Well, There Goes Vista's Marketshare

[newbie2]

Microsoft has just turned on Reduced Functionality mode, worldwide, and sent a letter to OEMs explaining the consequences of Vista piracy. These include a black screen after 1 hour of browsing, no start menu or task bar, and no desktop. Using fear as a motivator, the email warns resellers to 'make sure your customers always get genuine Windows Vista preinstalled.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9035478&intsrc=news_ts_head
:-P

[FuturePilot]

Ouch! That's harsh. Just reminds me how much I dislike MS.
I love Linux:mrgreen:

[n3tfury]

Ouch! That's harsh. Just reminds me how much I dislike MS.
I love Linux:mrgreen:

How or why is that harsh?

[p_quarles]

This could be good for Linux, actually. Pirated copies of Windows are among the main reasons it has such widespread use.

Still, this being Microsoft, it's only a matter of time until it starts thrashing legitimate installations. I mean, just a couple weeks ago one of the WGA servers went down and a bunch of paid customers were informed they were pirates.

I keep Windows around for a couple games, but I'm kinda reconsidering now.

[DalekClock]

Well, I never. Microsoft penalising the poor for using pirated copies of their software over the competition. If they want to keep their userbase, they'll surely need to think of better tactics than disabling peoples computers.

[Bungo Pony]

So, Windows Vista just lost half of its users.

Of course MS thought it was appropriate to do it on Sept. 11.

[FuturePilot]

How or why is that harsh?

Did you read it? Basically MS shuts down your computer completely if you don't have a valid copy of Vista. Imagine what would happen if a valid copy got mistakenly flagged as Pirated. I've seen it happen with XP.

[n3tfury]

Did you read it? Basically MS shuts down your computer completely if you don't have a valid copy of Vista. Imagine what would happen if a valid copy got mistakenly flagged as Pirated. I've seen it happen with XP.

ok. i've not.

[notwen]

Microsoft rules ! That's a pretty cool way of showing how powerful you are, remotely killing the OS you never actually sell to consumers, but charge fair amounts of money for a measly license to simply use. Uhm.. yeah !!

[tvrg]

I do agree that they do something against pirating, but they have to be damn sure their piracy detection algoritm is flawless.

I once failed a WGA check even though the OS was perfectly legal (years ago when they first introduced it)

[FuturePilot]

I think they should change the name from "Reduced Functionality" to "No Functionality"

[p_quarles]

Right, because it would be easy enough to confuse "reduced functionality mode" with the normal mode. :)

[igknighted]

If you pirate an operating system and break the EULA you deserve this. Nothing against windows, I think it is a fine OS. If you want to use it, however, you need to be aware of what you are signing up for. This is a perfect example. It is not free. You have to use it in the ways you agree to by agreeing to the EULA at install. If this is not acceptable to you, find an alternative. But if they decide to disable non-genuine versions, I have absolutely no sympathy for those whose installs are disabled due to using a non-genuine version. People need to learn that they are agreeing to this when they install it. If they accept that, fine, otherwise there are alternatives. Look at them.

[p_quarles]

@igknighted: I agree with you about the pirates, they deserve what they get. The real problem is with WGA, and the fact that it hasn't always been reliable. So I would just add: agreeing to the Windows EULA means you are agreeing to let an error-prone authentication server monitor your computer.

[markp1989]

ok. i've not.

It happened to my real version of xp, and was my main reason for testing out ubuntu. so this could do the Linux community good

[karellen]

If you pirate an operating system and break the EULA you deserve this. Nothing against windows, I think it is a fine OS. If you want to use it, however, you need to be aware of what you are signing up for. This is a perfect example. It is not free. You have to use it in the ways you agree to by agreeing to the EULA at install. If this is not acceptable to you, find an alternative. But if they decide to disable non-genuine versions, I have absolutely no sympathy for those whose installs are disabled due to using a non-genuine version. People need to learn that they are agreeing to this when they install it. If they accept that, fine, otherwise there are alternatives. Look at them.

wow, I believe it's the first time that I completely adhere to your opinion...:)

[igknighted]

@igknighted: I agree with you about the pirates, they deserve what they get. The real problem is with WGA, and the fact that it hasn't always been reliable. So I would just add: agreeing to the Windows EULA means you are agreeing to let an error-prone authentication server monitor your computer.

