back to article Windows 7 Ultimate product activation hacked?

You could get a free (and illegal) copy of Windows 7 Ultimate if reports of a leaked OEM product activation key are accurate. According to MyDigitalLife, a leaked OEM copy of Windows 7 was posted to a Chinese forum, with the OEM's key then identified and snatched. An OEM activation key will unlock multiple copies, and it's …

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  1. James O'Brien
    Joke

    Microsoft was unavailable for comment at the time of writing.

    Probably because they are too busy trying to figure out who leaked this.

    Or at a company feel good session....theres a thought Ballmer closing his eyes and falling backwards to be caught....oops my hands slipped :)

  2. Anonymous Coward
    IT Angle

    So?

    So what?

    Have the volume PC builders *really* got stocks of pre-imaged systems sitting in warehouses ready to ship?

    If they haven't, surely all that needs to happen is that the leaked key gets revoked (just like they were with XP, dunno about Vista but who cares) and the legit system builders get legit replacements which they use to rebuild their system images ready for when Windows 7 really does start going through the factory. Sorted???

    Those with the dodgy OS and dodgy key find their Windows is useless the first time Winderz does a Windows Update with a WGA in it, or whenever the latest greatest Meejah Player update needs a WGA, or whatever.

    Where's the news here? Small earthquake in Stoke on Trent, no parrots injured?

  3. ElNumbre
    Stop

    Yellow Pages.

    I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft changes the locks within a few hours, revokes the leaked key, and makes Lenovo rebuild any currently mfrd machines with the new key and makes them pay a chunk of cash as 'make good' money.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    WGA

    but it'll be invalidated at some point with a WGA update won't it?

  5. Nick 6
    Gates Horns

    Consequences

    People are going to 'jump' out of windows for this one....

  6. J 3
    Gates Horns

    Pardon me thickness...

    ...but wouldn't it be quite easy to inactivate this key, specially since copies haven't even been sent out to the OEMs yet? Then rogue installations would not pass Genuine Crapness activation or whatever, at least. Or so I understand, since my OS has no such thing.

  7. Charles 9
    FAIL

    How long do you think...

    ...before that key gets invalidated? Remember that, since Vista, Windows requires product activation or it starts going herky-jerky on you. I'm pretty sure Microsoft now knows that the key was leaked. It'll just prevent that key from allowing activation and perhaps taking Lenovo to task for allowing the key to get leaked.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    It works !

    On Windows7 Ultimate

    Though its nothing new.

    Vista was also hacked in exact same way.

    Bring on the snow leopard !

  9. Colin Wilson
    Linux

    One small edit gives...

    "Downloading Windows exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code"

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Nope

    "...exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code - that usually accompany counterfeit software."

    Not really. The vast majority of illegal stuff is actually fine to use. But then MS aren't going to say that.

  11. Dick Emery
    Pirate

    Where there is a way

    There is a hacker willing to do it. There is already a loader for it out that fools Windows 7 into thinking it's an OEM copy and will activate.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    Tourists

    The microsoft statement must have been issued by a junior member of staff... everyone knows that those statements are also meant to point out that piracy funds terrorism, and how much that costs the economy.

    A more experienced spokesperson would also manage to point out that piracy leads to climate change and thus pirates kill cute furry little creatures. And because it's microsoft, I'd expect a note pointing out that google aids these pirates and thus funds terrorism, etc.

    Amateurs!!

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What a shock!

    So Microsoft can not identify a computer that has been activated with a stolen OEM Serial?

    This just told everyone how to Pirate Windows 7!

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Gates Horns

    "Windows 7... exposes users to... viruses, Trojans and other malware"

    Vista: so unloved that nobody wanted to crack its activation keys...

    WGA: Windows Give-Away?

    Ah, so much MS-bashing fun to be had...

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Well...

    Bugger me with a freshly shampooed hamster. Who'd have thought that the über secret activation system was already hacked for 7. Next it'll be their WGA system, if it isn't already.

  16. Goat Jam
    Linux

    DRM

    I wish MS would get their DRM act together. I mean they've been trying to lock out illegal copies for years and years and they still can't get it right. Of course I'm sure that they will eventually flag this particular key as hostile so that WGA can do it's thing, just like they did with the original leaked XP keys but by then there will be so many other ways to bypass WGA it will no longer be an issue.

    Why can't they get it right? A bulletproof anti-piracy scheme could be just the boost that the penguin needs!

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    This is why MS loves freetards

    No Lenovo PCs have been sold with an install using this master key, and they are only due to be sold in 3 months' time. This means it's a trivial matter for MS to blacklist this key in WGA and issue Lenovo a new one (probably along with a hefty fine if they worded their contracts properly). Lenovo has ample time to reimage their drives with a new install. This key will activate a Win7 RTM install, but if MS has an ounce of sense they'll have WGA pull the killswitch on these installs in a few months' time.

