MS to turn off Windows if your software is illegal?

[Tafia]

Or even if they think it is illegal.

Seems some folks don't want to install MS Windows Genuine Advantage as they feel it has security issues.

Now suggestions are that if we don't, MS will turn off Windows after a 30 day warning period.

This from Ziff Davis:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=84&

[r988]

That will make them popular. I have a genuine copy of XP Pro, which I have had for a couple of years now and updated with no problem, but a couple of months ago I had some problems when an update to WGA was telling me my copy was 'non genuine'. I eventually found a way around it online but still annoying. I have no problem with Microshaft trying to protect their software but only if they have the damn protection thing working perfectly with no errors, which of course they probably never will.

Windows Genuine Advantage, talk about an ironic name, do you ever get the feeling someone at MS is just taking the piss sometimes?

[havoc]

I'll wait for more data before getting worried.

But it DOES seem like another good reason to start researching Linux functionality...

[thepassenger]

Urban Myth. This has been done to death on Fark & Slashdot... but.

Because of corporate customers Microsoft can not simply 'shut down windows' if WGA is not installed by an arbitrary date. Not all companies let Windows go directly to Windows Update instead they run the ohh... SUS system locally to cache updates and deploy whenever the admins allow it (i.e. after testing for compatibility) this can also be used to ineffect block problem updates and service packs from the corporate systems (i.e. block SP2 until applications have been updated, etc.)

So, Microsoft shut down Windows XP. Microsoft is suddenly on the wrong end of a very nasty near global attack of lawyers. The bad press this would generate would probably stop most corporate upgrade cycles until the matter was fully resolved, this would affect the launch of Vista.

What I would be more concerned about is the date MS decide to announce EOL on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Both are getting long in the tooth in terms of software and MS have already announced that the security fixes that went in to XP-SP2 won't and can't be backported to 2k.

[xiphias]

EOL?

[jamieboy]

xiphias said:

EOL?

End of life - it's one step down the road to being unsupported.

[thepassenger]

jamieboy said:

xiphias said:

EOL?

End of life - it's one step down the road to being unsupported.

Yep.
EOL basically means you can't buy it any more. Then it goes to:
Extended Support, which generally means critical updates only for a random period of time.
And finally.... no more & Windows Update won't work.

[Tafia]

thepassenger said:

Urban Myth. This has been done to death on Fark & Slashdot... but.

Because of corporate customers Microsoft can not simply 'shut down windows' if WGA is not installed by an arbitrary date. Not all companies let Windows go directly to Windows Update instead they run the ohh... SUS system locally to cache updates and deploy whenever the admins allow it (i.e. after testing for compatibility) this can also be used to ineffect block problem updates and service packs from the corporate systems (i.e. block SP2 until applications have been updated, etc.)

So, Microsoft shut down Windows XP. Microsoft is suddenly on the wrong end of a very nasty near global attack of lawyers. The bad press this would generate would probably stop most corporate upgrade cycles until the matter was fully resolved, this would affect the launch of Vista.

What I would be more concerned about is the date MS decide to announce EOL on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Both are getting long in the tooth in terms of software and MS have already announced that the security fixes that went in to XP-SP2 won't and can't be backported to 2k.

You sure this is an urban myth? Ziff Davis who reported the item are a highly respected outfit and claim to have discussed it with Microsoft.

Bona fides here:

www.ziffdavis.com/?kc=ZMGL10511KTX1B0001057

[thepassenger]

Tafia said:

You sure this is an urban myth? Ziff Davis who reported the item are a highly respected outfit and claim to have discussed it with Microsoft.

Bona fides here:

www.ziffdavis.com/?kc=ZMGL10511KTX1B0001057

Yeah I've heard of Ziff Davis. They do however have a reputation for publishing sensationalist stuff both on-line and in print... quite often they also have the wrong of the stick on some things.

Ok "Urban Myth" is over stating it. The long winded version would be: "Something Microsoft are in a position to do but would not due to it potentially affecting their core business in an adverse way". I belive what will/is happening is that any machine not running the various facets of WGA is denied access to everything other than critical updates (i.e. no DirectX downloads, no none critical updates, no 'powertoys' and so on and so forth). The important words to look out for about this whole debarkle are "in a position to deny access", "Could at a later date"... in essence it's a threat for people with priated copies to stump up cash.

