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Windows Activation

Started by Tooko Jan 10, 2004 at 9:38 PM 32 replies 1.8k views

Original Post

Jan 10, 2004 at 9:38 PM

... I just activated my windows... and then I found out I need a new sound card. I heard (from a reliable source) that when you change your hardware, you need to reactivate windows. Is this true... in which case I''ll probably live with my MoBo''s sound card for a little longer.

Why do Suicide Bombers think they''re going to a better place? Don''t they know their going all over the place?

aftermath

Jan 10, 2004 at 9:40 PM

True, every 7 (correct me if i am wrong please) hardware changes, you have to reactivate it.

nate0326

Jan 10, 2004 at 9:48 PM

Well, since you just activated Windows, you probably have at least 7 changes left, so you should just switch in the sound card. And even if you have to re-activate Windows, just call them up and explain the situation, they will be happy to assist.

yves032784

Jan 10, 2004 at 10:12 PM

It is strongly recommeded that you reactivate you windows...Last time i didnt, my net got split >

tHiSiSbOb

Jan 10, 2004 at 10:15 PM

I would like to activate windows, but it won''t let me do it through the net (it says that it can''t connect to the servers.), and I am too lazy to do it over the phone...

Feral

Jan 10, 2004 at 10:54 PM

Heh, one of the reasons I still use Win2k...

Sorry not a helpfull post but shouldn''t we as people who have a (small) clue about a computer boycot such software, regardless where it comes from or who it is by?

Imperil

Jan 10, 2004 at 10:57 PM

quote:
Original post by FeralofFireTop
Heh, one of the reasons I still use Win2k...

Sorry not a helpfull post but shouldn't we as people who have a (small) clue about a computer boycot such software, regardless where it comes from or who it is by?

No because it combats piracy, and any REAL developer that has a clue would actually stand up for it instead of boycot it. If people stopped stealing software it wouldn't be needed at all.

Activation is nothing compared to what's coming up in 2 short years =]

[edited by - Imperil on January 10, 2004 11:58:28 PM]

tHiSiSbOb

Jan 10, 2004 at 11:00 PM

quote:
Original post by Imperil
quote:
Original post by FeralofFireTop
Heh, one of the reasons I still use Win2k...

Sorry not a helpfull post but shouldn''t we as people who have a (small) clue about a computer boycot such software, regardless where it comes from or who it is by?

No because it combats piracy, and any REAL developer that has a clue would actually stand up for it instead of boycot it. If people stopped stealing software it wouldn''t be needed at all.

Activation is nothing compared to what''s coming up in 2 short years =]

[edited by - Imperil on January 10, 2004 11:58:28 PM]

I agree. This is a point that eludes many programmer, and this shocks me.

zackriggle

Jan 10, 2004 at 11:18 PM

"Activation is nothing compared to what is coming up in 2 short years."

Pray tell what is going to change in 2 years? I don''t think Longhorn will stop much.

Run_The_Shadows

Jan 10, 2004 at 11:34 PM

The basic problem with any sort of "anti-piracy" system is thus:

The company has a budget, and with this budget they pay their researchers to create a new anti-piracy scheme. Lets say there are 100 researchers.

When the product is released with this new scheme, the wired community, lets say 10,000 people, immediately gets to work on cracking it. For free.

Simple math dictates that no matter how great a scheme is, there are 10x or 100x more people in this world that are interested in finding a way through it. And most companies cannot afford to try and play ''catch up'' with such a thing.

It''s a losing game and instead of trying to fight such things, we need to find a way to convince people to pay.

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yspotua

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:05 AM

quote:
Original post by Run_The_Shadows

It''s a losing game and instead of trying to fight such things, we need to find a way to convince people to pay.

This is so true. To an extent though, but these short term measures deter casual pirates.

Imperil

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:17 AM

quote:
Original post by Run_The_Shadows
The basic problem with any sort of "anti-piracy" system is thus:

The company has a budget, and with this budget they pay their researchers to create a new anti-piracy scheme. Lets say there are 100 researchers.

When the product is released with this new scheme, the wired community, lets say 10,000 people, immediately gets to work on cracking it. For free.

Simple math dictates that no matter how great a scheme is, there are 10x or 100x more people in this world that are interested in finding a way through it. And most companies cannot afford to try and play 'catch up' with such a thing.

It's a losing game and instead of trying to fight such things, we need to find a way to convince people to pay.

- It's a life's work
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-ryan@lecherousjester.com

DRM =] force, don't convince =]

[edited by - Imperil on January 11, 2004 1:17:54 AM]

Tron3k

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:25 AM

[edited by - michalson on January 11, 2004 5:57:14 PM]

Run_The_Shadows

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:40 AM

I stand by my statement and we''ll see how it turns out. Call me on it in a year or two when it gets field tested. Within a year of being released, someone will have found a way to get around the basics of DRM.

