the OS to get another year of use out of the operating system.

Furthermore, I don't understand why Microsoft needs to check the validity of an install on a daily basis. It should be a one time check. What sense would it make for someone to suddenly take their valid license key and change it to a unauthorized key?
alex.barylski
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Post by alex.barylski »

astions wrote:The problem I see with WGA is that it might be a first step to transition Windows into a subscription based service. Once people get used to the fact that Microsoft can remotely disable their computer, Microsoft can start selling subscriptions to Windows. If I'm not mistaken, this is a goal that Microsoft is working towards.

WGA would make it impossible to simply reinstall the OS to get another year of use out of the operating system.

Furthermore, I don't understand why Microsoft needs to check the validity of an install on a daily basis. It should be a one time check. What sense would it make for someone to suddenly take their valid license key and change it to a unauthorized key?
WOW...thats a very good point...I didn't even consider that... :)
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daedalus__
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Post by daedalus__ »

What if someone like me stole their key and replaced it with a keygen'd one?
bogdan
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Post by bogdan »

Grim... wrote:That article comes out in some form or another every time Microsoft makes an update.

And calling them M$ makes you look like you originally posted in the late 90's or that you're an utter, utter twat.

Posting Microsoft as M$ can also mean that one feels the company is TOO much after the cash and too little after improving the product and careing about the user.
People post M$ because Microsoft has an atitude and in late times (I'm farely "young") a so called image that in my honest opinion justifies the use of M$.
When I use, if I use M$, I asure you it has nothing to do with the 90's.

Regarding to the article, I have to see your point :)

Regarding having stuff on your machine that you do not want, makes it run slow, etc. .. well, if you do not want it, get rid of it if you can, and if you can not, and there are others like you out there, try to make M$ and others understand that and do something about it.

Now to pirated software, I live in a country, where I just had to feel that part of things. I "may" make less a month than WinXP Prof costs.... not to mention some other people that don't make even that. I just have to understand those people. The big problem about it originates from the PC sellers. I remeber when I bought my 686 Cyrix based PC some years ago. I did not pay for any OS, but they did install Windows on it. Most of them still do that today. Why?!

Use a cheaper version of Win and Lin on the same machine, dual boot, play games on win and work on lin, fits in most budgets and gets rid of piracy.

Cheers, B
Grim...
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Post by Grim... »

It's a stupid, childish nickname.
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shiznatix
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