Along this line, I think there should be a specificly outlined procedure for how to deal with false positives of the system. I think there needs to be an apeal phase where you get functionality back in the meantime, but in the end MS should have to provide its evidence that your install is invalid and you need to have the facts to refute it, like any other dispute over a contract. If your landlord brought evidence against you about a breach of your lease, you would need the payment receipts and other signed documents to prove that the allegations are false. This is no different.

You are signing a legally binding document when agreeing to a EULA. It gives you certain rights and denies you others. You should save this and related documentation (such as cert. of authenticity and purchase receipts). If you do not, and you get burned by a false positive, again, you should only blame yourself. You would not throw out other documentation related to legally binding documents, so if you do with your computer, then you are putting yourself at risk.

Again, I think people really just take this all for granted. Like windows is a part of the computer. This is a really good thing for linux. Not because it will scare people away from windows per se, but it truely shows that windows is not a part fo the system. You CHOOSE to use it. You CHOOSE to agree to give up rights to your system by agreeing to the EULA. The more MS makes this clear, the more people will realize that there are choices. MS is an option, not a necessity. I bet a lot of people will be burned by this because they had some friend install windows which is probably not genuine... again, they deserve it. You wouldn't just move into a house without examining all the paperwork (to stick with the above analogy), and its the same here. Know what you are agreeing to.

[glotz]

How or why is that harsh?Because our absolute beginner questions forum will be flooded! :lolflag:

[marco123]

Try shutting my PC down Microsoft. :)
Seriously though this is the reason they aren't going anywhere near MY PC with their inferior OS.

Oh, this is really funny BTW: http://www.linuxgenuineadvantage.org/
(I know it's probably been posted before, but it's too good an opportunity to miss. :) )

[tgalati4]

At least Microsoft warned us. I hope the Ubuntu servers can handle the extra load. It will take some time to print extra CD's.

[igknighted]

wow, I believe it's the first time that I completely adhere to your opinion...:)

:), I think deep down we want the same things more or less, just differences on how to get there... thats the story of linux though (vi/emacs, gnome/kde, ubuntu/fedora/mandriva/pclos...)

If MS abuses the policy and they do not give people a fair chance to apeal a WGA violation, then that is despicable and they deserve to get sued. So its a great theory, but they better be fair in practice, or else I hope they get screwed for it.

[marco123]

I keep seeing that scene from Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, when Gandolf says "Fly you fools" just before he falls into the abyss.
Get off the sinking Windows ship before they have more control over your PC than you.

[James7]

Well I thought this would bother me but I frankly am not worried about myself and my own computer. I am happy with 100% Linux.

I feel sorry for those people with licensed Vista who get shut down (there are bound to be lots of false positives). Maybe this will be a real wake up call for people about how horrible Microsoft is.

[LaRoza]

I keep seeing that scene from Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, when Gandolf says "Fly you fools" just before he falls into the abyss.
Get off the sinking Windows ship before they have more control over your PC than you.

That is a really good anology!

(Now we just need a little cartoon of it.)

[FuturePilot]

If you pirate an operating system and break the EULA you deserve this. Nothing against windows, I think it is a fine OS. If you want to use it, however, you need to be aware of what you are signing up for. This is a perfect example. It is not free. You have to use it in the ways you agree to by agreeing to the EULA at install. If this is not acceptable to you, find an alternative. But if they decide to disable non-genuine versions, I have absolutely no sympathy for those whose installs are disabled due to using a non-genuine version. People need to learn that they are agreeing to this when they install it. If they accept that, fine, otherwise there are alternatives. Look at them.

Along this line, I think there should be a specificly outlined procedure for how to deal with false positives of the system. I think there needs to be an apeal phase where you get functionality back in the meantime, but in the end MS should have to provide its evidence that your install is invalid and you need to have the facts to refute it, like any other dispute over a contract. If your landlord brought evidence against you about a breach of your lease, you would need the payment receipts and other signed documents to prove that the allegations are false. This is no different.

You are signing a legally binding document when agreeing to a EULA. It gives you certain rights and denies you others. You should save this and related documentation (such as cert. of authenticity and purchase receipts). If you do not, and you get burned by a false positive, again, you should only blame yourself. You would not throw out other documentation related to legally binding documents, so if you do with your computer, then you are putting yourself at risk.

