macnn/electronista
12/04/2007, 12:10pm, EST
Tuesday, December 4thMicrosoft drops 'killswitch' from Windows Vista
Bowing to pressure, Microsoft will soon remove an anti-piracy measure from Windows Vista that cripples the software, say Reuters and BBC News. Vista Service Pack 1, which should be available in the first quarter of 2008, will strip away software that renders Vista all but unusable if the Windows Genuine Advantage tool deems an OS illegal. The difficulty, Microsoft has admitted, is that it in numerous cases the tool has misreported copies of Vista, locking legitimate users out of their own purchases.
Instead, says Microsoft VP Mike Sievert, Genuine Advantage will merely scan systems occasionally, checking to see whether they are properly activated. Invalid copies will trigger notices with a link to purchase a legal copy. "It's worth re-emphasizing that our fundamental strategy has not changed," Sievert notes.
Reflecting this, the Pack will also close two loopholes used by pirates: one which lets pirates simulate activation, and another which artificially extends the time limit between installation and mandatory registration.
Filed under: security, software
Other story tags: Vista, Windows
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If I know my copy is legal, there is only a disadvantage to have this software on my system.
I held out as long as possible to keep this off my XP install, and would have opted-out if I could have for Vista.
(Come on, it had to be said!)
Mac OS X? You SHOULD purchase one copy per computer... but there is no snitch software included. Yet another reason to get a Mac.
Not now. But who's to say what Apple will be putting in there, esp. with Apple getting oh so popular. Hey, they do it with their pro apps...
Apple is glad you bought the computer and if anything wants to make sure you will buy another soon. The OS is a carrot on a stick and if more people scam it then maybe more people will want to get the computer that comes with it.
And maybe Apple will start selling eight different versions of OS X, and maybe the sky will fall, and maybe Bush will tell the truth for once in his life.
That said, this has nothing to do with the protection itself, it's MS trying to make Vista more appealing over XP. If they drop this protection it makes Vista more open than XP.