“Microsoft Corp.’s forthcoming Windows Vista will take much harsher steps to curtail piracy than previous versions of its operating system, including crippling the usefulness of computers found to be running unlicensed copies of the new software,” The Associated Press reports.
AP reports, “The world’s largest software maker said Wednesday that people running a version of Windows Vista that it believes is pirated will initially be denied access to some of the most anticipated Vista features. That includes Windows Aero, an improved graphics technology.”
MacDailyNews Take: “Most anticipated?” By whom? They must mean “anticipated” by those who haven’t been using Apple’s vastly superior Mac OS X for over half a decade already.
AP continues, “If a legitimate copy is not bought within 30 days, the system will curtail functionality much further by restricting users to just the Web browser for an hour at a time, said Thomas Lindeman, Microsoft senior product manager. Under that scenario, a person could use the browser to surf the Web, access documents on the hard drive or log onto Web-based e-mail. But the user would not be able to directly open documents from the computer desktop or run other programs such as Outlook e-mail software, Lindeman said.”
“The company also said it has added more sophisticated technology for monitoring whether a system is pirated. For example, the system will be able to perform some piracy checks internally, without contacting Microsoft, Lindeman said,” AP reports. “Microsoft has already instituted tougher piracy checks for Windows XP users who want to get free add-ons such as anti-spyware programs. But until now, the warnings and punitive measures were mainly seen as annoying, rather than debilitating”
“Analyst Roger Kay with Endpoint Technologies Associates noted that Microsoft has the right to curtail illegal distribution of its software. The new piracy measures, he said, ‘seem harsh only in comparison to how lenient it has been.’ Nevertheless, Kay said he expects that the anti-piracy tactics will keep some people from upgrading to Vista from the current operating system, Windows XP. ‘There will be an XP backlash, which is to say people (will) cling to XP in order to avoid this,’ he said,” AP reports.
Full article here.
Apple trusts their customers. Mac OS X Tiger, with all features enabled no less, costs just US$129 (and only $199 for the 5-user “Family Pack”). All Macs come with Mac OS X Tiger pre-installed. Get a Mac.
Related articles:
Infoworld: Microsoft’s WIndows Vista not so revolutionary after all – September 11, 2006
Pirillo: Windows Vista RC1 disappointing, schizophrenic, disordered, inconsistent, and sad – September 07, 2006
Key Microsoft exec exits as clock ticks down on oft-delayed, much pared-down Windows Vista release – September 06, 2006
$399 for Windows Vista Ultimate?! (Hint: Get a Mac) – August 29, 2006
Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is 64-bit done right, unlike Microsoft’s Windows Vista kludge – August 14, 2006
Microsoft Windows Vista: If you can’t innovate… try to impersonate Apple’s Mac OS X – August 10, 2006
Analyst: Apple’s new Mac OS X Leopard sets new bar, leaves Microsoft’s Vista in the dust – August 08, 2006
Symantec researcher: At this time, there are no file-infecting viruses that can infect Mac OS X – July 13, 2006
Sophos: Apple Mac OS X’s security record unscathed; Windows Vista malware just a matter of time – July 07, 2006
Computerworld: Microsoft Windows Vista a distant second-best to Apple Mac OS X – June 02, 2006
Microsoft’s greatest trick: convincing the public that the Wintel PC platform is open – March 06, 2006
Defending Windows over Mac a sign of mental illness – December 20, 2003
As if people need even more reason to avoid Vista. Keep turning the screws on the home users, and drive them into the waiting arms of Apple!
@Alex… chill out dude. This is a pro-Apple website. Your request is like going to a political website and complaining that they made a comment that they made on a news story is inflammatory, biased, or not germane.
MDN is undeniably and overtly partisan when it comes to the Apple vs. Microsoft conquest. I enjoy it. If I want “just the news,” I can go elsewhere.
PLEASE PLEASE DON’T VISIT IF THIS SITE OFFENDS YOU. Idiots.
Oh and talking of rights, what rights do Windows users have whose computers have been trashed by buggy Windows software, hackers and viruses? Let’s see. None.
Microsoft owes an awful lot more than it is owed.
ndelc
I agree the pub image is a better place than news I propose that the name be changed to
Mac Daily Circle Jerk
It sort of rolls of your tongue doesn’t it?
I anticipate a lot of problems with Microslop Vista.
What a lesson in hypocrisy! The biggest pirate of them all expects the little pirates to be honest. Apparently, the Big Pirate hasn’t heard of leading by example.
Google CEO Talks Apple
http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/10/04/google.ceo.on.apple/
Google CEO Eric Schmidt revealed his views on Apple in a recent interview with Time Magazine, noting his personal commitment to the Cupertino-based company. “Apple is engaged in probably the most remarkable second act ever seen in technology. Its resurgence is simply phenomenal and extremely impressive,” said Schmidt. Despite the fact that Schmidt sits on Apple’s board of directors, coupled with Apple and Google’s existing partnership, the executive confirmed his desire to see more partnering between the two tech giants. Schmidt also commented on Microsoft’s competitive stance, saying that “Microsoft continues to claim to enter the market, but we really haven’t seen them yet, they’re just getting started. I’m sure eventually Microsoft will be a competitor.”
