Microsoft Just Wants a Little Look 482
waynegoode writes "Do you want to let Microsoft check if your copy of Windows is legit? How about if they promise it's anonymous? How about if they give you some free stuff? Recently Microsoft launched their Genuine Advantage Program to let you (and Microsoft) check if your OS is legal. They hoped for 20,000 responses but received 800,000 without offering anything but piece of mind. Now they are throwing in a bunch of free and discounted stuff including Photo Story 3 and the Holiday Fun Pack to try to get more volunteers. Read more at news.com and Microsoft Watch."
Clearly Broken (Score:5, Informative)
I have bought enough Dell's to have windows XP CDs out the ying-yang, but I hate having to go through the activation process each time I format a PC. I own licenses for each computer, all I want is a clean windows installation with no Dell OEM crap. So this is what I did:
1) Downloaded the Devil's 0wn corp version of windows.
2) Slipstreamed SP2 into the install CD.
3) Downloaded a keygen for SP2.
4) Installed Windows with serial from keygen.
I just downloaded Microsoft's authentication tool, and it said my copy was valid. I can download updates, their crappy photo software, and everything else. Im sure Microsoft is throwing millions of dollars into R&D to create this elaborate activation and serial number system, and yet their own tool says my obviously pirated copy is valid. Way to go.
Re:Why are they doing this? (Score:5, Informative)
I happen to know a little about this program... (Score:5, Informative)
Microsoft isn't going after the end users with this program. They honestly don't care whether you personally bought and paid for Windows, because face it, no one goes to Best Buy and plunks down $100 - $300 for an operating system. The goal of this program is to show the value to users of having a genuine copy of Windows. Create "mindshare" if you will, that genuine Windows has greater value than your borrowed/downloaded/pirated copy. This will hopefully, in turn, encourage users to demand genuine Windows when they buy a PC. Again, face it, when people buy a new PC, they buy Windows. Most never upgrade after that. By creating users who ask for genuine Windows when they buy a PC, Microsoft can indirectly assert pressure on small OEM's and System Builders, where the largest amount of counterfeit Windows is sold to unsuspecting users. Even Microsoft realizes it's unfair to punish users who honestly believe their copy of Windows is legit.
You'll notice that those who fail validation are asked to provide (largely generic) information regarding their PC and their purchase. They get a 'courtesy key' in most cases that allows them access to the content (creating the image of a kinder, more benevolent Microsoft). It also goes straight into a reporting database where Microsoft can track trends like which resellers are selling large amounts of counterfeit copies of Windows.
Regardless of your software ideals, stealing software is wrong, and it's certainly within Microsoft's rights to restrict premium content to genuinely licensed copies of Windows. Validation isn't locking any genuinely licensed users out of any content; in fact, a large percentage of those people with counterfeit licenses will still be able to access downloads. Microsoft has also committed to allowing all counterfeit licenses to access critical security updates via Automatic Updates, probably so they don't get lambasted in the press for "denying users security fixes."
I'll try to answer any further questions that get posted as a reply to this post.
Re:I happen to know a little about this program... (Score:3, Informative)
That said, they're not collecting it - it's not useful to Microsoft, because, as explained above, Microsoft doesn't care about you, the end user. Login name, registered to name, registered to company are all not collected for the same reason (and the fact that they have a published privacy statement indicating they're not collecting 'Personally Identifiable Information'). Items that are collected are BIOS identifier string, and CRC of BIOS. The idea is to start pinning down OEM's and System Builders. Combine BIOS information with the information users volunteer about location and name of store the PC was purchased at and you have a good starting point for hunting down the shady resellers.
Re:Thank you for your post. (Score:1, Informative)
You didn't tell us what your country is. I'd be interested in knowing.
I'd wager MS would not view 'stealing' that led them to a dominant position is wrong.