    Luckily for MS, the Chinese kiddies who got hold of the ISO are either committed freetards looking for an Andy Warhol moment or too dumb to realise that they just pissed away the chance to make a bundle on the black market. If they'd held onto the key until just before Oct 22 they could have screwed MS royally with a fully-operational pirate version of Win7 available from release (if I recall correctly, the initial pirate Vista installs were using primitive methods like re-arming or 'frankenbuilds' which MS easily defeated).

    The real news here is that, despite all the hot air, MS is STILL using the same thoroughly-cracked SLIC method for its OEM installs as Vista despite the fact that this has been thoroughly cracked and (especially with a reflashed BIOS) makes it impossible to detect a pirated install. (A primary target for anti-piracy prosecutions has been 'white-box' OEMS who sell systems with a pirated OS, and these people certainly have the skills to reflash a BIOS, though MS has still failed to defeat the software SLIC loaders that are probably more common.) MS has had at least 2 years to come up with a new method of validating OEM installs and has failed *comprehensively*. While Win7 requires SLIC 2.1 in the BIOS, the old 2.0 certificates still work (!!!), indicating that very little has changed in the basic structure of their validation system.

    Anyone using this particular leaked key will probably get a nasty surprise once the WGA servers get updated for Win7, but it's only a matter of time until more master keys leak. In fact, they may already have done so, but were given to people willing to sit on them until it's too late for MS to blacklist.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    No cracking involved

    It ain't "cracked" if someone has an OEM or Volume Licensing key, that's simple theft. Cracked would be when someone came up with a mechanism to generate new keys because they know Microsoft's algorithm. Typical scare tactic headlines and anti-MS uninformed bollox.

  19. C 2
    Pirate

    Hehe, just like last time

    and the time before that .. Lets see

    Vista

    Server 2008

    Server 2003

    XP

    All pirated with activation cracked, broken and beaten into submission before the release date.

    The pirates always get the new stuff first. It is the paying customers that get punished though, over and over and over.

    Then MS STRONGLY advises people NOT to download from them.

    It was funny the first few times, now its just stupid.

    September 19th is talk like a pirate day, I'm just sayin maybe that should be Microsoft's release date for new products :)

  20. tony trolle
    Linux

    they should just keep the pre-order priceing

    $50 for a copy is cool.

    $100 mmmmm ubuntu 4 me !~!!!

  21. Big-nosed Pengie
    Linux

    Title

    "... and exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code - that usually accompany counterfeit software. These risks can seriously harm or permanently destroy data and often expose users to identity theft and other criminal schemes,"

    Yep. Sounds like Windows alright.

  22. Head
    FAIL

    wtf?

    "Downloading Windows 7 from peer-to-peer Web sites is piracy, and exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code - that usually accompany counterfeit software. These risks can seriously harm or permanently destroy data and often expose users to identity theft and other criminal schemes," the company said.

    Wtf?

    Viruses, malware and malicious code only exists in Windows regardless of genuine software or not!

    Big noting yourself is so pointless M$.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    Wait, don't tell me...

    Windows 7 is even faster and more secure.

    Another badly designed P.O.S. OS from Microsoft is heading your way. It will almost certainly be compromised and infected within a fortnight.

    This will in no way be anything to do with Microsoft refusing point blank to learn from better systems (Unix/Linux) but will of course be down to those naughty hackers and those naughty terrorists.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It's just obvious that Microsoft cracks itself everytime...

    Just like other companies do with their products. Instead of just not using DRM to spy on customers and limit their fair use of the products they paid for and knowing that a lot of people wouldn't just use Windows OS at current and upcoming insane prices with the disgusting WGA/WPA activation.... "the hacks" appear all of a sudden every single time. WPA and WGA get disabled/hacked/bypassed "by crackers" everytime. Well... there are people that believe in the urban myth of 12years old computer wizards able to crack obscure undocumented encrypted DRM code by guessing.... but the only truth is that all these "crackers" are just programmers undercover that are ordered to release the cracks to the public to ensure a mass adoption of the OS. That is just pretty obvious but the majority of people after so many years still believe in the viral marketing myth of little "hackers" kids...

  25. Alan W. Rateliff, II
    Paris Hilton

    Downloading != piracy

    Downloading the image of the OS is not piracy, dicks. Bypassing protection mechanisms and using it without authorization is. If you really gave two shits about the DVD/CDs being downloaded, why in the world would you put the product online for download in various forms (MSDN, TechNet, MAPS, VLK, etc.)???

    Get your shit straight, Microsoft.

    Paris, whatever, dick.

  26. Raspy32

    Microsoft...

    "and exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code "

    That's a bit rich coming from Microsoft, when they've been exposing users to this code for years with their sloppy programming....

  27. Steve ten Have
    Happy

    Hell it's good and it's cheap!

    Just buy it. For once Microsoft are being sensible about their pricing structure and if we're being fair it's a pretty good product.

