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All Things Microsoft => Microsoft as a Company => Topic started by: Xeen on 1 December 2003, 17:34

Title: Asian pirates sell Longhorn betas
Post by: Xeen on 1 December 2003, 17:34
Software pirates in Asia are selling beta Longhorn versions for $1.58 a piece.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=569&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20031201/tc_nm/tech_microsoft_piracy_dc (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=569&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20031201/tc_nm/tech_microsoft_piracy_dc)

My question is - Why would anyone buy it in the first place???
Title: Asian pirates sell Longhorn betas
Post by: WMD on 2 December 2003, 01:31
quote:
Originally posted by xeen:
My question is - Why would anyone buy it in the first place???


Agreed.  :D

Plus, isn't the Longhorn beta a free download?  'Cause it was the last time I stopped by MSDN.
Title: Asian pirates sell Longhorn betas
Post by: mobrien_12 on 2 December 2003, 03:36
People will probably buy the pirated versions to avoid the download and burning, somewhat similar to buying linux from cheapbytes.

I bet most of these people are just curious and want to try it out.  Some of us have done this with the download.  

Release windows is buggy enough.... who would buy a beta version as a real os?

Anyway, this piracy is good for MS.

1)  more free exposure of their products and
2)  "proof" that more draconian DRM/activation/palladium/screw_the_customer measures are needed to prevent billions of dollars of revenue being lost.

[ December 01, 2003: Message edited by: M. O'Brien ]