Microsoft to combat illegal copies of Windows by

ElTaco · Post by **ElTaco** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 4:54 pm

Severly limiting who can update windows with patches. So not only does MS write a Crap OS that gets infected at a drop of a hat, but now they will be helping us out by not even patching the worthless system anymore.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6868504/

Yeah, I'm sure this will have a great ending.

-ET

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:21 pm

I can understand the effort to protect a shrink-wrapped software product. However, as the article states, cordoning off illicit copies is just inviting a tsunami of security problems in the form of flaws and hacks.

For this and a great variety of other reasons, I think we're going to see a much broader acceptance of the Linux OS for the end user over the next two years.

ElTaco · Post by **ElTaco** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:48 pm

True be that. They have every right to fight the piracy. But you have to realize that piracy still means a larger audiance and larger acceptance. Sure someone might use a pirated copy today but then they might buy an official copy tomorrow. In this case it will look bad for MS because There will be reports that even more of their install base is infected by even mild worms.

I almost think this is just MS flexing its arms to look like they are protecting their property. They won't be able to keep it up.

-ET

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:08 pm

I'm not sure how many millions they have budgeted for security, but it can't possibly be enough to tame the monster that's breathing down their necks. The only possible working strategy is to open the codebase, or to scale back what they are offering to "trusted" systems...I think that their approach will trend toward the latter.

Notice, this change is planned now, but they can't possibly implement it for at least 6-7 months. In the open source community, fixes and patches can be made in a matter of hours, and the future looks even brighter.

Tom In VA · Post by **Tom In VA** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:48 pm

RACK PSUFAN

Unfortunately until my games run on Linux I'm forced into MS World.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:49 pm

Yeah...when we see Macromedia and Adobe products that run natively on Linux, I'll be ready. Actually, at least in the case of MM, it's being considered.

ElTaco · Post by **ElTaco** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 1:40 pm

Photoshop is the biggest program they will want to move over (adobe that is) and they will want to hurry up. I think that some of the linux projects out there are doing rather nicely and if MS scares more and more people onto Linux and Adobe isn't around to keep helping these people, they will notice a drop in market share.

Macromedia is sweet but VIM is the light. Now if only it could do flash movies too.