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.
If you are crashing XP you have a hardware/motherboard conflict and are probably using old buggy software.
Here's what $100 more buys you in the Mac:
You really have to dig deeper under the hood when you make these comparisons.
Not to play online, you would have to steal a registered persons identity.
My understanding is once you are verified, you are verified.
You shouldn't have access to a keyboard if you can't keep your computer functioning.
Just kidding.
People - update your virii software. Run anti-spyware programs. Clear your cache. Defrag. Delete anything even remotely suspicious.
Be paranoid.
Name SH/Renepo-A Type
- Worm
How it spreads
- Network shares
Affected operating systems
- Macintosh
Side effects
- Allows others to access the computer
- Deletes files off the computer
- Steals information
- Downloads code from the internet
- Reduces system security
- Modifies passwords
Aliases
- Opener
For all my audio applications I still use 98SE, in my experience it's far better than XP. Suprisingly though Nero's latest Burning Rom version appears a little unstable in 98SE and so unfortunately I suspect software writers are in the process of ditching that OS altogether.
Try going to the manufacturer's website and updating the firmware. Had the same problem until I updated the firmware--no problems since--all plug & play
Dig a little deeper at: http://www.macintouch.com/opener.html
This isn't a virus, it's a piece of malware which according to the notes within the program itself state:
"# You need an admin level user name and password or physical access (boot from a CD or firewire, ignore permissions on the internal drive) to install this"
The Mac works much differently from Windows, you just can't screw it up by opening an e-mail attachment, you have to manually log in as administrator each time a program requests administrator rights. Try to get your hands on one some time and you'll see how it works.
Thanks, will try updating firmware, that I didn't try yet. I hope that helps!
Monitor and other expensive stuff sold separately, making the cost really $1000.
This computer's a brand new Pentium 4 with a dual boot of 98SE and XP. It works solidly in 98SE with no problems. XP is working ok it's just the occasional crash that I don't experience in the other OS. I suspect it's application/SP2 related.
What is that, a circa 1984 AT with a CGA monitor? Oh, and whatever you do, PLEASE don't get naked.
No it isn't, it's malware that requires a user to manually install it. It can't self-replicate and can't transmit itself over the Internet.
See: http://www.macnewsworld.com/story/37582.html
Try to find the corporate version of SP2 I spoke of earlier. You should be able to find a bittorrent somewhere.
Are you using NTFS or FAT32 with XP? XP really doesn't like FAT32.
1983... lol
Yup I agree, I've got all of 3 programs that start up with Windows with no viruses or spyware knock on wood.
XP has been the most bulletproof version of Windows I have ever used, as long as you run new software. Some older programs don't work well with it but the new ones seem to work fine.
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