I just love Windows XP !

[radagast]

Information Week Article...

The topic is that marvelous XP Activation Procedure.....It expires & leaves you (maybe) hung out to dry.......

 

quote:If Windows XP reaches the end of its one-month grace period without being activated, it simply locks you out, period. After login--even as Administrator--instead of seeing the normal desktop, you're shown a message: "This copy of Windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can log on. Do you want to activate Windows now? (Yes/No)" If you answer yes, you're taken through the activation process, after which--if your system successfully completes its activation--you can resume computing normally. But if you answer No or if your machine is unable to complete the activation process, you can't continue. You're stopped cold, completely locked out of the operating system. You can't do anything with XP, even if you have Administrator rights, until and unless you successfully complete the activation process. (Resetting the system clock to an earlier date via your PC's BIOS setup program won't let you regain access to a locked system. Once WPA is triggered, your system stays locked until it's activated.)

Best not have a problem with the old Directory, all your ducks in order, preferably without too many software products from other vendors, etc. etc. or your PC just may not be able to complete the activation process.

Done your backup today because Bill owns your data.      

[CommonSense]

What I love about this is that Microsoft is just shooting themselves in the foot with this crap.  The more this happens, and the more people become aware of these dirty tricks, the more they're screwing themselves.

Let it continue, I say.  I'll yawn indifferently as I continue plugging away on my OS X, FreeBSD, and Linux boxen . . .

[MxCl]

quote:Originally posted by The Webmaster:
The more this happens, and the more people become aware of these dirty tricks, the more they're screwing themselves.

How exactly do you mean "dirty tricks"?

People would be annoyed if they got locked out of their own computers, I'd be furious! But the average person would think "Well MS have every right to protect their software from the thieving hand of piracy, I spose I should have activated ages ago.."

Or am I missing the point?

[voidmain]

The point is, activation is bullshit!  I don't want MS to have *any* of my information.  I don't want them to know my name, my email address, my phone number, etc.  I don't trust them.  And if I paid for something in a store I shouldn't have to call up the manufacturer to ok the use of it, period.

One of the *many* reasons I will never touch XP or another MS operating system again....

[psyjax]

Furthermore I think one must take into account ideology. A company that assumes it's patrons are all thives and treats everyone as guilty is NOT a company I want buisness with.

I have stoped going to comp. USA because they allways wan't to check my recipt at the door. I don't like that crap, I know the world is not Disneyland, but there must be some sort of trust if you wan't your costomer to keep supporting you.

But I guess, this is what happens when you become a gigantic monoploly. M$ can afford to take the "I don't need your buissness, you need my product" attitude and basically call everyone a lier and have the OS that you payd good money for "keep on eye on you".

I say FUCK THAT BULLSHIT!!!!

The funny thing is the money M$ looses to pirits is NIL. They make more cash in a day than most countrys and they are scared of some poor college students getting away with. let's be generous, two millions worth?

BID DEAL!

As VoidMan pointed out in another post, this stuff actually becomes free advertising, because somewhere down the line you will have to lagitmize all the products you piret.

A few weeks ago some of the top guys at Adobe, Alias, Apple, and I belive even M$, came to my school to talk to us about the Desktop Publishing industry.

One student asked what they thought about Pirating. The Adobe guy spoke for the rest and said that, in truth, they were (unoficialy) OK with it because it allows students to learn their programs and ensures a potential futer costomer.

Adobe wen't on to say that what the EULA is really there for is to prevent big firms and stuff from just bootleging a bunch of their software and profiting from it. They call people on using their software illegaly all the time when they are making money off of it.

I remember in the old days when you would get a big pile of floppys containing tons of software, and electronic BBSs ran rampant with people like the Gonif Wombat distributing his wares.

I don't think a single company wen't under as a result, and alot of times people would go out and buy the real thing cuz the entire pakadge is darn nice to have, especialy if it's a good product.

Anyway... thats my thought.

