Nobody does it better

By pogge on July 28, 2005 4:15 PM | 7 Comments | No TrackBacks

I was tempted to blog this story earlier in the week.

The next time you visit the website of Microsoft Corp. to download some software, be prepared to let the world's biggest software company have a look inside your computer.

In a determined strike to quell the proliferation of counterfeit software, beginning today, Microsoft will require that all customers coming to its website for upgrades and other downloads submit their computers to an electronic frisking.
...
The company will scan machines for a variety of information, including product keys or software authorization codes, operating-system version and details on the flow of data between the operating system and other hardware, such as printers.


It's enough to make a guy seriously consider Linux. And if that isn't, maybe this is: this new initiative on Microsoft's part has already been cracked. Charles Roten at Bump in the Beltway reports:
Two functional cracks in less than 48 hours. I must confess, I am in awe of Microsoft's unsurpassed competence in the battle with software pirates.

Emphasis in the original. Charles has the details.

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7 Comments

skdadl | July 28, 2005 4:44 PM

Good pogge. Cookie? BBQ? Popcorn?

I take requests.

Brad | July 28, 2005 8:38 PM

Ah yes. The wonder that is Microsoft. I'm currently evaluating some Linux distros. With stories like this it certainly motivates me to pick one sooner than later.

If only I could completely dump Windows. Not until I can get Photoshop running on Linux. Apparently it can be done with Wine. I've yet to try it.

pogge | July 28, 2005 9:48 PM

I'm told that The GIMP is quite a powerful image processing program. But I'm not really in a position to say how it measures up to Photoshop.

Peter | July 28, 2005 11:14 PM

And you should be in awe. Notice, that that number of hours is FOURTY EIGHT, not for example, two, or something. :)

Kevin Powell | July 29, 2005 11:41 AM

Wow! Thanks for the heads up. Another reason to dislike Microsoft. While software piracy is a problem, so is invading my privacy.

kgp

Leons Petrazickis | July 29, 2005 2:08 PM

The Corporate Edition of XP has you input a serial number, but doesn't require activation with Microsoft. A small selection of serial numbers are used in most pirated installations. They are probably just going to block the suspect numbers.