    I've been using it in an enterprise capactiy as well and it plays nice with 95% of apps. MS have got this one right - the best way to send the message to them is to buy it.

    Steve

  28. Hugh_Pym

    Just let me fix that for you, microsoft

    Microsoft in a statement strongly advised customers not to download Windows 7 from unauthorized sources.

    I would add - or from authorized sources either.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Run a commie O/S!

    If you run a "commie" or trendy O/S ( no names mentioned ) no need for keys, as no one is interested in ripping it off!

    Seriously what was MS estimate on how long they could keep the "corp" keys under wraps before release date? I am genuinely curious!

  30. Mickey Porkpies
    Happy

    Windows 7 key

    Why would I want one I use linux???

  31. mikebartnz
    Jobs Horns

    Typical

    Why don't they just give up on it as it is usually just an annoyance for legitimate owners.

  32. Stef 2
    Grenade

    A new crack?

    I have (ahem) seen a freely available utility that activates Windows 7 Ultimate and has a host of other features, such as easily switching off UAC, it's been regularly updated to keep pace with M$'s official and leaked releases - it works 100%.

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    Badum tshhhhh!!

    "...harm or permanently destroy data and often expose users to identity theft and other criminal schemes"

    Yep that sounds like Windows. So what about pirate software?

  34. Balefire
    FAIL

    Business as usual then

    Microsoft make this big song and dance about how you must "activate" your copy of Windows, cram it full of DRM and tell everyone that you must buy a copy if you want to use it. Then they make the whole unique serial number activation scheme so weak that people find it easy to circumvent.

    Call me cynical but it seems to me that the whole thing is designed to ensure people run their OS and no other. Same when DOS & then Windows 3.x was released - OS/2 was copy protected and cost a fair chunk of folding, DOS & Win were not. So few people actually bought DOS & Win - they just installed a copy from their mates.

    Either make the activation scheme work and work properly, or get id of it altogether. Again, the only people inconvenienced are those mugs who actually part with money for it.

  35. Owain 2
    Joke

    God Damn it!

    I jusr pre ordered my copy from amazon when i could have got it free!!

  36. N2

    Windows 7 should be free

    For anyone who has suffered under the monumental pile of dog poo that Vista is & had to replace it with XP & in some cases obtain another license.

  37. Dr. Mouse

    DRM/WGA etc.

    Lets face it, all copy protection will be compromised eventually. Just like all encryption algorithms. In fact everything will be found to have some exploitable flaw sooner or later.

    In the end all these 'features' do is piss off the paying customers. Take, for example, games which refuse to work unless you have the disc in the drive. Why? I have paid for the game, and I don't want to have to hunt for the DVD every time I play it. I have plenty of HDD space, everything is installed anyway. Hence, even if I have paid for a game, I will download the no-cd crack. If I am doing that, why not just download the game?

    The more DRM shite they bundle on software, the less likely I am to buy it. Hence they would probably make MORE money if they just didnt bother.

    When you add to this that MS is known to, indirectly, make more money from pirate software than it looses (by maintaining it's "monopoly" instead of causing those who cant afford / don't want to pay move to alternative OS's), I could see MS actually releasing cracks themselves.

  38. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    They never learn

    I bought genuine versions of Win95, Win98, Win98SE, and finally, WinXP; but after 4-5 "You need to register this copy" episodes for no good reason I said "FCUK IT!!", I downloaded a copy of TinyXP and never looked back.

  39. Rev. Ignatius Killfile
    Pint

    They give it away.

    Microsoft will never get this WGA or DRM key thing right, it's not in their interest. Sure they what to sell you Windows.. Sure they want to tax you on your new PC. Ultimately they want MS Windows running on your PC whether or not it's a genuine copy. Think of the massive discounts they give to OEMs to keep windows on the desktop. Think of the massive discounts that they gave to governmental departments when the latter were thinking of switching to Linux.. Market share counts for too much.

    I'm a PC, I'm. a Mac, I'm a Slacker.

  40. copsewood
    Boffin

    @AC

    "This will in no way be anything to do with Microsoft refusing point blank to learn from better systems (Unix/Linux) "

    Actually Microsoft have been learning from these more open systems for many years. Examples have included the Mach kernel, WIMP (x-Windows, Icon, Mouse, Pointer) interfaces, multi-user discretionary access control, preemptive multitasking and preventing applications from overwriting the address space of other applications. Of course those of us who use open systems instead of MS-Windows have had the benefits of these things years earlier. What Microsoft have not been learning very well so far is openness. As they become more reliant on GPL code (which they originally called "a cancer") due to the need to cooperate in order to compete within a world based upon open network standards (i.e. Internet), they are increasingly being forced into more openness to avoid being sued for GPL licensing violations.

