Re: Anti-Piracy issues

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From: tiger (tiger_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 07/25/04 

Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 08:18:49 -0700

Thanks for your opinion. The problem is that I still don't
know unequivocally if he is doing the wrong thing or not.
Based on the info the piracy rep gave to me, NO ONE is
able to burn CDs - but that is not true since the big
computer dealers like Dell, HP do just this. Obviously the
rep forgot, or did give me the wrong info.

You bring up very good points, as someone with very high
morals and values, I totally agree with you in regards to
setting an example for my daughter. But, I also need to
protect her and I don't want to have to worry about
police, etc...for something such as this - even though
it's very important. As a first-time parent, I think I
have every reason to be concerned for the safety of my
baby, and that is why I am grappling with the whole thing.

After further discussion with my huband we have come to
the determination that it seems as if Microsoft has given
system builders a lot of freedom in regards to OEM
versions, and this is where the problem lies. I still
can't even make a final determination based on Microsoft's
anti-piracy website and I've spent 3 days on this
website. There is definitely a gray area in regards to
OEM versions if you read the descriptions on their
website - they need to specifically state what is allowed
and what isn't, plain and simple and they just don't do
that. I have reams of stuff printed from their website
(with permission from them) and it's all been highlighted
and analyzed, and there are tons of inconsistencies and
missing info. I analyzed the info just as I do when
marking my students' senior English papers, and believe
me, Microsoft has a long way to go in regards to making
their info more understandable and consistent for
customers. That, I suspect, is why they have presented the
info in this matter - most people if confused are probably
going to believe Microsoft and not the other way around.
That is why it shouldn't be up to the honest, hardworking
customer to make a determination based on Microsoft's
confusing website descriptions.

This is where I'm at now - I have spent an inordinate
amount of time the past week trying to make this
determination, and it's time I can better spend with my
daughter and my husband. Don't get us wrong, we feel this
is an important issue, but if Microsoft did a better job
of providing the absolute, bottom line answers on their
website, we wouldn't even be having this discussion at
all, as I would know exactly what my system builder can
and cannot do.

Thanks for replies, Tiger

>-----Original Message-----
>Greetings --
>
>> If they had done a better job of securing their software
>> (such as embedding the COA right into the CD/software),
>> then it wouldn't be so easy for my computer guy to copy
>> software.
>
> But don't you think that would be rather like parking
your car in
>a strange neighborhood, locking it, but then leaving the
keys dangling
>in the lock? It certainly would make pirating the
software a lot
>simpler.
>
> I do sympathize with your position. Ultimately,
you're going to
>have to decide for yourself whether setting this
situation right is
>worth the time and effort involved. I'd certainly prefer
it if
>Microsoft were to become more pro-active in pursuing
small-scale
>piracy, rather than relying upon honest customers to
always have the
>time, the where-withal, and the will to do the right
thing.
>Unfortunately, I suspect Microsoft, not unjustifiably,
fears a public
>relations backlash if it were to "go after the little
guy." Your
>"computer guy" is betting his livelihood on this: he's
fully expecting
>you to give up the fight. I've no doubt he's been
through this
>before, and has always simply out-waited previous
complainants.
>
> Since you mentioned a child, there's one other thing
I'd ask you
>to think about: What kind of an example would you like
to be setting
>for your child? Someone who always does the right thing,
even when
>it's personally expensive and troublesome? Or someone
who surrenders
>to the "bad guys" because it's just too much trouble to
stand up for
>his/her rights? As Edmund Burke said, many years
ago, "All that is
>required for evil to triumph is for good men to do
nothing."
>
> How could this "computer guy" threaten you for filing
a complaint?
>And, if he were so foolish as to do so, wouldn't this put
the matter
>into an arena where you can involve the local police?
>
>
>Bruce Chambers
>--
>Help us help you:
>http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
>http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever
count on
>having both at once. - RAH
>
>
>"tiger" <tiger@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>news:374f01c47203$52a17d80$a401280a@phx.gbl...
>> I've posted quite a bit over the past week due to being
>> the victim of what I believe to be software piracy. I've
>> gotten some great suggestions and support so I have some
>> more issues to discuss for those who are interested:
>>
>> My husband & I have been discussing the piracy issue and
>> what happened with our computer guy today. It's late
and
>> I am pretty wiped, but after thinking about it and
>> discussing it with several other people, I resent the
>> position that this computer guy has put me in. First
off,
>> I now have to spend a lot of time and energy pursuing
this
>> matter over the next couple of days with Microsoft
(with a
>> 1 year old baby, I just don't have the time). Secondly,
I
>> really resent the expectations that Microsoft has of me
as
>> a consumer of their products. Please let me explain:
>>
>> If they had done a better job of securing their software
>> (such as embedding the COA right into the CD/software),
>> then it wouldn't be so easy for my computer guy to copy
>> software. Not only that, now that it's happened, they
>> expect me, a very busy young mother/career woman, to
>> gather information and report this guy to them. I know
>> that piracy dictates that we as consumers need to be
>> responsible in reporting, but after reviewing
everything I
>> kind of feel as if we as customers are doing Microsoft's
>> job for them. I've read every inch of their anti-piracy
>> site, and it totally puts the onus on us as customers to
>> curb the problem, but at this point in my life, my child
>> is my priority. Also, as an English teacher, their site
is
>> lacking in specifics and details. Nowhere on the site
does
>> it specifically say that all versions must come with
>> hologram CD. It alludes to this in several sections,
but I
>> had to call the piracy hotline to get this information.
>>
>> In regards to reporting this guy, to be honest, my
husband
>> and I are nervous to report him because he's going to
>> surely figure out that it was us since I've called him
2x
>> this week, and visited him today in his shop to discuss
>> the matter. What if he threatens us? We are feeling a
lot
>> of anxiety about the whole thing because we are very
>> honest and moral people, but in the grand scheme of
>> things, there are much more important things that I need
>> to devote my time and energy towards. Sure this guy is
>> illegally burning CDs, but why is it my total
>> responsibility to report him? What about everybody else
>> who does business with him?
>>
>> I'm sure that I'm going to get some very interesting
>> replies to my post. My intention is not to anger anyone,
>> but I honestly feel that I have some legitimate concerns
>> about this whole matter and it's really my huband and I
>> feeling as if we can't trust anyone anymore - especially
>> in the computer industry!
>>
>> Tiger
>
>
>.
>

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