[Flipside]

Hang the **** on. This is illegal under either the Data Protection Act, I think.

Depends, they can keep data on you, but you are allowed access to it.

I would guess that contacting Microsoft and saying 'I just want to check whether you know I'm using a pirated version or not' probably wouldn't sit too well with them

And, as I've already said, I disable update because of it's habit of helpfully crashing my computer in processor heavy environments, I have a legal copy of Pro, but update manually

[Fineus]

for as many people as hate Microsoft, you sure use their products, don't you.  In fact, i'll bet of everyone that posted, 90% of you posted from a Windows machine.  and 100% of you have A machine that's running Windows.

Don't mistake that for love of their products though. Without wanting to plunge this into a Windows/Linux debate - for the most part Windows is the industry standard and a large number of schools, home machines and busines' run it.

Just because we use it doesn't mean we're greatful for their bad business practices. It means we're stuck with it.

[redsniper]

^^ Pretty much exactly what I said to my hardcore Mac-user friend. "I know Mac is better and all. I'm just stuck with Windows because that's what everyone else uses."

[Ford Prefect]

I just can't wait until they reveal that the Windows Update feature is also being used by the RIAA to scan for unlicensed music.

[Kosh]

^^ Pretty much exactly what I said to my hardcore Mac-user friend. "I know Mac is better and all. I'm just stuck with Windows because that's what everyone else uses."

The one reason I still use windows is that many of my games require it.

And M$ DOES have a history of forcing manufacturers to put windows instead of an alternative OS on their computers. I remember an incident with Dell a few years ago.......

EDIT: And I do appreciate the fact that they need to make money, but does that make it right for them piss on their customers?

[Kamikaze]

I must be out of the norm, or maybe it's because since writing programs I appreciate anti-piracy even more, but to me, if someone steals something...

I write programs too. The difference between you and me is that I understand what copyright actually is and wouldn't make a stupid analogy about cars.

[Mefustae]

I just can't wait until they reveal that the Windows Update feature is also being used by the RIAA to scan for unlicensed music.

If I recall correctly, they tried a similar system several years ago, only it would scan for illegally downloaded pr0n. Six seconds after the system was first turned on, it exploded.

[Mars]

If I recall correctly, they tried a similar system several years ago, only it would scan for illegally downloaded pr0n. Six seconds after the system was first turned on, it exploded.

Scarey thought. 

[jr2]

Hmm.
I disable the auto-updates, and use http://www.autopatcher.com/
It's pretty sweet, especially 'cause they've got a slip-streamer that lets you include your XP CD+SP (maybe even other updates, I'm not sure) into a new CD.

As for legal use of Windows, I bought XP Pro Full.  When IT gave me a problem because I liked to change my hardware (wouldn't stop reactivating, even though the new hardware had been activated), I got XP Corporate, slipstreamed SP2 into it, and voila!  I have a (sort of) legal, non-prissy version of Windows.

BTW I have like 5 computers also, and I'd like to know, if you're using an old computer just for legacy stuff, but want XP on it just because, well, just because, are you really gonna fork over 3X the total worth of the computer for the OS?!?  I liked 9x because of just that situation.

Also BTW I dual-boot Linux.  Some of you fellow WinDOwS guys should try it.  Mandriva Linux is good for starters, it lets you resize your WinDOwS partition and it's desktop is easy to get used to, you can download it for free or buy a disc at www.Mandriva.com .

[Descenterace]

After spending money on legit MS software for seven years, and getting thoroughly sick of paying through the nose for substandard software, I decided that my latest Windows install would not be the fully legit XP Home licence I have. Instead, I chose to use the XP Pro Corporate licence I had lying around on a 'just in case' basis. Nice thing about this copy is that it's not one of these mass-pirated keys, so it's not blacklisted.

Windows Genuine Advantage? Yup, I've installed that along with everything else. No problems with it. 

TBH, as soon as WINE/Cedega can run all games equally as well as Windows itself, I'll be erasing those two NTFS partitions and burning my Windows CDs.

[Fury]

FYI, Microsoft's response.

[Descenterace]

That makes sense. If a version of the tool suffered some major flaw only apparent once it was out in the wild it's certainly useful to be able to disable that version.

On the other hand, now we've been through this and MS have explained what it's doing, they can add other functions at a later date and no one will pay too much attention to it...