Re: WGA Questions

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

From: kurttrail (dontemailme_at_anywhereintheknowuniverse.org)
Date: 02/09/05 

Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 15:18:39 -0500

Vagabond Software wrote:
> "kurttrail" <dontemailme@anywhereintheknowuniverse.org> wrote in
> message news:%23fnErotDFHA.1040@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>>
>> Adaware is free for personal use. And you might want to read this
>> link before setting up your customers with MS Anti-Spyware tool.
>>
>> http://msn.com.com/2100-1009_22-5569429.html?part=msn&subj=ns_2543&tag=mymsn
>
> A trojan? Please! My commercial customers don't need to lose any
> sleep worrying about worms or trojans. Obviously, if a user has a
> trojan virus, a disabled spyware scanner is the least of their
> worries.
>
>> LOL! You have the right to a trial before you are considered guilty
>> of tax evasion, or a traffic violation, so what the hell are you
>> talking about.
>
> The California Franchise Tax Board must've missed that part of the
> law. I failed to pay the appropriate level of taxes in 1996 and was
> saddled with penalties before I even knew I hadn't paid the correct
> amount, let lone been to a trial.
>
> The same was true for my last parking ticket. I was presumed guilty
> and expected to pay the amount specified on the ticket long before
> any court appearances.
>
> Look, I've had real grievances with software companies in the past,
> like the robber barons at Netscape and the privacy raiders at Real
> Networks. I have stopped using their products entirely. If
> something I want to see or hear requires a Real Networks product with
> no alternative, I do without. That's the way the world works and
> that's my perogative.

That is all well and good for you, but the average computer ill-literate
user, doesn't have much choice but use a MS OS, without purchasing new
hardware and software that they already have bought over the years.

>
> I have two suggestions for you. First, if you are personally put
> upon by Microsoft's copy protection, then don't use their products.

I could care less about me, I know MS's stupid-assed policies better
than most. And I believe I have already demonstrated my ability to get
around WGA.

I care more about the average person who doesn't understand all the MS
BS policies, and ends up buying the same software more than once.

> Also, if you are truly concerned for the end-users, do more in your
> community to educate people on how to confirm their legal license to
> use their software and how to spot possible fraudulent vendors.

LOL! There is a sucker born every minute, and MS uses their rules to
prey on those suckers.

>
> Microsoft, appropriately, has no enforcement capabilities in this
> area.

Bull! They are members of the BSA. If they were truely into stopping
REAL piracy, then the BSA members would place an embargo on those
countries that have weak enforcement. But MS is in bed with countries
like China.

Consumers already pay the price of piracy in the procucts they buy, and
they aren't getting any price break for PA and WGA. So in effect, they
are paying for piracy three time. Once included in the price of piracy.
Twice, in having to waste their time, and having to play the Russian
Roulette game of Licensing Check errors. And now MS is gonna impose a
third cost of piracy to their paying customers, with wasting their time
with WGA, and the errors it is likely to generate. I have already seen
problems in this group where a users could get WGA Validation to run on
one of their computers, and when it becomes mandatory, people will be
wasting their time resolving such issues just to get their updates.

> The are limited proactive approaches available to Microsoft or
> any software company.

That's what the courts are for! For criminal piracy, that is what law
enforcement is for.

> One is a public education program that make
> end-users more wary of illegal software and use of that software less
> attractive.

LOL! These are the same people that can't organize their All Programs
menu! It's not up to the paying customer to help the software
manufacterer to fight piracy.

> Another would be to strictly dictate who shall sell a
> legal MS product and under what circumstances that product can be
> sold.

Yep. MS needs to do that.

> This is the path of Apple and Sun, and the path to marginal
> existance as is evidenced by those companies.

LOL! That's right, MS wants its cake and eat it too. 

-- 
Peace!
Kurt
Self-anointed Moderator
microscum.pubic.windowsexp.gonorrhea
http://microscum.com
"Trustworthy Computing" is only another example of an Oxymoron!
"Produkt-Aktivierung macht frei"

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