Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

littlebitofcode.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

171–180 of 268 posts

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#171

Post by lgeek »

sanderjd wrote: post #166
xist wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like the problem stems from the 2 things: 1.) the media you installed from was not legit 2.) Windows gives you notices that it needs to be activated, which you ignored. You won't be able to fix that without reinstalling or using a crack. The phone activation will work but you need to change product key. There is an article of Microsoft support site on how to do that actaully. However, it's a problem with yo…

I currently have this problem with a Windows 7 machine I bought from eBay. I can't activate it and I have a black desktop (sorta annoying) and two or three different things that pop up periodically to yell at me (incredibly annoyingly, especially the one that makes an obnoxious error noise). This situation is definitely my fault - there are a few possibilities for where I went wrong: 1) maybe the guy I bought it from…

> looked up the key for my existing OEM install

I think your machine has to have a Windows sticker with the key if it shipped with an OEM license.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#172

Post by Drbble »

GigabyteCoin wrote: post #170

These are all valid points, aligned with many of the views being upvoted today. However, I'd just like to point something out. According to this article and many others, we all "pirate stuff" because it's "easier than the paid model"... well, the same goes for driving a car. I would much rather just walk into my underground parking lot, hotwire a car, and ditch it once I got to my destination. But, I have morals. I a…

Killing only easy in the absence of social and legal pressure, and in our instincts to not harm members of our "tribe"

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#173

Post by Drbble »

astrodust wrote: post #167
trotsky wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple doesn't like rental services because unlike purchases of proprietary drm content rentals don't provide long term lock in to the platform.

Apple has been pushing for less DRM, not more, and would rather people bought into their platform without being held hostage. It is not an easy thing to convince publishers that no DRM is the way to go, yet the music companies reluctantly agreed. Considering Apple is the number one retailer of music, ahead of Wal-Mart, this seems to have worked out quite well. Rentals are hard to market because in the digital domain…

Apple is only anti DRM for the rights of music and movies and phone companies. They love DRM when they own the rights. Cf App Store.

Amazon broke through with DRM free MP3 originally.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#174

Post by Drbble »

sanderjd wrote: post #155
Karunamon wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The crux of the matter is that "steal" implies you've deprived the owner of something. (Actually, the us supreme court ruled on this a long while ago and clearly delineated the two..) The only reason for the tap on the shoulder is the effort by the industry groups to get people to conflate the two things. I hate seeing people be tricked, especially by such an odious organization :)

Could you link to that decision or do you perhaps know the name of the case so I could search for it? The deprivation idea doesn't seem to be intuitive to most people I've talked with and it would be great to know the actual case law.

You are honestly arguing that deprivation is not an intuitive aspect of theft?

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#176

Post by rjbond3rd »

ChiperSoft wrote: post #113
trotsky wrote: post #74

Windows 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…

Many other Microsoft products will not install on a copy of Windows that hasn't been activated. This includes all the Live apps and I think Office. I think it also restricts access to Software Update to only critical patches (been a while since I tried without activation).

Yes, and also Windows Security Essentials. A family member has a legit retail copy which failed to activate, and just lives with the degraded experience. Quite a contrast with other OS's.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#178

Post by Deestan »

gurkendoktor wrote: post #160
melling wrote: post #23

If 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.

It's the same with Photoshop. If Photoshop had perfect DRM (or if users would selflessly follow EULAs), then I am sure we wouldn't be stuck with Adobe's terrible monopoly and insulting usability. I see why it won't happen: Many pirates can't wait until a 99% feature-compatible competitor emerges. People who don't want to buy Windows or Photoshop can also not just throw money in a Kickstarter pot instead (imagine how…

> A tragedy - I would love to work full-time on a killer product pitted against either of them, but I just can't see how it fits into the scheme of the market. :(

Gimp would be a good competitor to Photoshop if it could just get a ton of focus on usability. If you want to "fight" Photoshop, that would be a good place to help out.

http://www.gimp.org/

http://www.gimp.org/develop/

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#179

Post by samstave »

>"Why can't I just enter my product key and download an updated ISO with slipstreamed service packs? "

This is why i still use the MSDN account from many employers ago...

YOU CAN DO THIS with MSDN -- Why not make the MSDN model the way everyone receives their copy. Also, stop selling me CDs or DVDs - put them on USB sticks.

Re: I'm Pirating the Next Version of Windows

#180

Post by marshray »

xist wrote: post #157
Karunamon wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Minor niggle, but please stop misusing "steal". We need to get that meme killed.

it's called "identity theft" when someone does it to your identity though :P Your SSN and details are all intellectual property too!

That's another good example of language engineering.

If a crook fools a bank into giving them money, the bank is the victim of the theft. It should be one of the banks primary responsibilities to authenticate the parties to whom they give out money. But if the crook is good enough, it's fair to say the bank is the victim.

But instead they say "you are a victim of identity theft" in order to make you the victim.

Post reply on HN