Microsoft to Make Windows Anti-Piracy Program Mandatory

[BJ_M]

bazooka is right -- we got 100's of embedded nt2k, nt4 and xp systems installed all over (the OS is burned on a chip - you cant change it) , thse systems dont need or require 'updates' and work perfectly well ..

ONLY time I saw a performace increase in an update was with sp1 with win2k .... and even then it was not that much and only for some things ..

worried about virus on a disk? install a virus scanner .. end of story ..

[jpconard]

Who backs DRM so heavily - Microsoft.

Last time I downloaded a song from Napster I had to use the included burner software to burn to CD, then rip to MP3 before I could put it in proprietary Itrac format on the Sony mini disc player. No other burner package would recognize the WMV file. FUN. That was over a year ago, it is probably even more difficult now.

Who wants that - Microsoft.

Who wants subscription music and video - Microsoft. This means you will never own any music or video you only can rent it and continue to pay monthly to use it.

Who wants no recording of High Definition signals - Microsoft.

Can't you see the trend?

[BJ_M]

hahaha -- check some facts please first ..

microsoft was asked / pushed into drm .....

and what does ms have to do with subscription music and video?

[BJ_M]

jpconard wrote "Who wants no recording of High Definition signals - Microsoft"


what are you talking about ? .

[mpack]

ONLY time I saw a performace increase in an update was with sp1 with win2k .... and even then it was not that much and only for some things ..

I don't really care about performance increases (of the type I think you mean at least), I'm specifically thinking about bug fixes such as the one that stops Windows Explorer take 100% of cpu and memory when you browse a folder containing a large AVI file. That is the kind of problem I tend on encounter on my non-networked PC, and I will continue to need a route for obtaining fixes.

And in fact I don't worry about viruses either, because I take my own precautions to ensure that my machine is immune (like not having a network connection, and not running unproven software on my development PC). IMHO, anyone dumb enough to have been caught by a virus probably deserved it.

My earlier point however was: a network connection is not the only way for rogue software to exploit a vulnerability in Windows, so just because I myself don't feel vulnerable doesn't mean that the subject is irrelevant - I'm asking the question as much for the enlightenment of others as for myself. And in case you forgot, the question was, how does someone update a PC that does not have a network connection?

[BobK]

The people who are bothered by this are usually the guilty parties.

That is just my observation.

Yeah. And anybody who doesn't want the police to have unlimited power to stop and search them must be guiltly of something too. Therefore we shouldn't worry about civil liberties, privacy issues or any of the other freedoms covered in the US constitution because they're only there to help guilty people.

[BJ_M]

ONLY time I saw a performace increase in an update was with sp1 with win2k .... and even then it was not that much and only for some things ..

I don't really care about performance increases (of the type I think you mean at least), I'm specifically thinking about bug fixes such as the one that stops Windows Explorer take 100% of cpu and memory when you browse a folder containing a large AVI file. That is the kind of problem I tend on encounter on my non-networked PC, and I will continue to need a route for obtaining fixes.

And in fact I don't worry about viruses either, because I take my own precautions to ensure that my machine is immune (like not having a network connection, and not running unproven software on my development PC). IMHO, anyone dumb enough to have been caught by a virus probably deserved it.

My earlier point however was: a network connection is not the only way for rogue software to exploit a vulnerability in Windows, so just because I myself don't feel vulnerable doesn't mean that the subject is irrelevant - I'm asking the question as much for the enlightenment of others as for myself. And in case you forgot, the question was, how does someone update a PC that does not have a network connection?

the avi thing has never been really adressed - except by our own patchs ..
I found this the best solution:

Opening a folder containing a large number of AVI file can open quite slowly because the OS has to open each AVI file and extract info from AVIs. If you have a large collection, you can speedup XP's folder access to blocking it from automatically extracting this info. Doesn't hurt anything, the OS will read the info if you open the AVI.

Rename the key by placing a minus in front of the keyname to enhance file system speed when working with AVIs : change HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E} to -{87D62D94-71B3-4b9a-9489-5FE6850DC73E}. If it causes problems, remove the minus.

