Is Your Copy of Windows Legal?
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Seriously — who would ask such a question? I was designing a user interface for an application I was writing, and I was working on the menus, so I decided to look around for some "inspiration." I had an explorer window opened, so I went there. Upon clicking on the Help menu, I saw something from the corner of my eye that wasn't there when I first installed Windows: Is your copy of Windows legal? I find it offensive that it's lurking there like a cop sitting inside my computer reminding me "you better not be doing anything bad!" Does anyone else have this menu item? I haven't heard complaints from other people, but given it's location, I wouldn't expect anyone to find it.
So the creationist says: Everything must have a designer. God designed everything. I say: Why is God the only exception? Why not make the "designs" (like man) exceptions and make God a creation of man?
Would a pirated copy of Windows have the menu item? :-D
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SK Genius wrote:
They're not about to turn themselves in.
Well actually..... If you install a pirated version of windows, you go through the process of reporting it and you can buy a legit version at a heavily discounted price without any penalties to you or the person who gave you the pirated copy.
"There are three sides to every story. Yours, mine and the truth" ~ unknown "All things good to know are difficult to learn" ~ Greek Proverb "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary" ~ Vidal Sassoon
:wtf: Why do MS do that (offer a steep discount) in the first place? Also, how come most people don't install bootlegs, "turn themselves in", and then get a legit version for a fraction of the price?
Cheers, Vikram.
The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.
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Would a pirated copy of Windows have the menu item? :-D
Yes. The menu item would read "Wind0z h4xx0red and warez0red by <silly tag name here>"
-- Kein Mitleid Für Die Mehrheit
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SK Genius wrote:
They're not about to turn themselves in.
Well actually..... If you install a pirated version of windows, you go through the process of reporting it and you can buy a legit version at a heavily discounted price without any penalties to you or the person who gave you the pirated copy.
"There are three sides to every story. Yours, mine and the truth" ~ unknown "All things good to know are difficult to learn" ~ Greek Proverb "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary" ~ Vidal Sassoon
Thunderbox666 wrote:
you can buy a legit version at a heavily discounted price without any penalties
You can buy a OEM-version at EBay for €50,0, and those are completly legal, too. I doubt that MS would go that low, even when they get adresses of self-accusing SW-pirates in return.
Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.
Douglas Adams, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" -
:wtf: Why do MS do that (offer a steep discount) in the first place? Also, how come most people don't install bootlegs, "turn themselves in", and then get a legit version for a fraction of the price?
Cheers, Vikram.
The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.
Because this way it maintains its massive customer base. Its like pushing drugs.
"Every time Lotus Notes starts up, somewhere a puppy, a kitten, a lamb, and a baby seal are killed. Lotus Notes is a conspiracy by the forces of Satan to drive us over the brink into madness. The CRC-32 for each file in the installation includes the numbers 666." Gary Wheeler "You're an idiot." John Simmons, THE Outlaw programmer "I realised that all of my best anecdotes started with "So there we were, pissed". Pete O'Hanlon
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:wtf: Why do MS do that (offer a steep discount) in the first place? Also, how come most people don't install bootlegs, "turn themselves in", and then get a legit version for a fraction of the price?
Cheers, Vikram.
The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.
Vikram A Punathambekar wrote:
how come most people don't install bootlegs, "turn themselves in", and then get a legit version for a fraction of the price?
Most people dont know about it, but I know alot of people who do it for friends and family
"There are three sides to every story. Yours, mine and the truth" ~ unknown "All things good to know are difficult to learn" ~ Greek Proverb "The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary" ~ Vidal Sassoon
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*clicks on "help - about" ... "xubuntu version 7.10"* ... nope ... it's legal ;)
"mostly watching the human race is like watching dogs watch tv ... they see the pictures move but the meaning escapes them"
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Because this way it maintains its massive customer base. Its like pushing drugs.
"Every time Lotus Notes starts up, somewhere a puppy, a kitten, a lamb, and a baby seal are killed. Lotus Notes is a conspiracy by the forces of Satan to drive us over the brink into madness. The CRC-32 for each file in the installation includes the numbers 666." Gary Wheeler "You're an idiot." John Simmons, THE Outlaw programmer "I realised that all of my best anecdotes started with "So there we were, pissed". Pete O'Hanlon
They don't. It's the same price as a oem/systembuidlder license, and has the same can't xfer to a new machine restriction in the licensing details. It's half the price of a retail (freely transfer) license and has been for years.
