Instead of disabling programs will instead get an hourly reminder alert.
No doubt due to lower than expected sales of the new Vista OS, Microsoft has announced that it’s going to ease its response to pirated versions found on users PCs. The changes to Windows Genuine Advantage will occur in the first quarter of 2008 along with the release of the new service pack.
When users attempt to activate Vista or try to download certain software from the Microsoft site, the Windows Genuine Advantage system scans their PCs for signs of pirated software. Today, if it finds an unauthorized copy of Vista, the glassy user experience disappears and other features are automatically removed.
With the new version of Windows Genuine Advantage, users found to have a pirated copy will continue to be able to use their PCs, but will have a reduced Vista experience and hourly alerts telling you to get a legitimate copy.. The desktop wallpaper will turn black, and a white notice will appear alerting users to the problem. Each time they log in, they will be prompted to buy legitimate software, and every hour, a reminder bubble will appear on the screen.
"We want to make sure unwitting victims get a great treatment," said Mike Sievert, a corporate vice president in Microsoft’s Windows marketing group.
The move is surely in response to people angered by the former heavy-handed approach that sometimes happened to users owning legitimate copies that for whatever reason couldn’t activate it properly.
"Microsoft realizes it has to take a different approach with their customers," said Chris Swenson, a software industry analyst for market researcher NPD Group. "If you shut down someone’s computer, you’re going to anger customers."
Microsoft also said the new service pack updates will fix two holes that have allowed pirates to create counterfeit copies: one that mimics the activation of software by computer makers before a PC is sold, and one that extends a grace period given to people who install new software, before they must activate it.
It’s nice to see that Microsoft is easing up a bit on its approach to piracy, but it reminds me once again why XP is just such a more pleasnt experence than I think Vista ever will be.
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well as much as I hate the DRM-infested shiny turd that is Vista…I gotta say this is a big step forward for the policy. Now if it didn’t require a person to reactivate when they modify their computer and if they would ditch the PMP crap I wouldn’t have any qualms about upgrading…whenever I get a new computer. Until then I’m sticking with XP.
QFT Gamer8585. I wish they disabled that for XP as well. Now every time I change anything on my PC I may have to get MS’s blessing if I wanna keep using my computer.
Vista is the best advertising there is for Apple.
#1 well as much as I hate the DRM-infested shiny turd that is Vista…I gotta say this is a big step forward for the policy. Now if it didn’t require a person to reactivate when they modify their computer and if they would ditch the PMP crap I wouldn’t have any qualms about upgrading…whenever I get a new computer. Until then I’m sticking with XP.
A BIG step? Sorry but this is still stupidity on Microsoft’s part.
They can do whatever they want but their new OS whatever it is in the future will STILL always find it’s way to Bit Torrent sooner or later. And without the hassle that they put their paying customers through that pirates never experience! How is this a big step??…it is only a step in the right direction…..maybe.
The sooner MS realizes that their products will always be pirated the better off they will be. Instead they need to turn their attention to making a better product! Not bowing down to the whims of holly wood!
I will probably never upgrade to this piece of junk they call vista too many DRM hoops to jump through. That and I don’t need bloat ware which is all vista really is when you get down to it.
ROFL i doubt that its gonna stop *them* from making it “genuine” so…………nothing to worry about
again its just GAY how they always wanna make themselves the monopoly of every damn thing
lolz soon youll se Microsoft.windows.vista.(wga.cracked).torrent or something alike
for all im comfirmed and seen is that its only with the new sp1 pack thats gonna make ur pc turn into wut they say just dont get sp1 wen it comes out…but i hurd itss only a curten file inside sp1 that is gonna make ur windows vista go crazy like how they say so just wait till u see a sp1 vista fix cracked .. windows said that when the new sp1 pack comes out and users that istalls it it will install sumthing that will make ur vista bug and nag for a serial or activation i think its sumthing like that
Y use Vista? I switched to Apple’s new O/S and I also use linux. Also set up a all Apple’s Leopard network with servers printer servers and the likes for a fairly large business. There is no need to run Vista. I can see having XP installed in a box somewhere in a dark corner in an office….
Still using Windows 2000 pro. Can’t find a copy xp with wga setup that it does nothing but says I have a good copy even though i don’t
Still using Windows 2000 pro. Can’t find a copy xp with wga setup that it does nothing but says I have a good copy even though i don’t