Again, I think people really just take this all for granted. Like windows is a part of the computer. This is a really good thing for linux. Not because it will scare people away from windows per se, but it truely shows that windows is not a part fo the system. You CHOOSE to use it. You CHOOSE to agree to give up rights to your system by agreeing to the EULA. The more MS makes this clear, the more people will realize that there are choices. MS is an option, not a necessity. I bet a lot of people will be burned by this because they had some friend install windows which is probably not genuine... again, they deserve it. You wouldn't just move into a house without examining all the paperwork (to stick with the above analogy), and its the same here. Know what you are agreeing to.Totally agree.:)

[marco123]

That is a really good anology!

(Now we just need a little cartoon of it.)

It would definitely make a good TV ad for Ubuntu. Maybe with Gandolf wearing a parachute with the Ubuntu logo on top of it.:)

[LaRoza]

It would definitely make a good TV ad for Ubuntu. Maybe with Gandolf wearing a parachute with the Ubuntu logo on top of it.:)

No, Gandolf with a huge MS symbol tied to his ankles, hanging from the cliff, as a Penguin at the tunnels end, beckons to those torn between their "investment" and freedom and daylight...

[karellen]

:), I think deep down we want the same things more or less, just differences on how to get there... thats the story of linux though (vi/emacs, gnome/kde, ubuntu/fedora/mandriva/pclos...)

If MS abuses the policy and they do not give people a fair chance to apeal a WGA violation, then that is despicable and they deserve to get sued. So its a great theory, but they better be fair in practice, or else I hope they get screwed for it.

:)...even though I'm comfortable enough with the cli, I prefer gedit/leafpad over vi/emacs. and I'd choose gnome any time, day or night. I'm still very much in doubt between ubuntu and fedora, as I spend my last 2 "linux" years almost only using them (except windows). I know very little about mandriva as I've never used it. and I don't like pclos, I simply don't (it's still the only distro on which I couldn't configure my pppoe connection)

back to the topic....
I've always thought that in fact MS, if not encouraged, at least tolerated the piracy of their products for gaining the huge market share and thus becoming the virtual monopoly they are now. even bill gates said that tolerating piracy proved to be MS best long strategies. they've got the ubiquitous windows platform on which every developer and software company built the so called windows software ecosystem...and that meant a lot of money for MS.
quoting bill gates "It's easier for our software to compete with Linux when there's piracy than when there's not"...
and with vista I'm afraid MS will run into a catch-22. allow it to be pirated (like 2000, XP) and lose money. more money, because it costs more. or strengthen the anti-piracy measures...and push many people to abandon vista in favour of linux or even mac os x, which is cheaper. it will be nice to watch in the long term

[Steve1961]

If MS abuses the policy and they do not give people a fair chance to apeal a WGA violation, then that is despicable and they deserve to get sued. So its a great theory, but they better be fair in practice, or else I hope they get screwed for it.

Well here's an example of something that happened to one of my customers a couple of weeks ago. He came home with his brand new laptop from PC world and when he attempted to activate his (absolutely genuine) copy of vista something went wrong. Next thing he knew "this is not a genuine copy of windows" was splattered all over the place. He called me out and I spent over 40 minutes talking to various MS employees who eventually agreed to generate a new activation code. But here's the best bit, I was then told that I would have to ring back in 48 hours because, and I quote, they had 'run out' of Vista Home Premium activation codes.

Every day in every way I am so glad I use Linux :)

[Crashmaxx]

What I wonder is why this wasn't 'activated' from day one? Why would they wait months to turn this on? Seems to me, that they are trying to take advantage of the poor in China and India and such, and let them upgrade to a pirated copy of Vista only to shut it down and force them to pay. Sounds pretty unethical to me.

Of course, that may not be what's happening here, its just a thought.

I do hope the thing works though and isn't easily cracked like activation codes and WGA on XP. Stopping windows from being 'free' will help the FLOSS movement immensely.

[marco123]

No, Gandolf with a huge MS symbol tied to his ankles, hanging from the cliff, as a Penguin at the tunnels end, beckons to those torn between their "investment" and freedom and daylight...

:lolflag: The image of Tux beckoning with his flipper cracks me up.:) I can imagine people staggering out of the tunnel after their Windows ordeal.

[karellen]

I keep seeing that scene from Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring, when Gandolf says "Fly you fools" just before he falls into the abyss.
Get off the sinking Windows ship before they have more control over your PC than you.

that was a hell of a scene ;)

[LaRoza]

The image of Tux beckoning with his flipper cracks me up.:) I can imagine people staggering out of the tunnel after their Windows ordeal.

