Windows ups anti-piracy measures for Windows 8

Following years of piracy of their operating system, Microsoft has begun upping anti-piracy measures for its early Windows 8 builds.

In recent memory, Windows 7 builds were easily pirated but the company is shutting down the generic volume license keys of yesteryear. Additionally, product keys will no longer be shipped in the prodkey.txt file included in new build packages.

Anyone installing the latest Windows 8 builds will need to get their unique key from a secure Microsoft web page.

Furthermore, the company may begin using its "fast booting patent" which ET explains could help Microsoft use a remote server to push OS code to systems at boot time with embedded activation-related programming.

Windows 8 is set for a 2012 release on PCs and tablets.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 21 Aug 2011 13:22

ROMaster2

It doesn't even look good enough to pirate it anyways.

21.8.2011 13:45 #1

lamain

So far it looks like someone reinvented the wheel and came up with a square. Sure is a disappointment after they did such a good job on windows 7. Thing is it looks so bad no one will want to spend a dime on it until they have used it so it will most likely be the most pirated OS they have ever had.

21.8.2011 13:55 #2

LordRuss

You know, if they would actually release their OSs at a respectable price people wouldn't be so inclined to rip it off. And you just 'know' hackers are going to make it obtainable in little or no time.

Stop the greed, stack it high, price it right & watch it fly. The more obtainable the software is to a larger audience the 'less' piracy. But then that would be too smart & "do nothing's" wouldn't get their undeserved, nuclear bloated bonus' at the end of the quarter.

http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

21.8.2011 15:00 #3

holyworld (unverified)

Easy if they sold it at a decent fairer price people would buy it.

Its a waste of time mucking around with anti piracy stuff, if the program can be installed via a disk or usb stick there are ways to get around it.

If it was cheap enough people would buy more copies.

Say $200 for the Ultimate version and $100 for any extra copies. Reward people who buy it, not expect top dollar that people dont want to pay.

21.8.2011 15:09 #4

DVDBack23

Well, let's put the question out there. Would you upgrade to Windows 8 if the price was $39, like Apple's Lion?

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21.8.2011 15:30 #5

hastheman

Originally posted by DVDBack23: Well, let's put the question out there. Would you upgrade to Windows 8 if the price was $39, like Apple's Lion? Without batting a edited by ddp eyelid, I would :D

21.8.2011 19:13 #6

lamain

Quote: Originally posted by DVDBack23: Well, let's put the question out there. Would you upgrade to Windows 8 if the price was $39, like Apple's Lion? From what I have seen of windows 8 they could not pay me to install it. unless it was a tablet or phone.

21.8.2011 19:22 #7

llongtheD

Originally posted by DVDBack23: Well, let's put the question out there. Would you upgrade to Windows 8 if the price was $39, like Apple's Lion? Not until I see if its another vista.

If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

21.8.2011 19:54 #8

llongtheD

Originally posted by LordRuss: You know, if they would actually release their OSs at a respectable price people wouldn't be so inclined to rip it off. And you just 'know' hackers are going to make it obtainable in little or no time.

Stop the greed, stack it high, price it right & watch it fly. The more obtainable the software is to a larger audience the 'less' piracy. But then that would be too smart & "do nothing's" wouldn't get their undeserved, nuclear bloated bonus' at the end of the quarter. Completely agree with everything except alot of dothing suits would still get their underserved bonus. I'd still give it a test drive though, I was lucky enough to do that with vista before I bought it. I stayed with XP until 7 came out.

If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

21.8.2011 20:25 #9

Schmick

Just like concrete, there are two types of software: cracked, and going-to-be-cracked.

^ PEBKAC ^

21.8.2011 21:12 #10

KillerBug

Originally posted by lamain: So far it looks like someone reinvented the wheel and came up with a square. Sure is a disappointment after they did such a good job on windows 7. Thing is it looks so bad no one will want to spend a dime on it until they have used it so it will most likely be the most pirated OS they have ever had. +1.

Originally posted by llongtheD: Originally posted by DVDBack23: Well, let's put the question out there. Would you upgrade to Windows 8 if the price was $39, like Apple's Lion? Not until I see if its another vista.
Don't worry...it won't be. Vista may have been crash-happy, but it did work from time to time. You won't have to worry about windows 8 being able to do anything.

Originally posted by Schmick: Just like concrete, there are two types of software: cracked, and going-to-be-cracked. There is also freeware and open source, as well as software that isn't worth the bother of hacking.