    The other factor driving this is Microsoft's desire not to have anti-trust out of court settlements and fines imposed by courts increased by another order of magnitude. When they were spending $100M/year on this it wasn't affecting the bottom line. Now this is costing them closer to $1G a year, they need to keep the legal cost of abusing their monopoly position from going much higher.

  41. David Simpson 1
    Thumb Down

    WGA ! It's not XP people

    For all the people waffling about a WGA update, You are talking about XP, This OEM activation still works on Vista for the main reason that revoking keys for OEM activations could piss off alot of OEM customers.

    Microsoft doesn't care, they make the bulk of their cash from OEMs everything else just helps market share.

  42. David Simpson 1
    Thumb Down

    @Stef2

    @Stef2

    The program you speak of doesn't work anymore for activiation, and why the hell would you need a program to turn off UAC ? You can do it yourself with 3 clicks of a mouse.

  43. Apocalypse Later

    Free Windows 7

    Second prize, two free Windows 7s.

  44. Geoff Mackenzie

    A new concept on the intertubes from MS

    Peer to peer websites? Is this a Microsoft innovation? All my websites are client-server.

  45. The Fuzzy Wotnot

    Same old story....

    If you tell someone they "can't" have it, they want it even more!

    Take away the kudos of "cracking" your O/S to use it and where's the interest?

    MS only put DRM into keep the shareholders happy, no else benefits. The "pirates" take it for nothing, they know all the tricks. Legit users and companies, hate it, it hampers normal use.

  46. Sean Timarco Baggaley

    @copsewood

    "Actually Microsoft have been learning from [Unix / Linux] for many years. Examples have included the Mach kernel, WIMP (x-Windows, Icon, Mouse, Pointer) interfaces, multi-user discretionary access control, preemptive multitasking and preventing applications from overwriting the address space of other applications"

    Check your facts. Seriously.

    Microsoft may not have invented those, but neither did Unix or its descendants. Example: Xerox's PARC may have produced the first well-known implementation of the WIMP paradigm, but the concept dates right back to the 1960s, before Unix had even been invented.

    Similarly, pre-emptive multitasking and decent memory management were not invented by Unix either. (And the BSD Mach kernel was the starting point for NeXTSTEP / OpenSTEP, better known today as Mac OS X. Windows, like Linux, is built on an older "monolithic kernel" design.)

    Unix and its descendants have been heavily influential in the internet and related networking fields; encouraged the view that hacked-together programs with appalling user interfaces are somehow a Good Thing, and also bears some responsibility for the undeserved ubiquity of the C family of programming languages today.

    (Oh yes: decent memory management requires a decent MMU. This is a piece of *hardware*, not software. You can fake most of it in code, but without that hardware support, it's never going to be as good.)

  47. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Piracy

    > "Downloading Windows 7 from peer-to-peer Web sites is piracy,"

    No it's NOT "piracy". It's copyright infringement.

    It's all well and good letting Microsoft get a comment in at the end of the El Reg article, but that doesn't mean you should just reprint any old shit that they spout.

    If Microsoft had said that downloading Windows 7 via P2P was 'murder', would you have printed such bullshit?

  48. Mike Gravgaard

    Windows

    "Downloading Windows exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code"

    Doesn't it normally? I mean do genuine copies no longer have these problems.

    Mike

  49. Shane 8
    Big Brother

    @ David

    [quote]

    The program you speak of doesn't work anymore for activiation, and why the hell would you need a program to turn off UAC ? You can do it yourself with 3 clicks of a mouse.

    [/quote]

    On windows 7 you cannot turn off the UAC just turn it to low, i have tried..seems one of the main changes they did since vista (which it can be turned off).

    Also downloading a CD or getting a copy CD is not illegal just supplying the CD-Key is.

  50. Scott Mitchell
    Heart

    I see the Lunix geeks are back

    Ah, the usual anti-Windows snipers appear!! Well well well.

    Why can't you nerds see? It doesn't matter how bad Windows gets, it's always going to be more popular than Linux. I could throw a turd into a room full of people, and it would be more popular than that pile of penguin FAIL, tbh.

    Windows 7 is fantastic - fast, smooth and easy to use like its predecessors. Hopefully it will increase Microsoft's market share and effectively kill off that geeky POS with the penguin.

    Can't wait to get my hands on DX11.

    In summation, Windows = WIN, Linux = FAIL

  51. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Popular?

    "I see the Lunix geeks are back"

    Yeah, it's funny how on a technical website, you'll find technical people.

    "Ah, the usual anti-Windows snipers appear!! "

    As someone incapable of using a non-MS OS, you're very much in the minority here. Why are _you_ back?

    "It doesn't matter how bad Windows gets, it's always going to be more popular than Linux."

    No one I know wants or likes windows (with the exception of 1 flash dev who "quite likes windows 7" and a bunch of .NET flappers who kinda have to like it). Everyone else has windows because that's what they're used to. So ... popular? In the sense that bacteria are popular? Common would be a better word.