[bazooka]

ONLY time I saw a performace increase in an update was with sp1 with win2k .... and even then it was not that much and only for some things ..

I don't really care about performance increases (of the type I think you mean at least), I'm specifically thinking about bug fixes such as the one that stops Windows Explorer take 100% of cpu and memory when you browse a folder containing a large AVI file. That is the kind of problem I tend on encounter on my non-networked PC, and I will continue to need a route for obtaining fixes.

And in fact I don't worry about viruses either, because I take my own precautions to ensure that my machine is immune (like not having a network connection, and not running unproven software on my development PC). IMHO, anyone dumb enough to have been caught by a virus probably deserved it.

My earlier point however was: a network connection is not the only way for rogue software to exploit a vulnerability in Windows, so just because I myself don't feel vulnerable doesn't mean that the subject is irrelevant - I'm asking the question as much for the enlightenment of others as for myself. And in case you forgot, the question was, how does someone update a PC that does not have a network connection?

You don't when to quit, do you?

You update through methods like cd's and dvd's. The whole point was that when you have an unconnected computer, and it get's infected, the infection stops at that one computer. When they are networked, that one computer can affect other computers.

You are still making an issue out of nothing.

[bazooka]

The people who are bothered by this are usually the guilty parties.

That is just my observation.

Yeah. And anybody who doesn't want the police to have unlimited power to stop and search them must be guiltly of something too. Therefore we shouldn't worry about civil liberties, privacy issues or any of the other freedoms covered in the US constitution because they're only there to help guilty people.

Think about it for a minute.

If you are doing nothing wrong, then what is the harm?

This is trivial. Microsoft is not the global police and this is not a military action. Please stop treating it as such.

[EvilWizardGlick]

The people who are bothered by this are usually the guilty parties.

That is just my observation.

Yeah. And anybody who doesn't want the police to have unlimited power to stop and search them must be guiltly of something too. Therefore we shouldn't worry about civil liberties, privacy issues or any of the other freedoms covered in the US constitution because they're only there to help guilty people.

Think about it for a minute.

If you are doing nothing wrong, then what is the harm?

This is trivial. Microsoft is not the global police and this is not a military action. Please stop treating it as such.

Not yet anyway.
Also, something you seem to have forgotten in your argument, lack of knowledge of the law does not mean innocence. If you break a law you are unaware of, you are still guilty of breaking that law.
In the end it is far better to have too much freedom than too little.

[bazooka]

lack of knowledge of the law does not mean innocence. If you break a law you are unaware of, you are still guilty of breaking that law.

Your point is.....what?

This is not a big deal.

It is the equivalent of having your passport checked b4 going out of the country.

If your passport is forged, you can not leave the country.

[FootballNutz]

I think I'll wait for the next Microsoft Operating system to make up my mind. Until then I will not give them any more info. I saw where someone compared this issue to looking up a VIN #. If my car had to be updated & patched like XP I would of had the bank REPO the junk. When I start getting a good product I might think obout putting my name a Microsoft data sheet. Who Knows maybe someday they can match me up with a Kidney donor.

[bazooka]

I think I'll wait for the next Microsoft Operating system to make up my mind. Until then I will not give them any more info. I saw where someone compared this issue to looking up a VIN #. If my car had to be updated & patched like XP I would of had the bank REPO the junk. When I start getting a good product I might think obout putting my name a Microsoft data sheet. Who Knows maybe someday they can match me up with a Kidney donor.

That is well within your right, but if your copy is legit, they do not get your name. You just admitted guilt. Like I said b4, the guilty ones are the ones that are protesting.

[BJ_M]

I think I'll wait for the next Microsoft Operating system to make up my mind. Until then I will not give them any more info. I saw where someone compared this issue to looking up a VIN #. If my car had to be updated & patched like XP I would of had the bank REPO the junk. When I start getting a good product I might think obout putting my name a Microsoft data sheet. Who Knows maybe someday they can match me up with a Kidney donor.

using a car as a example is not maybe the best choice ..

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/
http://autos.canada.com/national/info/recalls.html
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm

[bazooka]

You can also get your car stolen by thieves using your vin. Without proof of ownership, a thief can get the vin and take it to the dealership and get a key.

