Microsoft’s new aggressive move against piracy
Posted By RichC on October 4, 2006
Windows Users be warned: think twice before running bootleg copies of new Microsoft software … as not only will the software giant refuse updates, but according to an Associated Press article they will begin to “curtail functionality.” The software piracy intervention is just another step toward fending off the multi-billion dollar illegal software business … I mean ‘criminal activity.’
Most Microsoft users have been aware of the ‘call home’ features/snooping that happens with current versions of the Windows XP operating system, but for the most part its done in a gentle way and hasn’t restricted useage if Microsoft software found not to be licensed for that particular machine. This is about to change with the launch of Windows Vista as according to Thomas Lindeman, Microsofts senior product manager, the system will “curtail functionality much further by restricting users to just the Web browser for an hour at a time.” The company is also taking an even more agressive step since hackers have learned to just prevent the OS from ‘calling home’ — so the system will now be able to perform some piracy checks internally, without contacting Microsoft over the internet.
According to the article, Microsoft has the right to curtail illegal distribution of its software, but that these new agressive anti-piracy tactics will keep some people from upgrading to Vista. I suspect that many, even legitimate software users, will slow their purchase of Vista and instead continue to run XP. Vista is expected to be released to businesses first, possibly in November 2006 and then to the public in January of 2007.
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