Posted on 01/26/2005 1:59:43 PM PST by 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.
hmm a 499 mac with no keyboard, mouse, monitor highly limited upgradeabilty or a $399 emachine with monitor, keyboard,mouse and easy upgradeabilty, decisions decisions...
There are viruses that affected older Mac's running OS9 and below. There has yet to be a single virus that could attack OS X.
I've seen those. Nevertheless, PCs have always been more affordable, flexible and generally more powerful, and if Apple wasn't so stubborn, they could've made a real impact years ago by having more competitive pricing, adding more Mac users, forcing Windows to make improvements faster, and overall help both sides. Maybe Apple is coming around now.
nah, a guy makes an ISO copy of an installation disc,copies it to a blank cd, runs the cd-rom over a laser labeler makes a key generator program randomly assigning a working key for the software puts it in a cheap cardboard box and sales it. No guys needed to type code for it, microsoft did all the work already.
"We're already verifying the XP key is legit with the activation scheme, now this?"
I am using XP in a pro audio set up and it is IMPOSSIBLY buggy!.
Because of this stupid verifying the key nonsense I'm probably going to jettison MS altogether. The gear WILL work with Mac, and I already have the Mac drivers.. I WON'T have to go on line with the system to get it installed (My audio systems are NEVER on line).
Let Bill Gates be all things to everyone. All I want is a damn hard disk recorder that WORKS!
Where's the monitor, keyboard and mouse?
Oh... They are extra?
$499 NOT!
They are cute though. Will they play Max Payne II, run a parallel printer and an old super VGA monitor?
This was bound to happen. I think Media Player 10 already has some sort of key-check in place.
As MS and other vendors lose ground because the "new" market is falling, they have to shift into the maintenance/upgrade market.
So expect to be offered premium tech support... for a nickle.
And expect that soon, you will not "buy and own" the OS you run. It WILL be a subscription service of some kind.
I managed to download the corporate version of SP2 (266mb or something, as opposed to the normal 66mb), and have experienced none of the horrors people speak of when it comes to SP2. It was a bittorrent file, but the link has long since been removed.
I know there are crackz out there for Quake 3, friends of mine have used it, I havent done it so dont ask.
why are you mac people so bitter.{grin}
i think video editing porn out in hollywood is getting best of you people.{complete sarcam}
"forcing Windows" should've read "forcing Microsoft" (in regard to Windows).
Well I could list more but because you asked for "Just one" there is Opener which hit the net about 3 months ago and it attacks MAC OS X as well as most Unix based O/S's. There are a lot more out there but there is "Just one" like you asked for.
Ya there are more that will attack windows, but that is beacuse over 85% of the computers in the world use Windows. But Mac's are attacked by Viruses and the fact that most Mac users work under the misconception that because they use a Mac they are safe is making them a more popular target for hackers.
Good to hear you have wireless connectivity. Are your laptops all IBM Thinkpads? I've read that under Linux, IBM's are well supported, but I never tried to install it on mine, Thinkpad R40 and a T23. Right now I got 2 no name desktops I've been messing with to learn Linux, it has been fun, but they won't connect with the wireless cards. Maybe I'll give it a go on the R40 with built in wireless card.
"Let Bill Gates be all things to everyone. All I want is a damn hard disk recorder that WORKS!"
Mmmmkay.
"Some of the nastiest crashes I've experienced have been on XP as opposed to 98SE"
I've never had an XP crash. I guess keeping all of that Adware/Spyware off the machines pays off. I had a Linux crash today. I was running Knoppix from a CD and the machine locked up while I was trying to install a printer.
Same here but some of the programs I like using still don't play well with SP2, even when they're supposedly written for it. I've set them to 98 compatible mode but no dice, they're unstable. Funny thing is they worked fairly well with SP1 so now I'll have to wait for things to get smoothed out.
real cheap until you try to upgrade the memory and can you even put a high end video card in it?
I did it. It was not a big deal, particularly since I am using legit Windows.
Now, I bet somebody will find a way to circumvent it.
Even activation codes, a new-fangled replacement for just typing in serial numbers, can be worked around very easily. I am not some hacker, and I can do it very easily, at least with Adobe's stuff.
I doubt MS' verification will work for long.
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/0,2000061744,39164062,00.htm
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