I can just see Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippen, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boramir faces now...

[karellen]

Well here's an example of something that happened to one of my customers a couple of weeks ago. He came home with his brand new laptop from PC world and when he attempted to activate his (absolutely genuine) copy of vista something went wrong. Next thing he knew "this is not a genuine copy of windows" was splattered all over the place. He called me out and I spent over 40 minutes talking to various MS employees who eventually agreed to generate a new activation code. But here's the best bit, I was then told that I would have to ring back in 48 hours because, and I quote, they had 'run out' of Vista Home Premium activation codes.

Every day in every way I am so glad I use Linux :)

how the hell can they run out of activation codes? :confused:

[jrusso2]

If you pirate an operating system and break the EULA you deserve this. Nothing against windows, I think it is a fine OS. If you want to use it, however, you need to be aware of what you are signing up for. This is a perfect example. It is not free. You have to use it in the ways you agree to by agreeing to the EULA at install. If this is not acceptable to you, find an alternative. But if they decide to disable non-genuine versions, I have absolutely no sympathy for those whose installs are disabled due to using a non-genuine version. People need to learn that they are agreeing to this when they install it. If they accept that, fine, otherwise there are alternatives. Look at them.

Microsoft's own figures for false positives is one in five systems will be identified as being pirated when it is not.

So that means 20% of legitimate users will be effected.

[Steve1961]

how the hell can they run out of activation codes?

I would love to know. The guy tried to generate one on his machine and said that there was an error message saying Vista Home Preimium codes not available. He translated this as they'd run out. Anyway, i rang back 48 hours later as requested and this time they were able to supply one. This in itself was bad enough, but what made it worse is that I was passed from person to person when I first rang them about the activation process screwing up. It felt like they weren't sure who to pass me to next.

[p_quarles]

how the hell can they run out of activation codes? :confused:
The server bluescreened :D

[Steve1961]

The server bluescreened

:lolflag:

[karellen]

I would love to know. The guy tried to generate one on his machine and said that there was an error message saying Vista Home Preimium codes not available. He translated this as they'd run out. Anyway, i rang back 48 hours later as requested and this time they were able to supply one. This in itself was bad enough, but what made it worse is that I was passed from person to person when I first rang them about the activation process screwing up. It felt like they weren't sure who to pass me to next.

so much for the top class support of the flagship product of a huge corporation...:!:

[Bungo Pony]

Apparently, it's a hoax:

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/microsoft-vista.html

Microsoft was quick to debunk this e-mail warning of a Black Screen of Death. A Microsoft representative told Wired News "the reporter received inaccurate information," and that the company has not rolled out any updates to Windows Vista's anti-piracy platform.

[igknighted]

Apparently, it's a hoax:

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/microsoft-vista.html

Thats too bad.

[starcraft.man]

Ha. A hoax.

Who cares anyway, the pirates of the world have never been stopped by anything MS decided to implement. They've only managed to PO their user base and encourage piracy by making it that much more difficult to be legitimate.

[BoyOfDestiny]

nm.
darn hoaxes.

[tcpip4lyfe]

{deleted}

[-grubby]

Ridiculous
EDIT: oh wait it's a hoax

[Kingsley]

Apparently, it's a hoax:

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/microsoft-vista.html

Thanks for the link. I was just about to waste 3 minutes to boot into Windows and check if I got blacked out. I gotta use Vista for my Calculus homework, ARRRRRRR.

[nowshining]

actually the Default installed base such as those pre-installed are not affected it's only the store shelf bought versions. By pre-installed I mean, Dell, HP, etc.. oh and the restore CDs..


edit: oh lolz did read the whole posts - but still if anything like this came about - then well what i said above will still of been valid..

[BigSilly]

The darkness will descend! (http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9035478) Is this for real or what? I would never use a pirate copy of Vista myself, but this seems perhaps a little harsh. Then again maybe not. What do you think?

[eentonig]

There's another topic open regarding this.

[NilsHG]

why would anyone use Vista?:lolflag:

[BigSilly]

why would anyone use Vista?:lolflag:

Exactly.

Sorry if this is already active elsewhere in the forum. I did a search but couldn't find anything. Please shut this down if needs be.

[primski]

why would anyone BUY vista?

