Bought windows XP. Lost the CD. Had to pirate it.
Bought windows 7 online. Had to download it through windows special download manager which took ages, then gave me some exec that I couldn't burn on a CD... I had to pirate it.
I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
131–140 of 268 posts
Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#132Earlier quoted context omitted.
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Against what? Keep in mind these ISOs are already modified to get around the built-in copy protection in the stock version.
Not always. The most common and reliable piracy channel for Windows 7 right now is by updating your BIOS with a SLIC signature, and then installing Windows as a valid OEM copy. The installation ISOs can be SHA1 and MD5 hash checked against the same versions given out on Microsoft's TechNet site, because it's the same disk required to install any version of Windows 7.
Granted, flashing your BIOS with random binaries floating around the internets is just as bad, if not worse, than installing random pirated binaries, but it's a lot easier* to check whether or not a 512KB dump is exactly the same as the version given out by the manufacturer's site with the exception of a section of non-executable address space than it is to check to see if the only modifications to a 4.2GB ISO are on activation-related components.
For tomorrows readers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BIOS#SLIC
* Easier, for people who know how to diff hexdumps and BIOS firmware...
Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#133These are great points and a good portion of piraters do so for these exact reasons. There are always going to be people who steal content/apps instead of paying for them but I am sure more than a few people pirate purely because it is a better user experience than what is currently offered. TV shows are a great example. I cut my cable about a year ago and haven't looked back since. I refuse to pay a premium for chan…
Minor niggle, but please stop misusing "steal". We need to get that meme killed.
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Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#134Earlier quoted context omitted.
Minor niggle, but please stop misusing "steal". We need to get that meme killed.
What do you call it?
Take your pick. There's:
Using unlicensed software
copyright infringement
downloading a torrent
pirating
..among others.
None of them roll off the tongue as nicely as "steal" or "thief", but copyright infringement is just as illegal as stealing.
The industry groups have been campaigning for years (with great success) to ensure they mean the same thing. They do not.
Please don't fall into their trap.
Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
Minor niggle, but please stop misusing "steal". We need to get that meme killed.
What do you call it?
"Copy". I can't speak for the previous poster, but to me "steal" implies denying the owner of a possession. A copyright isn't a possession, it's a grant of exclusive rights.
Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#136If you don't like their product or policies, don't use it. If you use it then you should pay for it. Use Linux, a BSD Unix, or a Mac. People who pirate Microsoft products don't really hurt Microsoft, they hurt the rest of the competition.
Correct! Even pirating Microsoft helps Microsoft. The worst thing for Microsoft would be a strict enforcement of copyright: people would be running to alternatives.
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Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#137Windows activation is shockingly easy. Enter your key and when you go online it verifies it. If you're not connected to the internet make a 5 minute phone call. If you don't want to do that, no problem - there is no need to activate for up to 180 days. Really don't want to activate? No problem - it'll just turn your screen black and announce it's unlicensed software. It seems the author's only significant complaint i…
No it is not, at least not for every version. I didn't have to use windows for a very long time, and about a month ago I installed a windows XP SP3 in a virtual machine. The grace period ended a few days ago: - the automatic activation failed - my product key is said to have been pirated - the phone support for registration is now fully automated, and just rejects my phone activation. - the machine won't load whole s…
Windows XP launched more than 10 years ago. What I said was true for Vista (5 years old) and 7 (2 years old) and is true for Windows 8 afaik. I'm not sure what your point would be - that you'd pirate Windows 8 because you didn't approve of the ease of use of an activation system they deprecated 5 years ago?
Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#138Earlier quoted context omitted.
What do you call it?
Take your pick. There's: Using unlicensed software copyright infringement downloading a torrent pirating ..among others. None of them roll off the tongue as nicely as "steal" or "thief", but copyright infringement is just as illegal as stealing. The industry groups have been campaigning for years (with great success) to ensure they mean the same thing. They do not. Please don't fall into their trap.
Hmm...interesting. I see the difference you are trying to illustrate but to me, obtaining something illegally that was intended to be purchased is stealing. We're talking about the same thing though:)
Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#139Earlier quoted context omitted.
Apple tried rental of TV shows. They shuttered it: http://allthingsd.com/20110826/apple-pulls-the-plug-on-tv-re...
Yes, I do remember when they shuttered TV show rentals. The only reason they gave is that users preferred to buy TV shows. I find that hard to believe although I could be wrong. Charging people $1.99/$2.99 to purchase an episode of a show means $20-$30 for a season (sometimes more). It makes more sense to just pay for cable at those prices, which I refuse to do.
Apple doesn't like rental services because unlike purchases of proprietary drm content rentals don't provide long term lock in to the platform.
Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows
#140Although I don't find MS to be the worst of all suppliers, it is yet an other prime example how companies fail to grasp that the only way they will ever compete with pirated content (be it right or wrong) is by service and by service only. The pirated price is already unbeatable and shamefully, its service is arguably better.
A bit of a rant, but I am getting a bit tired that, still as we enter 2012, what does the paying customer get for his troubles? You don't live in country xx? You can't see/listen/buy online content yy. Although definitely in music and games there has been progress, I could still add hundreds of more examples.
And what currently is the envisioned answer to this flawed business model? A set of laws that will inevitably alter some of our more dear democratic principles. Not to mention the economic fallout.
On a side note, I can't help wondering my thoughts to the teen-sex debates in the US, where some people hopelessly cling to abstinence measures which in theory, work fine. Whereas in practice, there seems to be quiet some empirical evidence that young people, well, just do it.