[Zombie9920]

Product Activation is pure bullshit. The people who activation is intended to stop(software pirates) are the ones who have activation cracked or have the Corporate Edition(Professional with no activation) of XP. The innocet consumers are the ones who have to suffer the inconvieniancy of WPA.

I'm glad I don't have to deal with the crap because I have Corporate Edition. ;P

[mobrien_12]

The real irony is that a cracked version of XP without that Activation BS is now more desirable than a "legit" version.  I'd pay more money for a cracked version than a "legit" version (and no, I don't want to install it on multiple computers).

[kinky]

quote:Originally posted by VoidMain:
The point is, activation is bullshit!  I don't want MS to have *any* of my information.  I don't want them to know my name, my email address, my phone number, etc.  I don't trust them.  And if I paid for something in a store I shouldn't have to call up the manufacturer to ok the use of it, period.

One of the *many* reasons I will never touch XP or another MS operating system again....

while i agree for the most part, you didnt buy some thing at the store, you bought a license to use something that is microsofts.  you are paying to use their property on your computer... according to them... so thats why i say screw them

[LukeHashJ]

Activition..Agravation... its all there just to be a pain in the ass. The fact that microsoft does this is ridiculous. People will soon realize that the don't need windows and there are alternatives.... FREE alternatives. AS the Webmaster said - Microsoft is just shooting themselve(s) in the foot. So be it.

Let the bastards lose money and *NUX's rule supreme.

[psyjax]

quote:Originally posted by kinky:


while i agree for the most part, you didnt buy some thing at the store, you bought a license to use something that is microsofts.  you are paying to use their property on your computer... according to them... so thats why i say screw them

Exactly my point. I think more companies should embrace the new rules of things that the internet establishes instead of trying to hammer it into the previous mold.

Companies have to learn that users are only going to pay for something if it is actually worth it. Honer is probably more valuable on the net now than cash. That's why Shareware and open source stuff works, and forcing people to buy crap that spys on them dosn't.

The more rigorous the licensing the more I want to  crack it.

The internet has truely changed the consumer buisness relationship. Advertising and copyrights are never going to work in the same way anymore and companys are just going to have to realize that and quit asking the government to pass laws in order to ensure their pay check.

I mean, just to get an idea of how backward thinking companys are, look at the banner and popup phenomena. When is the last time you clicked one (I mean REALY meant to click one)? Never right?

That's because the user now really does have the choice to ignore, block, and overal control his information gathering experience. That's the way it is, and the way it's going to be, laws, licencing, shitty software, or not.

Companyes are going to have to learn to actualy gain consumer trust if they want to survive. Because the truth is, with a little efforrt, I know a ton of places I can bootleg stuff of line. But I make the choice not to because if I like a product Id rather pay the money to support it.

'nuff said

[ March 22, 2002: Message edited by: psyjax ]

[LukeHashJ]

I agree. If a product is worthwhile, and the dev team did an awesome job, i'd like to support them and pay money to support it.

well said.

[kinky]

i absolutly love SuSE linux... i pay them for their versions, i even bought some cute stuffed animals from them

i dont mind giving my money to someone if i feel they deserve it

[mskarl]

quote:Originally posted by kinky:
i absolutly love SuSE linux... i pay them for their versions, i even bought some cute stuffed animals from them

i dont mind giving my money to someone if i feel they deserve it

This is a very valid POST!!! I don't mind paying someone (SuSE) to give my knowledge but to pay M$ to steal shit from me?  That whole XP ,M$ lisence this is total shit.

[Gooseberry Clock]

From #cracks

quote:Microsoft Windows Whistler ( XP ) RBDC9-VTRC8-D7972-J97JY-PRVMG (Yes this one works with 2419) or F6PGG-4YYDJ-3FF3T-R328P-3BXTG Activation Fix (1) boot up in safe mode (2) run regedit (3) {HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogonActivation Required} <- change that to 0 (4) reboot

[grif_mcrenolds]

A friend at school is always trying to sell pirated copies of XP.  Not a sale yet.