[newman]

why would anyone use Vista?:lolflag:

It looks polished and the theme is consistent throughout the OS - unlike KDE or gnome with the crappy widgets and menus.
Driver support is good out of the box.
Wireless works nicely - unlike most Linux distros that require you to rewrite the OS to get a simple wireless card working!
ATI Video drivers works great - unlike in linux where you get like 2FPS and screen-tearing to no end, assuming X11 will even start!
Lots of apps - I'm talking professional apps like Potoshop, MS office, Autocad, etc. - and don't start with the wine crap!
Beautiful multimedia playback- something that never applies to linux. There must be a million different video players for linux, and not one plays videos or DVDs as nicely as Windows Media Player.
Windows explorer. Linux file browsing sucks a$$ -especially nautilus.
Vistas Media Center is great - my HDTV card work with no effort. In linux the only app to playand record HDTV is MythTV and that's the biggest pain in the A$$ to set-up, and after messing with it for weeks, it still doesn't work properly - crashes, choppy video, etc. Media Center took 10 min to set-up.
DVD coping works perfectly in windows - try to say that about K9Copy - POS crashes at will and is a coaster factory.
Web pages display properly.
etc
etc

[primski]

lol?

Windows explorer is crap
windows media player is crap
driver support is crap (not once!!! and im an admin, i've installed tons of win boxes, and not once all hardware worked out of the box, and 90% of the time u have to install netowork drivers just to download all other drivers)
lots of apps, there are lots of apps for linux too
media center is crap

next?

[BigSilly]

Sounds like you've had a terrible experience with Ubuntu there newman. I think I'd move on if I felt like that. Ubuntu performs much better than Windows for me here, though I admit I haven't tried Vista yet.

[karellen]

lol?

Windows explorer is crap
windows media player is crap
driver support is crap (not once!!! and im an admin, i've installed tons of win boxes, and not once all hardware worked out of the box, and 90% of the time u have to install netowork drivers just to download all other drivers)
lots of apps, there are lots of apps for linux too
media center is crap

next?

can't we just get along? it's all about choice: if vista works better for him and thus he believes vista is better than linux, what' your problem? you think otherwise, split up and enjoy the OS. or just use it and forget bashing

[karellen]

The darkness will descend! (http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9035478) Is this for real or what? I would never use a pirate copy of Vista myself, but this seems perhaps a little harsh. Then again maybe not. What do you think?

the article is a hoax

[M$LOL]

The darkness will descend! (http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9035478) Is this for real or what? I would never use a pirate copy of Vista myself, but this seems perhaps a little harsh. Then again maybe not. What do you think?

The pirates will be laughing their asses off at this.

You don't even have to activate Vista to pirate it, so this isn't going to help M$ one bit.

[primski]

can't we just get along? it's all about choice: if vista works better for him and thus he believes vista is better than linux, what' your problem? you think otherwise, split up and enjoy the OS. or just use it and forget bashing

yea sure but he started it :P

sounds like im 5 or smth, but agreed...

[ubuntukerala1980]

why anyone should pirate vista when linux is free :lolflag:

[Yuske]

can't we just get along? it's all about choice: if vista works better for him and thus he believes vista is better than linux, what' your problem? you think otherwise, split up and enjoy the OS. or just use it and forget bashing

thought the same... I use Vista at home, XP at work, but my job requires remote on debian. And I think all of them have their goods and bads. I've had problems with linux at home (ubuntu was, by far, the best linux experience I've had), but I'm also having problems with Windows at work here and there.

open source minds are a strange thing to me... hypocritical, actually. reminds me of Henry Ford's quote "you can have the Model T in any color you want, so long as it's black", which seems to apply on most open source people: you can choose whatever OS you want, so long as it's Linux.

get real, grow up.

[primski]

and all these M$ lovers and Linux haters....you just come to this forum and trash all around? Or what's your purpose here ? I mean, i use this forum for support and tend to help others if i can i don't go to windows forums and trash there, so what are you doing here then ?

edit: ok this has gone out of control. i will no longer participate in this debate.

[justin whitaker]

why anyone should pirate vista when linux is free :lolflag:

Stictly speaking, a cracked version of Vista is free too.

Just saying. :)

[karellen]

and all these M$ lovers and Linux haters....you just come to this forum and trash all around? Or what's your purpose here ? I mean, i use this forum for support and tend to help others if i can i don't go to windows forums and trash there, so what are you doing here then ?

edit: ok this has gone out of control. i will no longer participate in this debate.

be welcome not to. this is Windows Discussions part of the Ubuntuforums...
what's your problem? that somebody dares to think differently of you? that has other opinions and he expresses them politely? take it easy...very easy....it's better for you and for everybody else
;)

[bapoumba]

Threads merged.