Consider this. I run a legitimate copy of XP Pro (honestly, it came with my Dell). If I forgo the WGA updates because I personally do not want them or deem them 'critical' and my laptop becomes unbootable thus meaning I can't access all of my work, games and other software products that I may or may not have purchased directly because of my lack of WGA then both Microsoft AND Dell would be hearing from my solicitors, because I'm pretty sure that'll be a case of selling in bad faith.
Now imagine every XP desktop and Win2k3 server in ohh.... say IBM (who don't deploy WGA and how LOTS of XP desktop/laptops and 2k3 servers in the farms) shutting down. Now imagine the feeding frenzy IBM's legal department would have.

Besides, if MS did actually do it just how fast do you think they'd get bent over and shafted by all the various anti-monopolies legislation that exists in the world today?

Edited by thepassenger on Saturday 5th August 12:00

[Tafia]

thepassenger said:

Tafia said:

You sure this is an urban myth? Ziff Davis who reported the item are a highly respected outfit and claim to have discussed it with Microsoft.

Bona fides here:

www.ziffdavis.com/?kc=ZMGL10511KTX1B0001057

Yeah I've heard of Ziff Davis. They do however have a reputation for publishing sensationalist stuff both on-line and in print... quite often they also have the wrong of the stick on some things.

Ok "Urban Myth" is over stating it. The long winded version would be: "Something Microsoft are in a position to do but would not due to it potentially affecting their core business in an adverse way". I belive what will/is happening is that any machine not running the various facets of WGA is denied access to everything other than critical updates (i.e. no DirectX downloads, no none critical updates, no 'powertoys' and so on and so forth). The important words to look out for about this whole debarkle are "in a position to deny access", "Could at a later date"... in essence it's a threat for people with priated copies to stump up cash.

Consider this. I run a legitimate copy of XP Pro (honestly, it came with my Dell). If I forgo the WGA updates because I personally do not want them or deem them 'critical' and my laptop becomes unbootable thus meaning I can't access all of my work, games and other software products that I may or may not have purchased directly because of my lack of WGA then both Microsoft AND Dell would be hearing from my solicitors, because I'm pretty sure that'll be a case of selling in bad faith.
Now imagine every XP desktop and Win2k3 server in ohh.... say IBM (who don't deploy WGA and how LOTS of XP desktop/laptops and 2k3 servers in the farms) shutting down. Now imagine the feeding frenzy IBM's legal department would have.

Besides, if MS did actually do it just how fast do you think they'd get bent over and shafted by all the various anti-monopolies legislation that exists in the world today?

Edited by thepassenger on Saturday 5th August 12:00

Yep, I wondered how they would get away with it.

BTW I have just been looking at Open Office as suggested above. Looks pretty impressive.

Cheers to all.

[zumbruk]

I've been experimenting with Open Office for the last 6 months or so. I work at home 3 days a week, and I've been using OO for everything on those three days, rather than firing up the PC and using MS Office. I haven't come across a single Word document, Excel spreadsheet or Powerpoint presentation that doesn't open correctly in OO, be editable and save correctly, to be re-opened in MS Office by my colleagues. Looks like I shan't be using MS Office much longer - I already abandoned IE (not much choice, given it doesn't run under Solaris.)

If MS are really going to adopt this WGA nonsense, I shall definitely be outing the house Wintel box (which is entirely legal) and replacing it with something (anything) else.

[mcflurry]

Surely if you don't install the "Windoze genuine checker" then it can't tell if you have a licenced copy anyway?

[victormeldrew]

mcflurry said:

Surely if you don't install the "Windoze genuine checker" then it can't tell if you have a licenced copy anyway?

It got installed along with routine patches for anyone who uses Windows Update, pretty much without warning.

[thepassenger]

victormeldrew said:

mcflurry said:

Surely if you don't install the "Windoze genuine checker" then it can't tell if you have a licenced copy anyway?

It got installed along with routine patches for anyone who uses Windows Update, pretty much without warning.

And is classed as a Critical update so people set to auto-update critical patches found it installed without warning as I don't belive it flashed up a changed EULA.

I'm not 100% sure if the 'validate for download' stuff ties in to WGA or not so I won't make a blanket statement of "no WGA = no downloading anything from MS" but it looks like that is what they are pushing for.

Having said that, disabling the AciveX side of things in IE did used to let you hit Windows Update. I'm not sure if that is still the case though.

Edited by thepassenger on Saturday 5th August 23:13

[aldi]

I think most of the hacks for windows update have been closed now, however autopatcher is quite a good tool.

[thepassenger]

aldi said:

I think most of the hacks for windows update have been closed now, however autopatcher is quite a good tool.

Nope just tried on a XP-SP2 dodgy edition. IE > Options > Tools > Programs > Manage Add-ons > Disable WGA, still works a treat. So once again MS are having a hissy fit and legitimate users are being caught in the cross-fire.