There is nothing that the owner can do about it.

[BJ_M]

well some you can do that withsome cars but -- with ford and others you need the chip code also - and they have to order it ..

the dealership doesnt keep the chip codes , but the factory does of course ..

the VIN method used to work good - i used that method years andyears ago to use my parents car while they were away ....

[edDV]

Bottom line with MS (and others) for the first wave, if you are in any kind of money making business (e.g. file a schedule C or above) you better make sure your software is legit. You are stupid if you ignor this.

They have been mailing out these warnings for years. Now lawyers have another job security bonanza fighting both sides.

[BJ_M]

lawyers have another job security bonanza



that is true ...

[jpconard]

Below is one problem with Microsoft. Does Apple use DRM?

Microsoft folds to the government and does nothing to make the PC experience easier for the user. They typically make it much more difficult.

Is all of this below really necessary to play a music file?

DRM Loophole -
A loophole in the Windows Media DRM process allows companies to create ersatz media files and link them to adware. Normally, when you download a protected Windows Media file, you also receive a license that lets you play it. According to Caulton, if Windows Media Player can't find a valid license on your PC, it checks in with a remote system running Microsoft's Windows Media DRM Server.

You'll rarely see that happen. Some files, though, are set up to ask you for information before playing. They do this by displaying a URL in a dialog box labeled License Acquisition. Normally that dialog box is used to check for a user name or offer a chance to purchase the file that's being played.

For example, a legitimate DRM-encrypted file might let you play it three times, then bring up a window asking if you want to buy it. Or a band might offer a song to you for free if you agreed to sign up for its mailing list or view a 15-second commercial. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work.

But since the license dialog box acts just like an Internet Explorer window, it can display whatever is on the page it points to--whether a legitimate call for license information or a series of pop-up ads.

When we played the modified files, the License Acquisition dialog box showed a page containing ads and quickly spawned more IE windows, each containing a different ad.

Not only did we get bombarded with unwanted ads, but one of the ad windows in a video file tried to install adware onto our test PC surreptitiously, while another added items to our browser's Favorites list and attempted to change our home page. And a window from the original music file asked to download a file called lyrics.zip, which contained the installer for 180search Assistant, commonly categorized as an adware program.

The media files appear to run once the ads load, but they were devoid of video or music.

[bugster]

Below is one problem with Microsoft. Does Apple use DRM?

You bought anything from iTunes recently

[jpconard]

No, but recently read Itunes doesn't work with IPODs because Apple doesn't want the DRM stuff.

[adam]

If Apple had the market share of MS then they probably would have similar problems implementing DRM. Same goes for Linux. Bottom line, when you are by far the number 1 most used computer operating system in the world, you become the number 1 target as well, and that's makes everything you do infinitely more difficult...and no matter what you do or how well you do it, you will still catch hell for it from certain people.

There are plenty of things to dislike Microsoft for, but this isn't one of them. They want three trivial pieces of information and it takes 2 seconds to give it to them. If you want to complain about Microsoft then bring up their antitrust violations. In my opinion, their software works pretty damn well considering how many different combinations of things it is required to interface.

More and more sites make you register before you can download anything. Either live with the registration, or live without the files.

[bazooka]

No, but recently read Itunes doesn't work with IPODs because Apple doesn't want the DRM stuff.

That is funny because apple uses DRM.

I suggest you do more research next time.

[jpconard]

When the digital copyright flag stops all digital recorded material that you may get onto your harddrive (if your lucky) but won't burn to a DVD, is that OK as well?

You give an inch they will take a mile. Meaning the government, and we need the big corporations to take a stand. The VCR lawsuit happened a long time ago, and all this other stuff is just variations of that. Granted now digital, now HD, but still the same basic concept.

We should be glad Apple is not caving into DRM. Microsoft should have done the same.

Also we are well past the "implementation" phase of DRM. It has been in WMA for some time now.

[jpconard]

Why does the Apple site say they can convert only unprotected WMA?