You're missing a key fact. Microsoft is not a government, and they're not concerned with the morality of the public. Their concern is extracting the greatest amount of profit out of the public (ultimately, this is the goal of every company; Microsoft just happens to be wildly successful at it). Microsoft realizes that developing countries typically have high piracy rates; you'll also notice that you haven't seen very many news articles of Microsoft goons breaking down doors and carting off Windows pirates. Microsoft uses the force of law when it's profitable for them to do so (BSA software audits at large corporations). In other cases, crippled software at a lower price point helps keep users paying SOMETHING to Microsoft rather than moving to a free alternative (witness Windows XP Starter Edition, available soon in countries like Russia, Thailand, and Malaysia).
Re:its well knowm.. (Score:3, Informative)
What are you talking about? Its quite easy to verify if Windows is "Phoning Home". Its called a nifty packet logger, or even better a firewall.
The difficulty here is to know, what "Home" really is. Do you believe that microsoft.com are the only hidden servers that MS spyware would contact? MS can easily hide their "Phoning Home" as absolutely normal surfing to innocouus servers. You'd have a hard time to dissect the logfiles of your firewll or packet logger to find out!
Re:Firefox in the FAQ? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Clearly Broken (Score:2, Informative)
I've got a Dell laptop and it shipped with a Windows that I *think* is the one currently installed. I've had two PCs and three M$ OS licenses, my mother has had about twice of both, including a few complete Office suites and before that WordPerfect and Lotus. We've both spent a great deal of money on software made by companies that didn't offer as good availability as P2P for instance allows, and I consider doing what was mentioned in the anonymous parent as simply taking advantage of the accessible media. It's an infringement of my right when not having an inexpensive option for obtaining a CD if I should throw my copy away or scratch it!
Re:how does it work? (Score:5, Informative)
They way it works is that there's an algorithm that accepts an input string and checks some property of it - eg number of letters and numbers, add up the numbers and check their total (possibly modulo some other number), etc. Essentially, there is an algorithm that takes a string and says "yes, this is a valid key" or "no, that's garbage". That means that you can use any (valid) key with any copy of the software. It also means, if you can work out the algorithm, that you can *generate* valid keys. For example, if you know that the key has to be "letter letter letter number number number" then you know that AAA111, AAA112, AAA113, etc will all work, whether they've been issued by the software manufacturer or not.
I think the XP key checker is a little more sophistacted than that - I *think* that Home and Pro use different types of key, for example, and that the corporate site licence versions (which don't require product activation) use a third type of key. There may also be differences between full retail and OEM keys. (That's ok though, as Pro and Home are already different, and so require different duplication runs anyway, so there's no extra cost. OEM and full retail CDs are also different, at least as far as the writing on the CD goes.) That said though, at worst any retail XP Pro key will work with any retail XP Pro copy, and so on.
Re:Desperation (Score:3, Informative)
Support for Windows products up to Windows 95 was discontinued some time ago, and IIRC Windows 98 support will end next year. MS's plan is to only support ME and XP for home users, and Server 2000/2003 for...well...servers, just about forcing businesses and schools that run nonsupported OS's to upgrade.
Re:Why are they doing this? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:I use an illegal copy of windows xp BECAUSE of (Score:2, Informative)
Don;t trust the person on the other end? Don;t worry, its a machine.
Struggle typing in all those long numbers?
I have rung the MS Phone activation many times. Simple, Quick, and WORKS. Allowing you to run your legal copy legally.
Its a free-phone number.
Why do you say "Not gonna happen"?
Re:how does it work? (Score:3, Informative)
Now, as for XP, the OEM CDs rarely have the same content as the retail CDs, unless your PC manufacturer is a whiteboxer. Notice on many newer computers the icon right below Run in the start menu? Dell puts "Dell Solution Center", I've seen Averatec puts something there, and I'm sure others do too. This is something on the CD. I know, because in a pinch, I had to grab a Dell WinXP Pro CD for an HP, and it worked, but showed the Dell Solution Center in the start menu. (Reminds me, I need to crack that copy still - it's never going to touch the Internet)
Re:Free clue (Score:3, Informative)
You can use iKeyman to figure out what certs you're using, btw. Just use the right iKeyman...