WGA: Pros, 0, cons, legion
p2pnet.net News- A lot of the press comments we’ve recieved [sic] on Beta 1 of Windows Vista have realy [sic] exceeded my expectations, posts Kam VedBrat in a Microsoft blog.
In general, I expected to see a tone [sic] of `it’s ok, but wait for later betas` with respect to the user interface work we’re doing. There’s definitely more work in the pipe, but even we shipped this week [??] seems to have generated some really nice words.”
The blog goes on to highlight John Clyman’s PC Magazine write up on, “the UI changes alone and that eWeek’s David Coursey said, Windows Vista is the best-looking OS Microsoft has ever produced and is competitive with, and in some ways better, than Apple’s recently-introduced Mac OS X 10.4, aka Tiger.
Better than Apple’s Mac OS X 10.4? Praise indeed ; ) But it didn`t surprise Kam VedBrat, who adds:
Wow. Getting compared to Tiger is inevitable these days, given all the buzz Apple has been generating around the Mac over the last few years, we knew someone would say something about where we stood relative to OSX, but `competitive with, and in some ways better` at Beta 1 is really nice to see.
Of course – there are lots of opinions out there… I picked two of my favorites. What do you think of Beta 1?
Then there`s a big, empty space or there was at 6:07 am, Pacific.
BUT not to worry. Ed Foster’s InfoWorld Gripe Line blog can help fill in the blanks.
‘Just another of the many licensing tricks’
“I thought it would be appropriate to offer a sampling of comments we’ve had about the program from current or former Microsoft customers,” he posts. “Or, as I like to call them, the Windows Genuinely Disadvantaged.”
Some readers said legitimate installations showed up as `illegitimate` in Microsoft’s validation process, ie, Imagine my surprise when I actually entered the Microsoft logo’ed key posted to the bottom of my laptop and was told that my Windows XP program, pre-loaded at the dealership that sold me the laptop, was not legitimate.
They also wondered if fighting piracy was the real motivation behind Microsoft’s program.
“Microsoft hasn’t been able to innovate for a long time now, and are thus unable to show sales and revenue growth based on the merits of their products and real customer demand,” one Gripe Line reader wrote. “This is really just an indirect license ’sunset’ methodology – many less-sophisticated users will take the easy way out, and have an excuse to go buy that new PC they had their eye on anyway. And, guess what, Bill sells another copy of Windows, and the new one has an even stronger tractor beam back to Redmond. I’ve never been a fan of Linux, but I’m about ready to give it a try.”
Or was the Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy effort nothing but “further justification for their decision to get out of the Microsoft licensing maze and into Open Source”?
And, “Even if everything else were equal – and it is not even close – just the licensing issues alone are sufficient,” wrote another reader. “But even if you have a properly licensed Microsoft server, in the event a disgruntled employee or evil competitor calls the BSA or SPA and you find a strike team breaking down your doors and confiscating all your equipment, you still are guilty until proven innocent. Can you find every single COA, CALC, receipt etc. across numerous upgrades? And this begs the question of if there even is such a thing as a legal Microsoft Server. With all the assorted limitations and myriads of additional licenses you need to be able to do anything useful I have never heard of anyone, even Microsoft, who is willing to certify that a client is actually properly licensed for what they intend. According to the EULAs, you are not actually allowed to do anything useful anyway. If Linux were half as fast, unreliable and twice as difficult to install, it would still be a better deal.”
A Foster`s reader also, made the astute point that all this verification nonsense would be unnecessary if Microsoft hadn’t forced OEMs to go to OS recovery systems without a full-fledged Windows CD and others seconded that motion. Those, “Certificates of Authenticity? Please. Perhaps businesses keep them, but do home users really pay any attention to those?
In other words, states Gripe Line, many readers felt Windows Genuine Advantage is just another of the many licensing tricks Microsoft uses to get more money from customers instead of providing better products.”
And as someone griped in conclusion, If, because I refuse to be audited or to buy a new copy of Windows every time I plug a new motherboard into my favorite case, Microsoft wishes to label me a pirate, I can only say this to them: It takes one to know one.”