    But you know, The Jonas Brothers are popular, the Daily Mail is popular, The OC is popular, bashing people in IT is popular, being a religious fundamentalist is popular, etc.

    You stick with the crowd. I'll stick with not paying money to aggressive hyper-capitalists just because they told me to.

  52. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Easy way to detect if the download has virii..

    Microsoft have already published some of the checksums from the RTM ISO's on one of their blogs, including SHA1 (I think) hashes.

    So unless Microsoft has deliberately infected the leaked ISO's all you need to do is check the checksums match the published ones.... Tools to calculate these from the downloaded file are easily obtained.

    Microsoft may revoke the key but what they may do is change the checks to prevent Vista certificates being used. I don't know if the people in China just got the key or the key and certificate too so I don't know if Levono have been told to use the Vista certificate. I believe Windows 2008 uses different certificates than Vista.

  53. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    RE: I see the Linux geeks are back

    Scott Mitchell wrote: "Windows 7 is fantastic - fast, smooth and easy to use like its predecessors."

    I see the sarcasm - but I don't think you intended any, in which case you should be ashamed of yourself!

    I've used all versions of Windows from 3 onwards and "fast and smooth" are not words I would associate with any of them. You need not think I'm saying this because I am a huge fanboi of any other OS, I've used OS2, SunOS, Solaris, SGIs version of unix, DEC unix, Lunix, HP-UX and OSX (and many many others along the way) but Windows is just awful. I know, I was a windows developer for years until I jacked it in.

    Windows may be "fast and smooth" when you see it running in a shop but to keep it that way when you get home, you have to keep defragging the disk and reinstalling the bugger on a (very) regular basis. Bah. (This is what eventually prompted me to throw my PC out of a 3rd floor window directly into a skip one day)

    As for "easy to use" - ha ha ha! It's getting better but only because they've nicked the best ideas from other OSs and wedged them into their bloatware. (Not that there is much room once all those viruses, malware and trojans have taken up residence but that's another story).

    So what is the secret of MS success? Ensuring that as many people as possible are locked into their shite. Spreading illegal keys wouldn't surprise me in the slightest - they've used every other dodgy underhand tactic to foist their guff onto us!

  54. masterpikey
    Gates Horns

    bit of an edit needed

    Quote said

    "Downloading Windows 7 from peer-to-peer Web sites is piracy, and exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code - that usually accompany counterfeit software. These risks can seriously harm or permanently destroy data and often expose users to identity theft and other criminal schemes," the company said

    Should have said

    "Installing Windows exposes users to increased risks - such as viruses, Trojans and other malware and malicious code - that usually accompany Microsoft software. These risks can seriously harm or permanently destroy data and often expose users to identity theft and other criminal schemes," the company said

  55. C 2
    Alien

    @ Scott Mitchell

    <quote>

    In summation, Windows = WIN, Linux = FAIL

    </>

    HA! Tard' !

    And every single Gaping security hole, and windows update = FAIL, mostly the ones that MS can't or won't fix for a year or so.

    The numbers are adding up, its been 6 *years* and the updates and flaws for XP keep popping up.

    Win 2000 was released with 65,000 known Issues (fault, failures whatever) MS fixed a tiny fraction of them. Then later got tired of the game and said we don't support win 2000 any more.

    I can still identify bugs in Vista that I saw in Win 2000, hows that for a FAIL ?! I bet you can still find the bug that claims your profile is corrupt and keeps creating a new one for you at log on in Se7en.

    Linux is *now* easier to install and use than Windows, has been for about the last 2 or 3 years. WINE is to the point it can play all the games I'm interested in. And it runs much faster on the same hardware .. why should I continue using Windows again?!

    Although if you like, and some do, you have the *option* to configure Linux using a console. I have found I can do things this way that are impossible on Windows systems. Using Linux I assembled a RAID 5 array via USB when a server died, it was slow but the data was there.

  56. This post has been deleted by its author

  57. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    haha linuxfags

    If you needed to keep defragging and reinstalling windows "very often," then you're doing it wrong. If you learn even the most basic things about running a windows machine, you can keep it running like a new install for years, so I suggest you guys go back to school before preaching more bs.

    Windows 7 will be a huge hit despite all the FUD you morons keep posting everywhere. It's really quite lightweight, fast, runs like a dream etc, but if you do install it (or dual boot) on you uber cool crapbox...err linux box which runs on legacy hardware, it will run like shit. Even the most faggy linux OS you run on it will run like shit.

    Linux will never catch on because its far too complex for the average luser, so stfu with your linux shit and stop being so damn jealous of all of Microsofts popular software.

    In before some delusional fool calls me a MS shill, despite the fact I'm simply telling it as it is...