I don’t like thieves. But I also don’t like Microsoft. I wonder how many of the millions of people who use WinXP use a pirated copy. Why switch to Macs when pirates figure they can stay on Windows by building their own machines and steal the OS to run the hardware? Many people will apparently put up with a lot of crap when their OS is ‘free.’ Of course, some people like me, well, you can’t give me a PC that I will use. My employer gave me a PC laptop, but it sits in a cabinet unused except for the first several days.
The perfect combination. Get a Mac and use your pirated “ruindous” copy if you really need it. Then use a Mac to surf the net and be safe.
Quote duper “Google CEO Talks Apple”
It’s called damning with faint praise
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Briantt: Does that mean we’re supposed to stand in a circle around you? I like Mac Daily Hungry, Hungry Hippos instead. Sort of rolls off the uvula, doesn’t it?
i heart the MDN take.
good-bye wintards.
Alex: You remind me of the angry, old person bitching for an hour about a crappy TV show with a remote control right next to him. Get it?
“Vista….why the hell are their sooo many versions of vista anyways?”
Because there are so many varieties of IDIOTS out there buying them!
This is actually the latest security measure in Vista. If programmes can’t run then your PC will not get infected by malicious code. Tadaaaaa, problem fixed, MS style.
I agree with the long-standing bloggers on this site…
We are all pro-Apple. This is for good reason. If you are a Micro$oft fan (poor bastard), then good on ya. Just be prepared to have a vastly inferior computing experience…and then expect to go to pro-Apple sites and complain.
Like you are doing now.
But don’t worry…we Apple folks are used to it. We know you M$ fans are bitter, and THAT is also for good reason. Why not switch from the Dark Side, hm?
Then again, I could just make you switch…but how much fun would that be?
I can’t wait for the stories when Vista accidentally starts “crippling” computers of people who own the software.
You KNOW it’s going to happen!
So, Microsoft has a back door into every copy of Vista that enables them to shut the OS down at will.
Microsoft just told every hacker on the planet that this back door exists and it is always open.
This should be lots of fun as long as you don’t run Vista.
MW door
The nerds will find a way around this because we all know how easy it is to hack WIndows.
Apple trusts its customers? Yeah … to share the latest OS. The Family Pack is out there to pick up a little extra cash from the folk who would be sharing anyway but who can be made to feel guilty enough to spend just a bit extra. Four extra legal licenses for an extra $20 each? A bargain for a clear conscience – especially for a Dad with three or more family Macs in the house and a moral standard he’s trying to set.
There’s going to be suits over this tactic. MS has no right to disable legal programs on systems they do not own. That’s vandalism. Nor have they they right to invade people’s privacy to see what’s running on those people’s computers – not without willing permission. There are other solutions that do not break laws.
Registration is one possibility. Let people know Up Front that their computer Must be attached to the Internet (and the system booted from the DVD) in order to install the OS – and that registration will happen before the actual installation will begin. If someone tries to install a previously-registered copy the local software will check for either remnants of a broken version on the HD or a ‘naked’ HD while the remote software does a quick ping looking for another system running a copy of that software – wrong answers either place and no installation without a call to the MS Help Desk.
If you Windows fanbois don’t appreciate the MDN take, feel free to not visit. See, we don’t shut down sites because you don’t like content.
You can’t handle the truth.
Apple has an even stronger safeguard against piracy. You can’t install OS X on any machine that Apple didn’t manufacture.
Microsoft on the other hand does have a genuine problem. You can install Windows on a computer you cobble together yourself from parts. There can be more pirated copies of Windows than there are copies of OS X, because there are offshore companies that make counterfeit Windows CDs. Many people build their own machines for sport. The problem Microsoft has is coming up with a protection scheme that shuts out real pirates but doesn’t shut out genuine customers. That’s where it can all go wrong.
I don’t think there will be much of an XP backlash. People who use Windows are used to this sort of thing. XP has an activation scheme, but if it goes wrong, there’s a phone number you can call to get it straightened out.
I had Windows software that I had to throw away because the protection scheme was so draconian that I couldn’t re-install it–and the vendor wasn’t Microsoft.
Apple isn’t immune–notice that iWork has activation keys.
I prefer OS X to Windows, but this isn’t one of the reasons.
This will be FUBAR.
See above: “I can’t wait for the stories when Vista accidentally starts “crippling” computers of people who own the software.”
There will be thousands of cases like this, that is, if MS really follows through with this plan.
ALSO, Apple Computer ought to follow the idea that Windows uses must apologize to Apple before being allowed to use Leopard, IN WRITING. I don’t want sleazy windows users around Macs unless they repent, get on their knees, and beg forgiveness.
I’m not sure why this is that big of an issue. Microsoft is merely trying to protect their software from thieves, much like Apple does with Fairplay. Sure, it may cause some problems to a few legitimate customers, but Fairplay also prevents legitimate uses as well, and I don’t hear much complaining about that. If you are not a thief, than this measure taken by Microsoft will be just as tranparent as Fairplay. I’m sure all of you will think of good reasons to support such a protective measure once Apple does something similar with either their software or their Intel chips.
It’s only a matter of time before Apple protect their OS too. Hands up all the readers of this forum who use a “borrowed” version of a MacOS update on their machine?
Yeah, I thought so…