Microsoft: Legit Windows or no updates

CNET ^

[Happy2BMe]

Aiming to crack down on counterfeit software, Microsoft plans later this year to require customers to verify that their copy of Windows is genuine before downloading security patches and other add-ons to the operating system.

Since last fall the company has been testing a tool that can check whether a particular version of Windows is legitimate, but until now the checks have been voluntary. Starting Feb. 7, the verification will be mandatory for many downloads for people in three countries: China, Norway and the Czech Republic.

In those countries, people whose copies are found not to be legitimate can get a discount on a genuine copy of Windows, though the price varies from $10 to $150 depending on the country.

By the middle of this year, Microsoft will make the verification mandatory in all countries for both add-on features to Windows as well as for all OS updates, including security patches. Microsoft will continue to allow all people to get Windows updates by turning on the Automatic Update feature within Windows. By doing so, Microsoft hopes it has struck a balance between promoting security and ensuring that people buy genuine versions of Windows.

"We think that the best foundation for the most secure system is genuine software," said David Lazar, director of the Genuine Windows program at Microsoft. "We want to urge all of our customers to use genuine software. (At the same time), we want to make sure that we don't do anything to reduce the likelihood that a user will keep their system up to date."

The program, known as Windows Genuine Advantage, also offers perks to those who verify their copy of Windows. Those who do can get free software as well as discounts on other Microsoft products and services. Microsoft is upping the ante a bit, adding some additional discounts on MSN Games as well as on the company's recently announced Outlook Live subscription service to the existing list of benefits, which includes free access to the company's Photo Story 3 program.

Customers do appear to be interested in double-checking the status of their operating system. Some 8 million people have been asked to participate in the program since testing began, and more than 5 million have taken part.

And those numbers have come with very little recruiting on the part of Microsoft, Lazar said.

"More and more we will be marketing the offers to broaden the participation," he said. "People do like free stuff."

Piracy is a major problem for Microsoft and others in the software industry. One software industry study estimated that more than

a third of software is pirated, costing the industry $29 billion a year. Microsoft won't put an exact figure on its losses, but said it is certainly in the billions over the past 10 years.

The validation effort is just part of Microsoft's threefold program, which focuses on educating users, engineering products in ways that minimize piracy, and enforcement through the legal system.

As for the added security risk, Directions on Microsoft analyst Michael Cherry said that people are putting too much of the blame on the software maker.

Cherry said it is not necessarily Microsoft's responsibility to protect people who aren't paying the company for its products. He likened the situation to buying a fake Rolex and then expecting warranty service if the product breaks.

The problem with that analogy, Cherry acknowledged, is that a broken Rolex doesn't put other watch owners at risk, whereas vulnerable computers connected to the Internet threaten all PC users. However, Cherry said that many of the computers that are at risk are using genuine, but older versions of Windows.

"There's a growing chance that the people whose machines are being taken over are running older systems which aren't really securable," he said.

Cherry said he thinks the company is acting appropriately, noting that making sure people are running genuine Windows is important for all customers.

"I think they are entitled to do this, and I think it is in customers' best interest to know that they have a genuine version of the software," he said. Counterfeit copies could contain their own bugs or viruses, and there is no way to guarantee that security patches will work, even if the user can download them, he said.

While Microsoft is the obvious beneficiary if piracy rates go down, Cherry said programs like Genuine Advantage also help level the playing field for smaller computer builders who play by the rules and find themselves undercut by dealers offering PCs with bogus copies of Windows.

"Those are the people I hope the program is helping," Cherry said.

[fo0hzy]

None, stock.

But it comes with a mouse.

[Echo Talon]

When I get a Mac it will not be the Mac Mini... It will have to be a Power Mac of some sort...

[Happy2BMe]

Linux would be my OS of choice if it weren't for the lack of 3rd-party hardware vendor support.

[N3WBI3]

yea because lord knows I need yet another chep mouse around my home, when I though out my old dell (or make it a headless linux firewall) Ill have a monitor and mouse..

[Happy2BMe]

LoL - Bill Gates was already a multi-millionaire when that pic was taken.

(circa 1983?)

[N3WBI3]

Actually hardware support is very good with Linux, some stuff on laptops (firewire base stations) can be a bit of a pain but thats about it.

[fo0hzy]

You're mastering of the english language speakes volumes...

[N3WBI3]

And your willingness to insult me rather than address any content answers..

[fo0hzy]

Already noted ;)

[fo0hzy]

I didn't mean to hurt your feelers.

[Happy2BMe]

LoL - "Norwegian Hacker" = 90% of all installed operating systems on iNtel PCs.

[Nataku X]

Proper piracy enforcement and privacy are mutually exclusive trade-offs, no ifs or buts. Some of us like the 4th Amendment more than we like Microsoft.

[fo0hzy]

"Norwegian Hacker"

Kinda like a warm eskimo.

[Happy2BMe]

"I have visions of hundreds of industrious Asian programmers randomly stringing 000s and 11111s together, packaging it in authentic-looking Windows" boxes and finding a never-ending stream of suckers to sell them to."

=========================================

I'm sure you heard about the big bust in Asia (Singapore?) where millions of dollars worth of overclocked AMD CPUs had been re-badged as higher rated CPUs and being sold for large profits?

Like I say, counterfeiting would have 90% of the incentive taken out of it if M$ would simply lower the ownership cost to less than $50.

[TalBlack]

Installed MOTU 2408mk3, tried my gina 20 then tried my MIA MIDI all buggy and eventually will be "lost" by the OS. Only fix isto do complete reinstall of OS and all other progs. Will work for days, or months them boom gone, back to square one.

Tried all permutations of OS. No luck. The Gina 20 card was especially buggy.

At this stage I just can't see buying ANOTHER Win machine and program and trying again. According to RME on their site XP has a problem with ALL manufacteres multiport cards. The problem is in the driver registry. Xp will lose the driver and be unable to see them even though they are right there. They simply will stop loading at startup No one knows why.

[Varmint Al]

Microsoft is already checking the WPA.DBL file in Windows XP to see how many components have changed in your computer. If you change more than 3 items out of 10, then you have 3 days to re-register you software before they turn it off. Here is a screen shot of a small free ware program that tells one how many changes have been made since Windows XP was registered. Note that I added some more memory and I have 2 more changes allowed before I am doomed. I originally installed Windows XP on my D: drive and left Windows 98SE on my C: drive. When I finally decided to go all the way with Windows XP and installed it on my C: drive after a clean format I had to re register. I had to call a number and got someone from India who read, over the phone, a 40 digit number I had to type in while he was talking. The whole process took about 30 minutes.

One thing that this does is to make people reluctant in add improvements to their computer. Microsoft is in effect stifling the sales of new computer hardware improvements.

Good Hunting... from Varmint Al

[Happy2BMe]

"Oh, and (if you owned a MAC) you wouldn't need an anti-virus application. :-)"

==========================

Since when did the MAC become 'virus-free?'

[fo0hzy]

"No one knows why."

Stop letting Tom use your PC.

[1LongTimeLurker]

Since when did the MAC become 'virus-free?'

Since OS X was released.

[fo0hzy]

Since never.