  58. Scott Mitchell
    Gates Halo

    Haha, look at the nerds flocking

    "As someone incapable of using an non MS-OS"

    Ha, I've programmed AmigaOS and X-Windows before, please don't try your "OS noob" approach with me. An OS is only as good as the applications that run on it, and there ain't many for Linux are there? You only "jacked in" working with Windows in because Visual Basic 6 was discontinued and your intelligence could not ramp up to .NET - FACT

    Tell me, what native programs do you run on this Linux box of yours at home? It says a lot that you feel the need to retain WINE on your piss-poor kernel-bugged OS...

    Windows 7 is fast and smooth, just like XP64 which I had previously. XP 64 was a fantastic product, not that any of you Linmongs would know as you don't touch it, right?

    I don't care about Vista, I care about the fact that Linux is crap and there aren't many applications for it. There's a reason you only have 1% market share, now let me taste your salty tears!!!

  59. Loki 1
    Grenade

    RE: Haha, look at the nerds flocking

    "There's a reason you only have 1% market share, now let me taste your salty tears!!!" - for the moment. Our time will come soon. The geek shall inherit the earth. 1% today, tomorrow the world... muhwahhaa haaa haa.

    Actually i've finally ditched Windows at work. I still have a VM for emergencies but i can now do 99% in Linux and its a real joy. Even my PM work i can do using OpenProj. Wine is needed for IE.... we have Microsoft CRM which funnily enough doesnt like Firefox... strange that.

    And as for Windows borrowing/inventing - Windows has always been behind. The Amiga with proper multitasking and nice windows environment existed long before Windows 95... damn, even before 3.11 if i recall right. CDE existed before any version of Windows as well.

    So it took MS until Vista to include transparencies on the desktop.... i had this more than 10 years ago running enlightenment on Red Hat.

    Signed: A very satisfied Mint Linux 7 (Gloria) RC1 user.

  60. Anonymous Coward
    Troll

    Win Trolls

    @ AC

    "Even the most faggy linux OS you run on it will run like shit."

    I may like hot sex with men, my OS certainly doesn't. "I suggest you [...] go back to school" where the you-smells and your-gays are actually considered a form of conversation.

    @ Scott Mitchell

    "please don't try your 'OS noob' approach with me. An OS is only as good as the applications that run on it, and there ain't many for Linux are there?"

    You're at complete odds with yourself in that sentence. You know all about Linux. Except the repos it would seem.

    "You only 'jacked in' working with Windows in"

    No I jacked in working with windows because XP64 ran like shit on my laptop. That was the last copy of windows I used.

    "because Visual Basic 6 was discontinued and your intelligence could not ramp up to .NET - "

    I was smart enough to never use VB in the first place, back in the days when I was smart enough to not use Access for projects requiring a database. As for VB7 requiring considerably more intelligence than VB6 ... ? WTF?

    "FACT"

    Here's a fact for you. You're too fucking stupid to use CSS. That search box is what ... 4px high?

    "Tell me, what native programs do you run on this Linux box of yours at home? It says a lot that you feel the need to retain WINE on your piss-poor kernel-bugged OS..."

    I personally have WINE so that I can test my websites on all the low, low, low quality browsers that MS keeps producing. I'm not stupid enough to pay for an entire OS just to test a browser. Can you wrap your tiny mind around that?

    "Windows 7 is fast and smooth, just like XP64 which I had previously. XP 64 was a fantastic product, not that any of you Linmongs would know as you don't touch it, right?"

    See above, failtard. Tell me, does windows 7 (unlike XP and vista) actually support most of my hardware? *nix does, and I'm really not stupid enough to pay for an OS that isn't going to talk to my hardware.

  61. Anonymous Coward
    Gates Halo

    @linuxtards

    At the end of the day, there is a reason why very few people use linux, and that's because the average user will have no idea how to install a program, compile a package, install missing dependencies etc etc.

    No matter how you spin how "awesome linux is," its not popular, and never will be until it get A LOT more usable and moves away from its rigid elitism ways. The elitism sickens me and was one of the main reasons why i finally ditched linux and went back to MS.

    Now back to the subject, as no where in the topic does it mention linux? Surely MS can just update WGA and prevent people hacking Win7. No doubt that it will just get hacked again, but when your products are popular, they will always be at risk of being hacked, targeted, infected etc.

  62. Scott Mitchell
    FAIL

    @John Dee

    OK John, whats the ratio of Windows applications to Linux apps?

    Who mentioned VB7?

    "Here's a fact for you. You're too fucking stupid to use CSS. That search box is what ... 4px high?"

    Eh??? What do you mean? I think you are confusing me with another Scott Mitchell, probably the chap who runs the 4GuysFromRolla web site.... I am Scottish, he's a yank... you FAIL . Me? I know CSS like the back of my hand, the same way you know a bloke's tadger.