Something you think we should know? tips[at]p2pnet.net
See:-
Microsoft blog – Windows Vista Beta 1 Press Highlights, July 30, 2005
Gripe Line – Reader Voices: Advantage Microsoft, July 28, 2005
July 30th, 2005 at 7:05 pm
“Some readers said legitimate installations showed up as âillegitimateâ in Microsoft’s validation process, ie, âImagine my surprise when I actually entered the Microsoft logo’ed key posted to the bottom of my laptop and was told that my Windows XP program, pre-loaded at the dealership that sold me the laptop, was not legitimateâ. ”
*GASP* Maybe, just MAYBE your dealership ripped you off?? You know it is *POSSIBLE* that your copy really is not legitimate…. Maybe you need to take your laptop back to the dealership and demand a refund for the price of windows?
“Can you find every single COA, CALC, receipt etc. across numerous upgrades?”
Well if you are doing your job, yes, you should have a system worked out to keep track of licences for your systems… If you don’t that is pure stupidity and you diserve whatever you get..
Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty about Microsoft that pisses me off but what happened to personal responsibiliy?
July 30th, 2005 at 8:36 pm
A couple years back my grandmother ordered a new computer from Dell. If she had asked me, I would have taken her to Fry’s and put something new together that was twice as good, and half as expensive; but she “didn’t want to bother me”.
So she gets the computer and, thanks to it running Windows XP, has to reformat and re-install after it gets hopelessly bogged with malware. Not to worry, she has a Bill-given copy of XP thanks to Dell… And of course it doesn’t work. “The CD key you have provided is not valid”, I beleive the message was.
So she goes to Office Max, and foolishly buys a new copy. And of course it STILL doesn’t work. FINALLY she calls me, upset and almost in tears over having spent over $2000 and STILL not having a working computer. All thanks the isnane Windows registration protocols that DO NOT WORK!
Thank the gods for p2p networks, and hackers with too much free time. A friend of mine had DL’ed a hacked copy of Windows XP, which I borrowed and isntalled for her…no validation code required. I would have preferred isntallign somethign GOOD, but it is what she wanted <groan>. So to make it as reliable as possible, I also installed Firefox, AVG Antivirus, Spybot, Ad-Aware, and Peer Guardian. All set to load when windows loads, and automatically update then as well.
And I STILL have to fix her computer about every 4-6 months!
July 30th, 2005 at 8:40 pm
It’s not just one user. I bought a new computer. Came with XP. The install disc was the offical deal, not a copy. It was complete with the impressed holo on the disc. However when I went to register the OS, the problem came in that it didn’t recognise the certified sticker on the computer’s number. The end result was calling the place I bought it at, them calling Microsucks to fix the problem, but from then on every install was a phone call to Microsucks for the 25 digit code. Just once, right?
Then I bought a major makers computer. It got malware in it that installed to the OS and very possiblily to the Bios. No reinstalling, no formatting got rid of it. After 5 installs and attempted fixes, guess what? Microsucks thinks I might be pirating their OS and has blackballed the WGA number. If I want it to run, I gotta call Microsucks, explain the problem, and if they deem it is legit I get to call them each and every time for an install number.
We won’t even talk of the subseptability of the windoze line to malware.
About personal responsibilty? EULA’s make sure its loaded with that.
However my answer is perfectly clear. I run Linux now. It is installed on two of four computers and as I work my way into learning it the rest will follow the linux trend. I like the Linux OS. It isn’t vunerable to every malware around the corner, it doesn’t take registering, it is easily fixed, and updates and downloads are as readily available as is for Microsucks, only the updates come out rather fast when a problem is discovered.
So I have solved my problems with Windoze, less and less I will use it. I won’t be going to Vista upgrade. Microsucks will recieve no more money from me for the continual update and new version cycle.
July 31st, 2005 at 12:56 am
This is a common BS argument. People are not held to higher standards of personal responsibility than corporate entities, which now have the same “rights” & more than citizens. If citizens behaved the way Microsux does towards its customers, they’d be in jail & guilty of gross negligence, fraud, collusion, … This is the same company that has been found guilty numerous times of monopolitic, anti-free market behavior. Your basis of opinion is not conservative, it is the phony conservatism that excuses corporate malfeasance & is actually more akin to the communism practiced by the Soviet Union, just dressed in the wrong clothes. Wake up & deprogram yourself.
July 31st, 2005 at 1:02 am
Btw, this was a reply to the FIRST comment left for this article, not to the people re-installing their Swiss Cheese “genuine”-ly shitty OS that Gates has somehow made himself the richest man off of. Talk about stealing!