As part of its growing antipiracy campaign, Microsoft is testing a program that offers free licensed versions of Windows XP Professional to some customers whose copies are found to be bogus.
The move is the latest in a series of expansions for the Windows Genuine Advantage program, which Microsoft quietly launched last September. The program, which runs software that verifies whether a particular copy of Windows is legitimately licensed, is the linchpin of a campaign by Microsoft to boost the number of paying customers among the millions of people that use Windows.
The Windows Genuine effort started as a purely voluntary program, but Microsoft has since been requiring validation for more and more customers who want to download software from the company.
In March, for example, Microsoft said it would require those who want to download a foreign-language pack for Windows to first validate their copy of Windows.
Starting Wednesday, customers in the United States whose copies of Windows XP Professional do not pass validation will be presented with the option of getting a free licensed copy. To do so, customers will have to fill out a counterfeit report with Microsoft and be able to provide the Windows disk they have as well as some kind of receipt for their purchase.
"Our goal is really to ensure that the complimentary offer is for people who really truly were unknowing victims of counterfeit," said David Lazar, director of the Genuine Windows program.
Those who don't have the disk or the receipt are eligible to buy a licensed copy online for $149. That's less than the cost of a full copy of Windows XP Pro but more than what customers pay when they get Windows on a new PC.
"At first glance it seems kind of self-defeating to reward pirates with a free licensed copy," said The NPD Group analyst Ross Rubin. However, he said it is an opportunity for Microsoft to show customers the benefits of its official software and potentially win them over as legitimate customers for future versions. Plus, it could help them track down those who are heading up piracy rings.
"Much as narcotics officers bypass the lower-level dealers to get at the kingpins, what they are likely trying to do is get at the distributors (of pirated Windows)," Rubin said.
well i hope that worked...lol. I dont get it, if you are using a illegal copy of XP, how are you going to have the windows disk and some kind of receipt. Ok, so you want me to give you the burned copy i have and a receipt from Walmart??Starting Wednesday, customers in the United States whose copies of Windows XP Professional do not pass validation will be presented with the option of getting a free licensed copy. To do so, customers will have to fill out a counterfeit report with Microsoft and be able to provide the Windows disk they have as well as some kind of receipt for their purchase.
Sounds like they are setting people up.. Think about it. Admit and then get a free copy? Who are they kidding!
Why would i want ANOTHER free copy?
Rest in peace mother
16.1.2006
You will always be with me.
If you don't have a receipt you can download a copy of Office2003 and write one up.
I don't need no stinking signature
lmao!Originally Posted by nukehella
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Rest in peace mother
16.1.2006
You will always be with me.
MS doesn't really care about joe P2P downloading windows XP they want to shut down bob shady dealer running the town computer repair shop charging people $100 for counterfeit windows
DILLIGAF
LMAO......... Why indeed..........
do i get free ipod :bom:
Denie Everything, Admit Nothing.
yeah, it comes packed with your zp t-shirt
People standin on top of the white house, there's people standin up on capital hill...
They stand up there, sound like they know something...
They all still wake up in the morning, drink a cup of coffee and take a shit, they aint better than I am.
And they dance around a problem... say this... talk about the eco-nomic imp-li-cations...
But their grandfather, great great grandfather, was just like my great great grandfather, just a bunch of monkeys swingin up in trees shittin in the woods.
Admit nothing, continue to get window updates for free :icon_thum
Why worry with this when and worrying with Windows Product Activation .Microsoft wont even let you update your own system if you change componets or fry a motherboard without having to place a call everytime you update its ether time to get Linux or look at some reverse engineering of the Windows product Activation code more info here http://antiwpa.tk/
I agree! Why Pirate a crappy bug filled OS when you can get a great one line Linux for free!
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