Posted on 01/10/2002 6:46:47 AM PST by colette_g
If a certain brand of stereo receiver or television shut down pending "reauthentication" of the purchasing agreement whenever a consumer added new components, i.e. DVD player or cable box, would "real people" who work for a living let the manufacturer get away with it? Why should we tolerate this for our computer? Especially if we've come to depend on it as an everyday appliance, as you argue?
Rarely on FR do we have the benefit of people arguing in favor of ignorance.
For me, it's much simpler than that. I don't have to purchase Windows XP.
If it is mine, I should be able to use it on any computer I chose.
It's neither. The OS belongs to Microsoft! You are licensed to use it on that specific computer. The activation key on that little sticker is valid ONLY on that cpu!
Why does that matter? here's why...
I've got a client wiht about 1500 workstations, all running Windows NT Workstation. When they buy new systems, it's 50-100 at a time... In order to cut down on support and configuration time, they configure one system exacly the way they want it, and then using software called "Ghost," they are able to make exact duplicates of everything on the hard drive (applications, etc...) to 24 other systems at the same time, at high rates of speed (less than 20 minutes for all 24 systems!). Every machine that they bought had that "little sticker" for Windows NT Workstation on it, so they figured that they were OK... WRONG!!! Again, that activation key is ONLY valid on that one CPU, and an audit showed them that they were in violation of the license agreement! Even tough every system they bought had a legal, licensed copy of WinNT, it wasn't transferable to another system (by the agreement)! They had to go to MS and buy roughly 1500 (tranferable) corporate licenses of Windows NT Workstation!
Mark
No, it's reality, and if you either live in such a cloistered environment that you can't recognize it, or else personalize it because you won't face it, that changes nothing. Facts are immune to all external forces.
If a certain brand of stereo receiver or television shut down pending "reauthentication" of the purchasing agreement whenever a consumer added new components, i.e. DVD player or cable box, would "real people" who work for a living let the manufacturer get away with it? Why should we tolerate this for our computer? Especially if we've come to depend on it as an everyday appliance, as you argue?
Oh good grief.
Get back with us when you figure out the difference between hardware and software. Or, when you figure out how to replicate hardware out of the aether.
That's a crappy way ro run a railroad.
AB
Yes. And I'm only being half-facetious.
Microsoft became as popular as it did in large part due to widespread piracy of its software. They looked the other way for years, and only now do they seek to collect from the suckers who thought they were getting something for nothing.
The only software that absolutely can't be pirated is Free Software. Therefore, the only way to eliminate piracy is through the adoption of Free Software.
Yes, I'm being a bit of a wiseacre. So, sue me.
Sorry you feel that way I think that what I wrote was very insightful
Nowere this I tell people to go Linux or Unix .. Win 98 or ME are just fine and are user friendly to the home user. I would tell fokes to stay with them
Note I DID NOT CALL Win 98 or ME a OS for the sheeple did I?
Have you work with XP? compared it Win 98 or ME, XP is like working with handcuffs on, your locked in. Simple problems to fix in Win 98 or ME can be SOL in XP.
A simple upgrade can be a nightmare in XP.
It funny you used the terms "elite snobery", because I would say XP reflect the height of "elite snobbery" and total arrogance on the part of Microsoft
The average home use could do simple fixes and upgrades in 98 and ME
In XP the average home is going to get bit hard trying to do simple fixes and upgrades.
Locking in customer with proprietary software and locking out unauthorized hardware and software upgrades is not new and the what XP is all about.
If XP fly's the next step on Microsoft agenda be that you will not own the OS but "lease it"
The home use pay every year or month over the internet to be authorized to use the it or the OS turns off
Are you saying that if Microsoft vanished that there wouldn't be any more talent to produce the products that Microsoft makes? If so, this doesn't make sense since Microsoft didn't come up with most of their entire product line! Or, are you saying that's impossible for the market to demand the fulfillment of the void?
You should seriously rethink your position on this one because the whole point of your assertion is obliterated by the market. The market is bigger than Microsoft. And the market tends to get what it wants.
There you go folks, that's the official Microsoft position - coming from a Microsoft employee - on customers with negative comments.
FYI, Bushy, I'm a licensed, paying Microsoft customer who was fine with Win 3.1, Win 98, and - currently - with his Win 2000 and MS Office products. But I draw the line with the Win XP authentication model. It's not worth two seconds of my down time to support such a piss poor concept.
I've got nothing bad to say about Bill Gates, and it wouldn't bother me in the least to see Microsoft double its earnings tomorrow. But seeing them employ mindless internet surfing drones like yourself to harass and ridicule legitimate criticism of their products just makes me wanna puke. I'll never understand such paranoid desperation in the face of such unprecedented success.
That's utter rubbish. BG's BASIC interpreter was pirated from day one, and he took a serious stand against piracy from day one, and that's where the Hate Bill "movement" began -- and grew, like cancer. The ProtoWarezBoyz felt "entitled" to steal whatever bits they wanted, and they resented the owner when he stood up to them, so they've been exacting revenge ever since.
It's like the grocer who has a shoplifter arrested, and then the next morning finds all his windows busted.
"The only software that absolutely can't be pirated is Free Software. Therefore, the only way to eliminate piracy is through the adoption of Free Software."
I see a slogan forming here... "Fight Rape -- Outlaw Chastity!"
Tell me, does your life revolve around A Clockwork Orange?
"And the market tends to get what it wants."
Seems like if that was the case it wouldn't be screaming bloody murder over not being able to pirate its way to joy.
Tough break, eh?
You make an excellent argument for migrating to Linux.
It was an analogy. Sorry you didn't understand.
When the "real people" who "have jobs" can't access the gay chat rooms on AOL, they won't care whether the software or hardware is to blame. And they shouldn't, right? They're just "real people" who "have jobs."
Now THAT'S marketing! HOO YAH! Take no prisoners.
my scanners, Dazzle, memory card reader and cameras are not compatibile. 26 programs are incompatibile.
I can see an upgrade being quite a pain in the rear for real.
WOW didnt know that ok ...thanx
Glad ive got my good ol win 98 ive been on pc's with XP and i dont like the way it works anyway !
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