You know, every time I tried to win a bar-bet about being able to count to 1000 using my fingers I always got punched out when I reached 4.... -- El Corazon
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Seriously — who would ask such a question? I was designing a user interface for an application I was writing, and I was working on the menus, so I decided to look around for some "inspiration." I had an explorer window opened, so I went there. Upon clicking on the Help menu, I saw something from the corner of my eye that wasn't there when I first installed Windows: Is your copy of Windows legal? I find it offensive that it's lurking there like a cop sitting inside my computer reminding me "you better not be doing anything bad!" Does anyone else have this menu item? I haven't heard complaints from other people, but given it's location, I wouldn't expect anyone to find it.
So the creationist says: Everything must have a designer. God designed everything. I say: Why is God the only exception? Why not make the "designs" (like man) exceptions and make God a creation of man?
yes my copy of legal!
"Opinions are neither right nor wrong. I cannot change your opinion. I can, however, change what influences your opinion." - David Crow
Never mind - my own stupidity is the source of every "problem" - Mixturecheers, Alok Gupta VC Forum Q&A :- I/IV Support CRY- Child Relief and You/codeProject$$>
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I have a Gutsy Gibbon driving my plasma TV, if it wasn't for Yahoo messenger I would have one on my desktop as well. Elaine (simian friendly fluffy tigress)
Visit http://www.notreadytogiveup.com/[^] and do something special today.
Elaine, I think you can install YM on Ubuntu, though I've never tried it myself.
Cheers, Vikram.
The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.
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Thunderbox666 wrote:
you can buy a legit version at a heavily discounted price without any penalties
You can buy a OEM-version at EBay for €50,0, and those are completly legal, too. I doubt that MS would go that low, even when they get adresses of self-accusing SW-pirates in return.
Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.
Douglas Adams, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency"Are you sure about that? I was under the impression that an OEM version of Windows can only be distributed with a new PC (usually purchased at the same time). Although some sellers try to play games and sell you a mouse with it and call that a "system. MS cracked down on the PC vendors at that were at the computer shows around here (NH & MA, USA) a few years ago, and the big thing was selling OEM versions "off the shelf" without a new PC to go with it, as well as selling "Academic versions" to just about anyone with $20 in their hands. Peace!
-=- James
Please rate this message - let me know if I helped or not! * * *If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Remember that Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
See DeleteFXPFiles -
Are you sure about that? I was under the impression that an OEM version of Windows can only be distributed with a new PC (usually purchased at the same time). Although some sellers try to play games and sell you a mouse with it and call that a "system. MS cracked down on the PC vendors at that were at the computer shows around here (NH & MA, USA) a few years ago, and the big thing was selling OEM versions "off the shelf" without a new PC to go with it, as well as selling "Academic versions" to just about anyone with $20 in their hands. Peace!
-=- James
Please rate this message - let me know if I helped or not! * * *If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Remember that Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
See DeleteFXPFilesTechnically the one you can buy is called a 'system builder' license not OEM. The only functional difference is that it doesn't use BIOS locking as part of its anti-piracy policy. The license as worded says you're only supposed to be buying it if you're building your own system from scratch or are a small scale PC builder that doesn't qualify for volume licensing.
You know, every time I tried to win a bar-bet about being able to count to 1000 using my fingers I always got punched out when I reached 4.... -- El Corazon
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Are you sure about that? I was under the impression that an OEM version of Windows can only be distributed with a new PC (usually purchased at the same time). Although some sellers try to play games and sell you a mouse with it and call that a "system. MS cracked down on the PC vendors at that were at the computer shows around here (NH & MA, USA) a few years ago, and the big thing was selling OEM versions "off the shelf" without a new PC to go with it, as well as selling "Academic versions" to just about anyone with $20 in their hands. Peace!
-=- James
Please rate this message - let me know if I helped or not! * * *If you think it costs a lot to do it right, just wait until you find out how much it costs to do it wrong!
Remember that Professional Driver on Closed Course does not mean your Dumb Ass on a Public Road!
See DeleteFXPFilesJames R. Twine wrote:
Are you sure about that? I was under the impression that an OEM version of Windows can only be distributed with a new PC (usually purchased at the same time).
Here in Germany, yes, I am sure. In the US its probably different, and violators will be punished in Guantanamo (or, worse, somewhere in Somalia). Here in Germany, it is a High-court ruling (from 06/2000) that after selling something, your grip on it expires (Erschöpfungsgrundsatz). The Court ruling specifically allowed disbundeling of OEM-Windows. Protecting the split (Full-Price and OEM) distribution concept of Windows by artificial market segmentation is not a goal of German federal copyright laws. I did not find an english version of the references. If you want the german ones please ask.
Let's think the unthinkable, let's do the undoable, let's prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.
Douglas Adams, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" -
Elaine, I think you can install YM on Ubuntu, though I've never tried it myself.
Cheers, Vikram.
The hands that help are holier than the lips that pray.