    As for XP64, the whole reason for using 64 bit Windows is to utilise more than 3GB of RAM (remember, earlier versions of Windows don't use all 4GB available with 32-bit addressing). If you don't have the RAM why use 64 bit? Durrrr...... FAIL

    Let's be honest, Lunix is only for nerds who think they are l337. *I* am l337, but I don't need to use Linux to prove it. I don't care if Linux is a few cycles more efficient than Windows, I do know that Windows is superior for applications and I don't feel ashamed talking about it to my peers.

    BTW you don't need WINE to test your browser compat, you could use browsershots.org .... or browsercam..... you should have gone to specsavers

  63. Anonymous Coward
    Megaphone

    Yawn

    "OK John, whats the ratio of Windows applications to Linux apps?"

    Do you actually think that's a useful metric? Are we including Hannah Montana fansite toolbars in this survey? Have you forgotten the *nix philosophy of not endlessly multiplying tools when you can pipe existing ones into each other? It's a philosophy you might like to try some time.

    "Who mentioned VB7?"

    You did. You mentioned .NET. Don't know what I'm talking about? Biggest FAIL to you then, Mr .NET dev.

    "What do you mean? I think you are confusing me with another Scott Mitchell, probably the chap who runs the 4GuysFromRolla web site"

    My bad. I thought two .NET asshats called Scott Mitchell was too unlikely.

    "the same way you know a bloke's tadger."

    I'd sincerely hope you know a bloke's tadger. Or has it fallen off through lack of use? Nice to see you coming back with a your-gay though. For what it's worth, I'm bi with a marked preference for women.

    "As for XP64, the whole reason for using 64 bit Windows is to utilise more than 3GB of RAM (remember, earlier versions of Windows don't use all 4GB available with 32-bit addressing)."

    Would that be windows making poor use of system resources then?

    "If you don't have the RAM why use 64 bit? Durrrr...... FAIL"

    What makes you think I don't have 4GB RAM? Ah, yes, you're too busy "knowing" stuff.

    "Let's be honest, Lunix is only for nerds who think they are l337. "

    Linux is for servers, linux is for supercomputers, linux is for netbooks, linux is for desktops, linux is for all sorts of devices, linux is for creative people, linux is for business people, linux is for my 14 year old niece and my 76 year old grandfather. Sorry, but that's the truth. When someone's there to help with the first few baby steps, people find it very easy to walk away from windows.

    Windows is for my dad, because the government tells him to, and because anything else makes him panicky. Of course, as a fairly typical windows user, he is incapable of managing the system without a lot of help from technically minded people.

    "*I* am l337"

    Speaks for itself.

    Myself, I'm Socratic, and know that I know nothing. Doesn't stop me gobbing off at wintrolls, rightards and the ranged forces of pointless asshattery, of which you seem to gunning for Commander in Chief.

    "I do know that Windows is superior for applications and I don't feel ashamed talking about it to my peers."

    You have fascinating peers.

    "BTW you don't need WINE to test your browser compat, you could use browsershots.org .... or browsercam..... you should have gone to specsavers"

    Why would I do that when I can do it instantly on my dev laptop whilst traveling (or otherwise off the grid) with full debugging info by using WINE? Seriously, never mind the your-gays, explain to me why I am such an epic fail for using the best tool for the job at hand?

    You see, what I like to do is actually engage my brain.

  64. Anonymous Coward
    Gates Halo

    Getting back on track somewhat

    Yes it works (the 'hack'), yes it's ace (Win7 Ult.) and yes I shall be buying it upon release...probably Home Premium or the family pack

    I think Win7 will be a massive hit for Microsoft, it's very easy to use and runs lickety-split quick on my lappy and everything so far for me driver & s'ware wise works straight off the bat.

    Anon post, cos, well it's a pirate copy innit and Bill halo because there's no animated chair throwing Monkeyboy yet is there

  65. George 24
    FAIL

    Best way to prevent piracy

    Listen good Micro$oft. I am about to reveal the ultimate secret against Windows piracy........

    Just sell your product for a much cheaper price, you may even get the real big markets like China and India to consider purchasing your products.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/fail_32.png

  66. Scott Mitchell
    FAIL

    @John Dee

    John, John, John.

    "linux is for netbooks, linux is for desktops, linux is for all sorts of devices, linux is for creative people, linux is for business people, linux is for my 14 year old niece and my 76 year old grandfather."

    Well, by the market share its probably only your niece and grandfather actually using Linux. Oh, and you.

    Furthermore, applications make the OS... Linux has a dearth of quality applications, I mean OpenOffice vs Word? Gimp vs Photoshop? Blender vs 3D Studio Max... ?

    You have even recognised you need Windows, hence you run it in WINE. I don't need Linux, I wouldn't let that scabby pile of crap on my pristine box.

    Socratic? Is that another word for boring simpleton? You should hire yourself out to insomniacs mate, maybe you can convert some of them to Lunix (Jeff K)

  67. Anonymous Coward
    Terminator

    Microsoft, will you ever learn?