The problem is not the fact that people are breaking the protections. That is human nature, to tear down the walls we perceive around us. The problem is that we feel the need to waste development time on these protections.

WHEN the DRM stuff is released, what do you expect from the users who are upset with it? I, for one, simply won''t rush out and buy it, or I''ll go to an alternative such as *nix. If nobody except for the novice users(who buy their Dell and don''t even know what activation is) follows through with this, what is the point?

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Imperil

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:50 AM

quote:
Original post by Run_The_Shadows
I stand by my statement and we'll see how it turns out. Call me on it in a year or two when it gets field tested. Within a year of being released, someone will have found a way to get around the basics of DRM.

The problem is not the fact that people are breaking the protections. That is human nature, to tear down the walls we perceive around us. The problem is that we feel the need to waste development time on these protections.

WHEN the DRM stuff is released, what do you expect from the users who are upset with it? I, for one, simply won't rush out and buy it, or I'll go to an alternative such as *nix. If nobody except for the novice users(who buy their Dell and don't even know what activation is) follows through with this, what is the point?

- It's a life's work
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-ryan@lecherousjester.com

The point is that the majority of computer users are the "notice users who buy their Dell", and those are the people that decide on what technology the world will use.

Corporations will upgrade and use the DRM services because the majority of businesses already pay for software.

Personally our company thinks it is great and we are highly looking forward to it. The reason isn't that we have to convince people of the value, it is that ALL other products you are charged criminally for stealing. Since this can't happen with software we have to find a new way and I believe DRM is it.

[edited by - Imperil on January 11, 2004 1:51:02 AM]

Andrew Russell

Jan 11, 2004 at 1:31 AM

quote:
Original post by Imperil
Personally our company thinks it is great and we are highly looking forward to it. The reason isn''t that we have to convince people of the value, it is that ALL other products you are charged criminally for stealing. Since this can''t happen with software we have to find a new way and I believe DRM is it.

Thus making Microsoft and/or other software companies global software police. Thankyou very much, no.

There are some aspects of DRM that are very scary.

The worst of which is that it will let people attach things to documents, like self-distructs, no-print, no-email, etc, etc. There is such a thing as too much security.

A minor example of this is that one of the faculties at uni uses(fortunatly, very weak) Adobe encryption on all the lecture notes, assignments, and whatever. As far as I can tell this serves no purpose other than to give the guy who handles web-uploads a huge chubby (and to annoy students).

I can''t wait until this security (1) becomes unbreakable, and (2) requires you to have a DRM-registerd computer (with the DRM stuff turned on), and DRM-complient software, etc.

While DRM will help curb software piracy effectivly, it will also effectivly annoy legitimate users, some up to the point of being unable to make legal use of documents.

And finaly - there are more countries in this world than America (or Microsoft-land or whatever), and these countries, like it or not, have different laws to America. For more info, see: DVD region locking. I''d prefer to only have to comply with the laws of my own country, not another country or (worse still) company.

Free Game: Yet Another Falling Block Game

Imperil

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:17 PM

quote:
Original post by Andrew Russell

And finaly - there are more countries in this world than America (or Microsoft-land or whatever), and these countries, like it or not, have different laws to America. For more info, see: DVD region locking. I''d prefer to only have to comply with the laws of my own country, not another country or (worse still) company.

Please don''t confuse me with an American, that is too large of an insult that I don''t deserve. =]

It''s the very same as legal tax payers having to spend money on jails and courts in order to police thieves, etc. This is a hinderance to the person who lives legally and has to pay for these people to live.

DRM may hinder some users although the fact of the matter is that it does more justice across the board.

I don''t care what country you are in or what laws you adhere to because you are stealing from me, and that won''t be able to happen anymore =]

Ilici

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:24 PM

Win activation my ass, just use Win2000 or 98. And about stuff like DRM: why should you have to use it when you can just use an older Windows or that does not support it?

[edited by - Ilici on January 11, 2004 1:25:47 PM]

Lohrno

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:32 PM

quote:
Original post by aftermath
True, every 7 (correct me if i am wrong please) hardware changes, you have to reactivate it.

Within a month I think...

-=Lohrno

Lohrno

Jan 11, 2004 at 12:33 PM

quote:
Original post by Run_The_Shadows
WHEN the DRM stuff is released, what do you expect from the users who are upset with it? I, for one, simply won''t rush out and buy it, or I''ll go to an alternative such as *nix. If nobody except for the novice users(who buy their Dell and don''t even know what activation is) follows through with this, what is the point?

Unfortunately I think the novice users are now about 70% of the population...

-=Lohrno

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