Microsoft to limit patches to legitimate copies of Windows

[Tyler]

It's another hit for a big chuck of the population, because M$ announced that they'll restrict patches to non-pirated copies of Windows.  

This comes as a tough break for us, because I bet anyone reading this is either on a school computer, running a pirated copy, or using the AA copy of Windows.  None of which required that we pay money for it.

I really doubt this is will have much effect on anything, but I thought it was worth posting.

Full story http://news.ft.com/cms/s/b083dc72-7009-11d9-850d-00000e2511c8.html">here

[Brad Nunnally]

I am kinda of split on this issue. My first take on this is good, I think it is good for micorsoft to do this. (Trust me I am kicking myself for saying good and microsoft in the same sentence.) I don't have much of a problem with using borrowed programs, but I think there is a line out there for what is ok and what isn't. Atleast they have admitted that they can't stop people pirating their OS, but they can punish those that do.(Without lawsuits) Plus, if you look at the trend of things given a few months someone out there will figure out a way around it.
 
My second view is that I think microsoft may be overkilling the issue. They already started rolling out free stuff for those people with real copies. I think it may have been a better move to just stop there. I don't know, just my two cents.

Brad Ty Nunnally

"There was no "before" the beginning of our universe, because once upon a time there was no time."
John D. Barrow

[EvilAndrew]

I am not to worried about this policy affecting my personal computer because I have 100% legal copy and I already cannot get patches because my intrusion detection system seems to have messed up the BITS(Background Intelligent Transfer Service).  I am more worried about the people out there who depend on fast Internet access.  It already stinks when a MS virus floods the Internet with junk, just wait until all the illegal copies are vulnerable for life.  The same viruses may pop up again and again because the people with fast enough Internet connections to pirate whole OS’s easily will be the same ones unprotected from automated remote attacks.

[Bryan]

I'm kind of curious as to how MS thinks they are going to manage to pullt his off? none of their other efforts have succeeded

[Tyler]

Couple comments:

1)  I don't think piracy can ever be stopped, they can only home to stem it.

2)  I don't have a "legal" copy, per se.  I have a copy that my brother-in-law gave me from his work that appears (to M$) to be legit.  I did not pay for it.  A pirated copy I used to use didn't let me get updates, but this version does.  I know I use use the AA copy and actually be legit, but what fun is that??

Honestly, I only have one piece of legit software on my computers (for my TV tuner).

[Josh]

Are they really going to check Windows 98 cd-keys? Because some computer at my house use that. How am I suppose to find legal copies of 98 anymore? I am about half and half some of it legit and some isn't.

I am sure pirates will just setup their own update sites.
Or even better everyone will stop using Microsoft and all software will be open source  :-P

[DaleDoe]

You can get a legit copy of Win98 if you have a MSDN subscription.  (Though I'm not sure why you would want either). :-?

Haven't they quit support (i.e. patches) of Windows 98 yet, anyway?  I heard they were going to quit all forms of support a year ago, but I think due to the public outcry they have extended support for a while.

Anyway, it doesn't effect me directly.  I don't use Windows when connected to a network (except at work).

By the way, most of my software is legitimately free. I haven't paid for software in about 7 years.  The only pirate copies I can think of are M$ products.

[Jarod Neuner]

First, this is old news. I currently have the slyest, coolest version of Service Pack 2 I use at work, that doesn't check any websites when it installs. This 200MB file comes with a built in list of pirated WinXP keys that will interrupt and terminate the update if your key is on this list. Sooooo.....old news.
Second, yes MS still updates Win98, but I haven't a foggy clue why you would want to update it from MS. Win98 (being their least vulnerable network OS that can actually function on a network) does not have any useful updates available from MS anyhow. If you want updates for 98, check out http://exuberant.ms11.net/ - they have useful Win98 patches that fix things like the 512MB limit.
And third, my copies two copies of Win98SE ARE legal. So ;p

[Tyler]

I think it's more of a varying degree of newness.  I used to run a copy of XP that wouldn't let me download service packs (it always said it was possibly a pirated copy and to contact M$ right away--yeah right).  Now I run some coporate version that does gets updates just fine.  It has one key on the cd (not a list), and works like a charm.  

Honestly I can't verify exactly how new this info is.  But, if it is old news, how come there were a couple hundred sources reporting it on Google News a couple days ago?

p.s. Go win98se!!!  I have installed win98se off of the same pirated cd probably over a hundred times, and it works great everytime.

[Guest]

I don't know if this applies so much but something weird happened to me a while ago.  I don't usually install XP since I like 2000, but I installed XP Home on my girlfriend's laptop since she has XP Home on her desktop.  I used the same CD-key as the desktop and for some reason Windows never asked me for the CD-key.  Before when I've reinstalled XP on my girlfriends desktop the keys icon came up in the bottom right hand corner asking for a CD-key.  The laptop never asked for it and I have received all updates to both computers just fine.  So, what happened?