-If you’re excited about using iTunes, but have already have a music collection built up in other programs, you’re in luck. iTunes can import music from Windows Media Player, MusicMatch and any other app that uses MP3, AAC or WMA (unprotected). iTunes 4.5 will now convert files digitized by Windows Media Player in unprotected format to AAC, so you can use them in iTunes or on iPod. When you import your MusicMatch library or other MP3 collection, you can choose to let iTunes make a copy of the library, or point to the old files. If you want to gather up all your music later, iTunes lets you consolidate your library anytime.

[bazooka]

We should be glad Apple is not caving into DRM.

Again, Apple uses DRM, dude.

You need to get your facts straight.

Itunes, which is an apple product sells you drm wrapped aac files.

Please do not state things unless you know the truth.

[EvilWizardGlick]

lack of knowledge of the law does not mean innocence. If you break a law you are unaware of, you are still guilty of breaking that law.

Your point is.....what?

This is not a big deal.

It is the equivalent of having your passport checked b4 going out of the country.

If your passport is forged, you can not leave the country.

So, you failed to quote my last line and missed what the point was.
So I'll repeat it.
It is better to have too MUCH freedom than too LITTLE.

[bazooka]

lack of knowledge of the law does not mean innocence. If you break a law you are unaware of, you are still guilty of breaking that law.

Your point is.....what?

This is not a big deal.

It is the equivalent of having your passport checked b4 going out of the country.

If your passport is forged, you can not leave the country.

So, you failed to quote my last line and missed what the point was.
So I'll repeat it.
It is better to have too MUCH freedom than too LITTLE.

[BJ_M]

Microsoft (for better or worse) wants the freedom to create an operating system the way it wants to and sell it the way they want to --

they can't - they are not allowed - they are sued left and right . it has not made the OS any better , just cause a change in the way they package it and yes - DRM and all it entails ..

[State Of Mind]

You know what. The modern Windows Operating System sucks because why? It is bloated and is designed to introduce new users to the computing world. This means that the interface is very flashy and pretty. Big buttons and balloon tips. At the same time, since Windows is so bloated, it often causes instability and inefficient means of usage for many users depending on the hardware and software they run. Once users increase their knowledge and familiarity with Windows, they tend to get annoyed with the flashy and pretty interface and its constant reminders regarding things certain users don't rank as much of a priority. Security updates, antivirus definitions, new versions of your preferred software. Most people just go with the philosophy that if the PC does what they want it to, its their "super computer". However, many people don't know all the things you have to do to keep your PC lean and slim. Install an All-In-One to fix your problem and never worry about it again? Wrong. Once you install Norton and Fix-It Utilities, your computer's resources are pretty much gone. Your PC then runs slow and slower. How to fix this? Buy more RAM? Not necessarily. My main point of this message is to let users here know about nLite. Here is the forum: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=89
Here is the homepage: http://nuhi.msfn.org/

nLite is a program to completely and permanently remove unwanted components from your Windows installation so they don't exist on your CD to begin with. Slipstream SP2, remove up to 150 individual components and reduce your Windows installation to as small as 100- MBs. When it comes down to your Windows directory after setup, be relieved of more than a GB of Windows bloat! Completely remove ALL of Internet Explorer and go with Firefox and NEVER get a pop-up or spyware again! Gets rid of the Windows Firewall and use Kaspersky, NOD32, or whatever! I myself, out of the 150 components, I keep THREE of them. My last Windows ISO was 98.3 MBs. But, reduction isn't the only thing this program does. Integrate your own Drivers for your own hardware into your ISO so all your hardware is up and running by the time your done installing. Don't want to sit and click buttons during install? Do an unattended install within nLite. Want your interface and speed to be top notch before you click the mouse upon Windows load? Use the Tweaks within nLite. I will NEVER go back to Dell's Windows CD. Only to copy XP to my HD to open it within nLite and Enlight it. This program is free and written by one man. A new version every two weeks. This program far surpasses XPLite. XPLite is horrible compared to nLite.
Anyway, all I have said is barely scratching the surface of nLite's potential. Go to the homepage and forums to learn all about it!
Say goodbye to Windows bloat for good! nLite works for Win2k, XP (all) and Server 2003. If you want to learn more from me, PM me!

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Check it out.