Edit: and moved back to Windows Discussion (first thread on the same subject was in he Cafe).

[M$LOL]

why anyone should pirate vista when linux is free :lolflag:

I think you're missing a very important point here, people who pirate Vista don't care about Linux, they've only ever known Windows and they are getting it for free, so there's no reason for them to even consider using Linux.

This is one reason M$ holds such a massive marketshare.

[glotz]

According to one source around 50% of those 'free' windows copies come with free trojans preinstalled.

[Happy_Man]

What I think is funny is that I remember a similar brand of rumor circulating when XP was first introduced. Nobody really believed it. Now, when I see this Vista rumor, everyone was picking up on it, and running with it in a totally serious attitude, only stopping when it was revealed to be a hoax.

That, more than anything, signals how far Microsoft has fallen.

[p_quarles]

It's certainly true that a lot of people don't trust MS.

But this was only partly a hoax. The "reduced functionality mode" for machines that can't authenticate their licenses is real, and it's been there since day one. The hoax part was the suggestion that MS was now "activating" this built-in feature, and that the screen would black out after an hour. It's still the case that a machine that doesn't pass the test ( !=pirated) is virtually unusable.

[nowshining]

the problem tho is not the bashing of Microsoft, but what happens when Microsoft is gone, will Ubuntu/Canonical be just like them, or worse, that's what needs to be kept track of and made sure it does not happen with Disciplined thoughts and actions.. edit: by the way that applies to all Linux Companies and Lovers.

[glotz]

And that's where the GNU GPL steps in.

[nowshining]

well no actually - it's not the GPL why it's not alive - it all depends on the people behind the scenes in the end tho GPL and EULA are the same in the end. In other words What I get unless otherwise stated as you are borrowing from me, it is mine and I can come get it back whenever i want to is Mine, Wholly mine and only mine. I'm not blind to the whole GPL and EULA lies.. :)

[p_quarles]

Not exactly. If Linus and every single kernel developer got together and decided to re-license Linux under the Evil Restrictive License, that would only apply to new work done to the kernel. You and I would continue to have the right to distribute, modify, roundhouse-kick all GPL-licensed source code we possess.

Don't drink the BSD koolaid. The "viral" nature of the GPL is precisely what prevents any one person or group of people from co-opting materials under that license.

[nowshining]

EULA vs. other Licences like GPL both are Owners so which do you chose the Master that Beats you up all the time or the Master that's NIce to you. in the End BOTH OWN you and Both are Masters and YOU HAVE NO FREEDOM and are OWNED.

IF shakespeare would of licensed his works you wouldn't have had what you had today. And the same for others.

Here's secret to get rich.

LIE - Take people's rights away. Tell them to go to college when that's not how they got rich and stayed rich, say you are for the children and then never give to them. The Higly Rich Control the Laws, etc..

You gotta remember I can use any person of the slave population as stated above and noone will be knocking on my door as long as I don't cheat the Filthy Rich and those who control the laws- they don't care.

Each goes throw the door, and both chooses freedom, But one chooses to USE the people while the other tries to continue to free the people.

Take a look at ur hands both

Copyright - right hand
Copyleft - left hand

Both may in turn look diff. However both serve the same purpose in the end.

Take a look at a mirror

Both look the same and both look diff. ways but in the end both are the same..

Licenses are all Evil..

However there is such a few times one can walk before the blind...They while telling of the truth walk before them and take what they need and when the time is nigh and right they leave.

Freedom is the Wilderness Buddy Freedom is NOT choosing your own color, to change how something looks, etc.. True Freedom is again the Wilderness, and when YOU get it, Welcome to a place of loneliness and attack dogs after you. Go into the Wilderness and you'll see your alone there bub.

[p_quarles]

My bad.

I meant to say "stop drinking the koolaid."

