thanks great thread.

If everyone paid, it would cost less.

"NO activation problems ... ever"? Aside from the fact that you had to prove to Microsoft that you have legitimate copies of Windows 27 times? LOL

That's what I call "activation problems"!

I'd be interested to know how much stuff like this actually saves them. 'Self build' PCs are just a teeny % of the total used so they are saving very little there. Just about every purchased PC comes with a licensed copy of windows so nothing gained there (other than pissing people off with activation problems when they have a genuine copy). So...

Is corporate theft really that huge? Small businesses will for the most part buy from people like Dell etc so will have a legal copy as do most larger businesses.

The biggest theft must come from places like China etc but will this measure suddenly increase revenues from countries like that?

All in all I can only seeing it serve to piss off legitimate owners and cost almost as much to 'police' as it saves from the odd pirate copy and a self-build PC.

My logic may well be flawed but please do not answer if by quoting how many stolen copies of software (be it windows or anything else) are in use. As with pirated music the presumption that everyone running a stolen copy would actually buy an original if they could not pirate is very flawed.

I don't see how running a pirated copy of windows gives Microsoft the right to hack your PC.

This is the same thing the RIAA tried to do. They tried to say they had the legal right to hack anyones computer system that was playing or downloading unlicensed music and install viruses etc, shut down their system.

Really? Wow... it's like a couple of minutes. You gotta have some patience dude! :P

Activating my copy of windows actually makes me feel quite good :) Makes me feel like I've achieved something by paying :D

Not the same at all ... Microsoft is talking about shutting parts of Windows out ... they make Windows. You licence a copy... the RIAA was talking about limiting based on MP3 files ... not part of the system... It's completely different... and something I am happy to agree with...

it will be cracked sooner than anyone will know :)

Is Bill Gates the world's biggest criminal? Isn't his whole empire build on an illegal monopoly? If he were, would it make sense to masquerade as the world's biggest philanthropist?

How are they going to lose Windows users? First of most people buy computer with pre-installed OS which will be of course Vista. Those that currently have XP are not going to be disuaded from getting Vista. They could download Linux RIGHT now for FREE if they wanted too yet they rather pay $100 or more to upgrade to Vista, but somehow some activation code is going to make them switch?

you have 50 seconds to comply

http://www.sixi6me-element.com/A45/b...oy-robocop.jpg

My prob was that every time I did a clean install it thought I had new hardware. The reinstalls were due to a RAID problem so I guess the RAID s/w was creating a new ID every time I recreated the array. I had to call several times to manually activate XP.

Photoshop CS2 was another activation nightmare. I was once on hold for over 1 1/2 hours trying to activate it.

That?s the one complaint I have as well about XP?s activation scheme. I?m a clean freak and I format every two months or so on my main computer, and every time I reinstall I have to call them up now? I too have a RAID setup so I guess it really may be that issue causing it, regardless of what it is it is annoying as fuck and I hope Vista works differently with its activation scheme.

Cough. Cough. Bullshit.

(This thread needed a bump).

It will be cracked, but I have no problems with them protecting their asset. All my OS are legit btw :)

This girl is very hot :) .

Yep. I wouldn't doubt it. They can't even get their WGA system right.