Quote:
Furthermore, the company may begin using its "fast booting patent" which ET explains could help Microsoft use a remote server to push OS code to systems at boot time with embedded activation-related programming.

This is the real issue here. They can push OS code that (most likely) will cause it to stop booting in spite of being legal (this is microsoft after all...the automatic updates install unsigned drivers that refuse to load, and there are 5-20 updates per generation that cause BSODs...there are even several automatic updates that screw up the boot sector if you have linux installed)...and at the same time, the pirated versions will have this crap stripped out, so the pirated versions will be more reliable than the legally purchased versions.

I'll wait for windows 9...just like I should have waited for windows 7 when Vista was released.

22.8.2011 01:18 #11

patrick_

I would buy windows, if I didn't have to buy a licence for every computer at my home. Why do I - a single user - have to buy a licence for my desktop, another for the HTPC, another for the laptop, etc.

22.8.2011 02:49 #12

emugamer

Originally posted by DVDBack23: Well, let's put the question out there. Would you upgrade to Windows 8 if the price was $39, like Apple's Lion? Upgrading would imply that a person owns a previous version. The day I "upgrade" I will have to fork over a few hundred dollars. Not going to do it.

22.8.2011 06:31 #13

dali

Originally posted by DVDBack23: Well, let's put the question out there. Would you upgrade to Windows 8 if the price was $39, like Apple's Lion?
Apple's Lion is a service pack, and Microsoft releases service packs for free. Microsoft may be evil, but Apple is the devil himself.

I would pay $39 if I can try it first and I get convinced that it worthes the price. That is, if it's not an absolute crap like Millenium or Vista. I can't remember how much I paid for my W7 Ultimate OEM, but I think it was about $140. I still can't understand how the hell Microsoft updates are more expensive than OEM licenses. Updates should cost those $39, as much.

Anyway, they won't lower the price, so I guess I'll maintain my dual-boot HTPC running both W7 an Debian, and keep using it at least for another 3 or 4 years for free.

�You know, it seems that quotes on the internet are becoming less and less reliable.� -Abraham Lincoln.

22.8.2011 08:38 #14

plazma247

From as far as i can see windows 8 is largely windows 7 with better tablet/finger support, using what appears to be a second version of media centre re branded as a new start launcher interface that's finger friendly and arm cpu support.

Business users are probably not going to require any of this and im sure many will stick with windows7 as its been proven to work properly most of the time, unlike vistas some of the time and windows 8 rather unknown x of time.

If microsoft want to make any success out of windows 8 they need to do something about the pricing, its just not realistic to charge so much these days when hardware now costs a fraction of it did 10 - 15 years ago and there was no real alternative other than to pay microsoft to get the software you needed.

Where as now, due to open office, linux, chromium things are very very different, but microsoft still wants the same disproportionation price for the OS?

They would be far better to make say home basic FREE of charge and then charge for the versions/features above that...!

So if you want, file hosting, media centre, domain support, finger support, insert additional features here you would pay an according upgrade until you got to ultimate that did the lot.

But lets see im pretty sure microsoft will put out the release windows 8 wait a small period, push an WGA update to all all vista and 7 users, those using hacks that can be detected, cripple them all and offer an upgrade to windows 8... its not like that's happened before, cough release of windows vista, cough windows 7, cough new version of office.

Although they are going to move away from vlk based slic codes im pretty sure it wont be long before it gets hacked as not all systems will be able to validate online, so telephone activation must still be possible or activation from another online computer and i assume its going to just do the normal dial home to check your valid when ever possible and check the unique code to what ever server in the cloud, as its not going to be practical to do the checking on a unique keys on the system due to the database size, with vlk's this was possible.

Ive no idea how its going to work in the real world but considering when slic chips were first introduced they were suppose to stop the problem of counterfeit software, instead it did the opposite and sort of made it easier. So i think time will only tell but history tends to indicate it might be another big fail followed by a large face palm !!

I dont think until we start to see the oem copies getting sent out to the likes of ibm/dell/etc we will be able to see what happens as im sure the beta versions dont have the full activation an rc or rtm will have so the hackers cant make a head start.

Lastly how did this make the news section it was reported back in 2010 ??

http://www.windows8news.com/2010/05/05/windows-8-to-contain-new-anti-hacking-software/

http://msftkitchen.com/2010/03/windows-8-to-contain-new-anti-piracy-technology.html

22.8.2011 08:45 #15

ZippyDSM

Dose this mean the full pro/ultimate OS will cost 50$?
Otherwise they lose and most people will use the cracked version cause it gives us less problems.....

Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

22.8.2011 11:04 #16

plazma247

Not likely looks like MS MAY want around $400 smackers for it.

http://www.windows8newfeatures.com/resources/2662-Windows-Price.aspx

So all the we put in the anti piracy so we could remove the padding we put in the normal price to cover it appears like it could just be hog wash...

But until Redmond give the official line this is all but speculation.

22.8.2011 12:15 #17

syevere

Originally posted by plazma247: Not likely looks like MS will want around $400 smackers for it.

So all the we put in the anti piracy so we could remove the padding we put in the normal price to cover it appears like it could just be hog wash...

But until Redmond give the official line this is all but speculation. But before that, let me tell that this data is purely non official and there is no such announcement from Microsoft but this is a prediction and a rumour.

22.8.2011 12:41 #18

plazma247

Did the bit where i put "But until Redmond give the official line this is all but speculation."

Not do that, in fairness im having a busy day and i have changed the first line accordingly :)

22.8.2011 12:44 #19

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by syevere: Originally posted by plazma247: Not likely looks like MS will want around $400 smackers for it.

So all the we put in the anti piracy so we could remove the padding we put in the normal price to cover it appears like it could just be hog wash...

But until Redmond give the official line this is all but speculation. But before that, let me tell that this data is purely non official and there is no such announcement from Microsoft but this is a prediction and a rumour. They are fighting piracy or the new product is 400$ of bloat ware ala vister version 3?

22.8.2011 12:53 #20

LordRuss

$40 is reasonable for an OS release, so long as I'm not the BETA tester for the next 2 years. My thing with going to 8 is that I have no reason or need for the 'touch' functionality whatsoever.

Why the hell would I want to upgrade my monitors to invite more snot smears when I have already bitched at everyone on the planet for having touched my non-touch screens for years.

http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

22.8.2011 15:07 #21

plazma247

Good point lord, although to add to i cant see how touch screens on full computers where you have the option of a mouse could be anything more than annoying and give you tired arms.

Although i think the re-worked start/media centre interface is probably so they can sell us kinects for windows to use with media centre as i cant see it being of any use in an office, would be funny to watch tho on a call centre floor.

That said they would be better off letting us all have the soft sled bit of media centre we never got but saw a demo of once long ago, instead of some faddy minority type interface.

Dont know about anyone else but at the end of a days work when i sit down to watch some TV a remote works just fine and the last thing i want to do is wave my arms around at the tv like some idiot trying to direct a taxiing plane...

22.8.2011 15:30 #22

NEIL 2047 (unverified)

two thoughts , use linux or android instead ! if these measure of draconian security come about dont buy the damm thing that would hit microsoft where it would hurt in their bank account! i legit buy my os dont mind a reasonable cost but i detest the likes of drm and other so called security .

22.8.2011 17:57 #23

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by NEIL 2047: two thoughts , use linux or android instead ! if these measure of draconian security come about dont buy the damm thing that would hit microsoft where it would hurt in their bank account! i legit buy my os dont mind a reasonable cost but i detest the likes of drm and other so called security .
We tend not to buy it we use it because it runs our games and media players....mostly.......I think wine is picking up to run as much as 7 lulz.....

22.8.2011 20:07 #24

control735

we are going with Linux

24.8.2011 02:17 #25

ZippyDSM

Originally posted by control735: we are going with Linux I'd rather stay with XP, it will at least run the stuff I have..

24.8.2011 09:58 #26

DXR88

there going to Monopolize DirectX 12 on this one no doubt about that.

24.8.2011 11:25 #27

xtago

Originally posted by holyworld: Easy if they sold it at a decent fairer price people would buy it.

Its a waste of time mucking around with anti piracy stuff, if the program can be installed via a disk or usb stick there are ways to get around it.

If it was cheap enough people would buy more copies.

Say $200 for the Ultimate version and $100 for any extra copies. Reward people who buy it, not expect top dollar that people dont want to pay. MS aren't fussed about the home user, it's a minor part of their market share.

It's the big corps that buy 5,000 or 20,000 copies at a time are the ones who drive the price.

who really cares what price a single user pays when a corp will be paying upwards of 5 million for a bunch of copies.

Anyway, MS haven't been fussing about suing people any more and instead been clamping down on the upgrade side and classing pirated versions as a virus version in the defender program which you need to install/upgrade/run some of the core OS programs.

This looks like a case where you don't have to upgrade but once a SP1 comes out then the OS won't boot up until you upgrade it situation.

25.8.2011 03:18 #28

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