[newman]

can't we just get along? it's all about choice: if vista works better for him and thus he believes vista is better than linux, what' your problem? you think otherwise, split up and enjoy the OS. or just use it and forget bashing


I'm sorry I wasn't trying to start a windows / linux argument. I was merely stating my experiences, since the previous question was "why would anyone use vista?"
I've tried many linux distributions over the past few years, and although ubuntu is among the best, for me it doesn't perform many tasks as well as vista. It's nice to have choices, but I think linux is still not production quality - it's just something to play around with. It's experimental software and that's fine for some people, but I prefer an OS that works on a daily basis. I've tried linux on my 2 laptop and 2 desktop PC's and each time something, whether it be power management or video, etc, has not worked for me. These are basic things that should work in an OS.
Anyway, that's all I was saying...

[nowshining]

lolz I don't drink koolaid I drink Soda. :) and Tons of IT, so much that if I drink soda late at night it actually makes me fall asleep. :P so to be able to stay up all night I have to not drink soda..

[Dr. C]

http://oem.microsoft.com/downloads/public/US/wgavista/Flash.html

Directly form the horse's mouth. This flash video from Microsoft describes what happens with "non genuine" Vista. According to the video:

If a Vista system fails "activation" or subsequent "validation" it goes in to a non genuine state. This involves a notification, denying certain software downloads and certain feature of Vista (Areo, ready boost etc). After a 30 day grace period it goes into "reduced functionality mode" black screen with default browser for 1 hour periods.

This has been in Vista all along so it is nothing new. So in the sense that Microsoft "turned on reduced functionality mode" it is a hoax since Microsoft changed nothing. The reduced functionality mode with the black screen was in Vista all along.

PS The video works with Firefox on Ubuntu 7.04 with the flash plugin installed. I have not tired it with the Free Gnash plugin

[karellen]

I'm sorry I wasn't trying to start a windows / linux argument. I was merely stating my experiences, since the previous question was "why would anyone use vista?"
I've tried many linux distributions over the past few years, and although ubuntu is among the best, for me it doesn't perform many tasks as well as vista. It's nice to have choices, but I think linux is still not production quality - it's just something to play around with. It's experimental software and that's fine for some people, but I prefer an OS that works on a daily basis. I've tried linux on my 2 laptop and 2 desktop PC's and each time something, whether it be power management or video, etc, has not worked for me. These are basic things that should work in an OS.
Anyway, that's all I was saying...

I know where are you coming from and I fully understand your reasons and concerns. and I wasn't talking about you...;)

[karellen]

EULA vs. other Licences like GPL both are Owners so which do you chose the Master that Beats you up all the time or the Master that's NIce to you. in the End BOTH OWN you and Both are Masters and YOU HAVE NO FREEDOM and are OWNED.

IF shakespeare would of licensed his works you wouldn't have had what you had today. And the same for others.

Here's secret to get rich.

LIE - Take people's rights away. Tell them to go to college when that's not how they got rich and stayed rich, say you are for the children and then never give to them. The Higly Rich Control the Laws, etc..

You gotta remember I can use any person of the slave population as stated above and noone will be knocking on my door as long as I don't cheat the Filthy Rich and those who control the laws- they don't care.

Each goes throw the door, and both chooses freedom, But one chooses to USE the people while the other tries to continue to free the people.

Take a look at ur hands both

Copyright - right hand
Copyleft - left hand

Both may in turn look diff. However both serve the same purpose in the end.

Take a look at a mirror

Both look the same and both look diff. ways but in the end both are the same..

Licenses are all Evil..

However there is such a few times one can walk before the blind...They while telling of the truth walk before them and take what they need and when the time is nigh and right they leave.

Freedom is the Wilderness Buddy Freedom is NOT choosing your own color, to change how something looks, etc.. True Freedom is again the Wilderness, and when YOU get it, Welcome to a place of loneliness and attack dogs after you. Go into the Wilderness and you'll see your alone there bub.

:confused:
man....you are mixing things. badly
there cannot be software without a license. and nor creative work. understand this.
Shakespeare's works were his IP and were copyrighted, but the fact is they aren't any more not now, after 400 years. if I remember correctly, the copyright of a literary, artistic work expires after something like 75 years and then in becomes public domain. that's why sites like gutenberg.org can exist :P.
there is no right to modify or pretend it's yours something that's not :P. not at all. if I would have invented the safety pin, well I'd damn if I would want to secure my discovery and be sure that after 2 weeks some guy comes and pretends he made the invention. without our works protected by copyright, there would be great injustice.
it's not freedom you are talking about. it's anarchy :P and I can't take you too seriously. after you'll write something you'll see how your perspective about this matter will dramatically change

[HermanAB]

Even if MS would add a feature to Windows so that a big fist would punch the user in the face each time they sat down in front of their computer, people would still use it and will stare at you with disbelief when you tell them that a Linux computer doesn't do that.