    Microsoft got where they are today by making their software easy to um....."acquire." Then came XP and activation. I honestly put off using XP as long as possible due to the activation, and probably would have bought twice as many copies if the price was better and the activation wasn't there. I also would have owned several more computers and a lot more hardware.

    Get it?

    If 7comes out reasonably priced and wasn't DRMed to hell, then I'd be likely to buy more of it than just one. But to make it available in multiple tiers with the "Ultimate" edition at the top, priced like an arm and a leg, and then we have to activate and also periodically prove we're "genuine".....I don't get it.

    How many people really have done the "anytime upgrade" to Vista "Ultimate?"

    Better yet, how many people really see Windows Vista or 7 Ultimate as really worth it?

    Microsoft should have taken a page from Google and made their software cheap and easy to access, so money would be made instead on licensing apps, vendors, API's what have you. They could have assured there would never have been a meaningful alternative in OSX or Linux, but now, ptah! Ease the grip, there, buddy. I'll only pay you for it once.

    Besides, the paranoiac in me wonders if these are "real" keys or ones sent out to see where all the hackers and crackers are at.

  68. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @ Scott

    "You have even recognised you need Windows, hence you run it in WINE. I don't need Linux, I wouldn't let that scabby pile of crap on my pristine box."

    Sigh. As previously stated, I need WINE because Internet Explorer can't adhere to standards (its own or anyone else's) and for no other reason.

    Learn to read, parse and comprehend English. Then you can come play with the big boys.

    "quality applications ['like] Word"

    I've never met a windows user who thinks Word is a quality application. Never. When they're not actually typing they're just swearing at it.

    "Photoshop? 3D Studio Max?"

    In other words, the sort of application that 99% of the population doesn't use.

    Here's an instructive lesson for you. Last week, I happened to be somewhere or other and was talking to a guy who had a major problem with his .NET web app (do bear in mind that I wasn't on that particular site with an aim to pick up work or even talk IT). In half an hour I had set up a complete linux based dev environment on one of his workstations (wot no £1000+ in software licenses!!?). Within the hour I had fixed the problem. That was roughly a week less than it took the the .NET people to fix stuff. I left the site with a nice new contract for quite a few grand.

    Keep that head in the sand, pal, keep that head in the sand.

  69. Tidosho
    Happy

    @ Anonymous Coward

    Quote from Anonymous Coward (I wish they had a [quote][/quote] system like phpBB!)

    "If you needed to keep defragging and reinstalling windows "very often," then you're doing it wrong. If you learn even the most basic things about running a windows machine, you can keep it running like a new install for years, so I suggest you guys go back to school before preaching more bs."

    Exactly, AC. I've had my Windows Vista & XP dual boot for well over a year now, and it runs perfect. I regularly defrag, move downloaded files to a storage drive, do antispyware & AV scan/update, registry optimise and junk cleaning. I also keep the inside clean, dust free, and change my thermal paste regularly.

    My system is like factory new, except it doesn't have factory bloat on it. No blue screens, slowdown, lockups or "[Program name] has stopped working" errors. It's like housekeeping. You wouldn't have piles of dirty dishes/clothes everywhere at home, or bugs and mites everywhere, would you? Some might, but I don't. I keep my computer organised, like my home.

    The analogy is the same across all OS'es, they all gather clutter of some kind, and need maintenance, just not all are prone to spyware & viruses, and that is because of popularity. Windows is used by the majority, so is more profitable (so to speak) to hackers.

    It's people's laziness, ignorance, and the expectation of it to "just work" that causes most software & hardware issues. I know, I've been doing computers for well over 12 years, and it's taught me the differences between all OS flavours, plus how to keep them running like new, instead of crying on a forum, "It's slow, it crashes, Microsoft is crap!". Look at yourself first, and think, "What if I took the time to find out WHY it's slow/crashy, and put it right?"

    Mac OS isn't "perfect" it's just that it's engineered to work on a certain combination of hardware, thus avoiding compatibility issues, even with Windows. I like the customisability of a PC, and have the knowledge and experience to set it up and keep it running right.

  70. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Why steal it?

    For all the comments about MS activation workarounds ... Seems to me that someone sees the product as worth it to bother trying to bypass activation.

    One wonders if as much effort would go into bypassing a similar anti-piracy tactic for any flavor of Linux if there was one.

  71. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    Hmm..

    Scott Mitchell... candidate for FoTW perhaps?

  72. mark jacobs
    Boffin

    @John Dee

    From the 4GuysFromRolla page :-

    <input type="text" name="IC_QueryText" style="font-size: 7pt; width: 100px; height: 16px;" vspace="0" hspace="0">

    You can clearly see that the inadequate search text box is 16 pixels high! When I type in 'g' and then 'q', you cannot see which is which.

    Win 7 is an offshoot of Vista, tidied up with some bugs fixed. But that leaves a lot of crap still in there. I'll stick with WinXP SP3 with WindowBlinds ($25). I got my transparencies, you get yours!

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