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Microsoft investigates Windows 2003 mole | |
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| Time: 05:04 EST/10:04 GMT | News Source: VNUNet | Posted By: Bill Roach | ||
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Microsoft is investigating the leak of an installation key that threatens widespread piracy of its forthcoming Windows Server 2003 software. The Redmond giant has confirmed that the key, which found its way onto the web earlier this week, was issued to a corporate customer under its Volume Licensing Media programme. | ||
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| #1 By 8589 (64.219.162.34) at 4/11/2003 6:28:49 AM |
| The people that go after corporate keys are usually those that have no use for a server OS. They just want it because its free. With Windows XP however, that was a real concern. |
| #2 By 6859 (206.156.242.36) at 4/11/2003 9:52:52 AM |
| Man, I want to see how this all turns out! It's going to be good! Maybe even a little bloodshed! ;) MS is going to kill somebody...and a corporate customer is going to lose mucho dinero... I love it! |
| #3 By 12071 (203.217.70.238) at 4/11/2003 9:58:20 AM |
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#1 "but bend over backwards for the corporate customer"
And so they should. They do after all make the majority of their profits on corporate customers not mummies and daddies! If the choose to screw the corporate customer over, then they run the risk of losing that account. But really, this leaked key is of little to no importance. Anyone who is going to be running Windows 2003 Server in a business is going to buy a licensed version for the support, legality etc. The only people that this leaked key helps out are those people who want to run it at home for whatever reason. These types of people would never have bought a licensed version and instead would have downloaded the pirate version. Therefore... what's the big deal? (That's no to say that piracy is ok or anything like that but leaking a VLK for XP was fair more important than the leak of this VLK). And getting several VLK's isn't too difficult if you're really after them. |
| #4 By 7390 (198.246.16.251) at 4/11/2003 10:09:04 AM |
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The Inquirer new title "The Vole investigates mole"
what is there to investigate? Someone with "access" to a coporate key placed it on the web. I am sure that a key gen will be out shortly. #4 is correct |
| #5 By 12071 (203.217.70.238) at 4/11/2003 10:32:29 AM |
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#6 In the world I live in not everything is quite so clearly black or white. There's millions of shades of gray.
Is this a big deal? I think not for the following reasons which you may or may not agree with. Piracy is wrong because it's stealing correct? It's wrong because you are making someone else lose something, in this case profits. But as pointed out, everyone that is going to buy or upgrade to 2003 Server will be buying a licensed of VLK licensed copy. So Microsoft don't lose any profits here correct? Now as for those people that download the pirated version, what percentage of them would have bought 2003 Server? I'd guess very few if any. Therefore Microsoft cannot possibly lose profits that they were never going to make. It's like all those ridicolous arguments that piracy is costing billions of trillions of dollars because in our study every blank cd sold is going to be used for piracy! Now as mentioned even though Microsoft aren't directly losing any profits, I think we can all agree that it's still piracy and it's still wrong but it's not something to throw up a big fuss about. Few people have a use for a Server OS, much less than the number of people who have a use for a desktop OS, which is why the leak of the XP VLK was a much bigger deal than this is. |
| #6 By 135 (209.180.28.6) at 4/11/2003 11:34:24 AM |
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chris_kabuki - "In the world I live in not everything is quite so clearly black or white. There's millions of shades of gray. "
Wow... My world only has 16 shades of grey. Damn limitation of a 4 bit video card. Generally speaking, I do have to agree that I think it's critical for Microsoft to make these technologies available at low price for the home hobbyist. Because if I'm running this at home, I learn a lot about it and can promote it at work. That's how Linux is succeeding. Microsoft has made some options available for this in the past, but they aren't consistent. They seem to be constantly afraid they're being abused, but that's ridiculous... Microsoft has actually gained far more from piracy than they are willing to admit, and they should be far happier with receiving $100 from someone for buying copies of Server than receiving nothing. |
| #7 By 125 (216.232.67.238) at 4/11/2003 7:49:15 PM |
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#10 is right. I have done consulting work in the past for some large clients almost all of whom have leisurly distributed the keys to anyone who wants them in the company. Microsoft should assign unique keys to individuals within the corporation to allow for better tracking (and to hopefully shed some of the legal weight of the corp if their keys get out). It would be a pain for Microsoft to administer that amout of keys, but if they are concerned it's the only way I can think of to keep tighter control. If the key gets out they know who leaked it, as the assigned individual is responsible for the key and its security.
This applies more to consumer products as #4 is right, any corporation who uses pirated software is just asking to be sued to bankruptcy. My 2¢ |
| #8 By 13998 (217.122.34.74) at 4/12/2003 12:59:25 PM |
| Guys, you're very creative, but don't you think that Microsoft should first prove that the keys cannot be generated by a software app? |
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