<snipped out inappropriate comment>

[primski]

I know where are you coming from and I fully understand your reasons and concerns. and I wasn't talking about you...;)

ye ye ye im sorry i wast meaning to start a war here...use whatever to your likening, i do to and if that means M$, who cares, as long as you get ur work done.

[Chymera]

an other futile, ms branded attempt to slow down piracy, you may not realize this but pirated distributions of vista were available even before its release and never needed any activation. Just ask the guys at the pirate bay.

Oh and another thing, ms knows this, and ms itself or at least part of it is behind most pirated distributions. Windows core development takes place in an insular network, which means you cannot hack into it over the internet. The only way to grab fairly large bits of code (which you need in order to disable the activation function), is to go get it yourself. I doubt there are any pirates out there willing to risk their asses in order to make home calls at redmond, so the only way to get that code is if you work with it yourself.

[darksong]

Yes, and anyone who is getting a pirated version will probably have one which gets around this. Or are you all r-tards and install 1 officail version of vista on 50 different machines and expect it to work... no - i didnt think so, i have both hacked and unhacked vista - on different machines, both work.

[cmat]

You guys whine a lot over electronic signals on a magnetic disk.

[Depressed Man]

an other futile, ms branded attempt to slow down piracy, you may not realize this but pirated distributions of vista were available even before its release and never needed any activation. Just ask the guys at the pirate bay.

Oh and another thing, ms knows this, and ms itself or at least part of it is behind most pirated distributions. Windows core development takes place in an insular network, which means you cannot hack into it over the internet. The only way to grab fairly large bits of code (which you need in order to disable the activation function), is to go get it yourself. I doubt there are any pirates out there willing to risk their asses in order to make home calls at redmond, so the only way to get that code is if you work with it yourself.

Often alot of leaked releases come from inside. Or the production line itself. Which is what most hacking is nowadays (social hacking actually.. or social networking) So that's no surprise. Most hacking groups also often just buy a legit copy or gets it from someone and figure out how the activation process works as well. So I have no doubt MS knows that the leak comes from somewhere inside their company (or whoever they hire to print the discs). But pinpointing it may be harder.

[karellen]

MS doesn't really want to stop piracy. in a year or so this would ruin their 90+ market share. even gates said that "if they pirate they'd better pirate our products"....

[James7]

Even if MS would add a feature to Windows so that a big fist would punch the user in the face each time they sat down in front of their computer, people would still use it and will stare at you with disbelief when you tell them that a Linux computer doesn't do that.

Windows users are like abused women. They get slapped around every day but cannot imagine life without it.

You are SO spot on there ! :lolflag: It's sad though that it's true.:(

[CaptainInsaneO]

Get off the sinking Windows ship before they have more control over your PC than you.

Too late.

[NightCrawler03X]

This is but one of the many warning humanity will face in the coming years.

Though, Microsoft, the great Satan, as usual, is wrong. OEM's should not install genuine windows, they should not preinstall Windows at all.

Anyone who decides to keep using Windows XP is clearly under oppression; in the belief that nothing else is out there, and that they must use something that is completely unethical. Anyone who decides (conscientiously) to install Windows Vista is being possessed by the devil.

[klange]

... wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell me that MS just virtually knocked off most of their customer base? That's... Wow... Um... You know, I used to think that Microsoft was at least semi-smart (but inexplicably evil), but this is just... wow... Um, I have no idea what to say... Things are not looking good for MS. I guess the countdown's begun until the day I completely remove Vista from my laptop.

Final Word:
Not looking good for the big MS.

EDIT: Oh, hey, page 10.

[karellen]

...
EDIT: Oh, hey, page 10.
yes, it was a popular subject :)

[angryfirelord]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/159/432022605_02ae4f41ee.jpg
http://media.techeblog.com/images/vistademo.jpg
I remember getting this one:
http://lcem.com/hosting/lm/blog.nsf/0/36264A5CD32BEE0380257283006FAC04/EntryRichMime/M2?OpenElement

[kulturloseramerikaner]

Beautiful!!!=D>:grin:

[olieviya]

Knowing the common windows cracker/warez etc community i'm sure i'll be cracked in no time :lolflag:


EDIT: Ah, yes totally: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=reduced+functionality+mode+crack&btnG=Search&meta=