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Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
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Hard Core Rikki
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Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Black Screen Of Darkness to haunt Vista pirates
Buy the software or suffer the consequences
September 11, 2007 (Computerworld Australia)
Microsoft Windows' infamous "Blue Screen Of Death" has become synonymous with an operating system crash or freeze, but that's nothing compared with what users of pirated copies of Vista worldwide can expect from now -- a Black Screen Of Darkness.
In an e-mail to a large Windows Vista distributor titled "Pirated Vista -- A darkness descends!" -- a local Microsoft representative made it quite clear what Vista pirates can expect to happen to their unlicensed installations.
A copy of this e-mail was obtained by Computerworld.
"Good afternoon, as of this week, Microsoft has activated a function in Vista called 'Reduced Functionality.' This is a specific function in Vista that effectively disables nongenuine copies of Windows. Therefore anyone who has a pirated copy of Vista will experience:
A black screen after one hour of browsing
No start menu or task bar
No desktop
Please communicate this antipiracy initiative from Microsoft to your resellers -- note this function has only just been activated in Vista worldwide and therefore any issues with nongenuine versions will start to arise from now onward."
Microsoft's new tough antipiracy move also proves the company still controls its software releases with an iron fist, but it marks the first global use of heavy-handed tactics for pirated copies of Windows.
The e-mail message also included what resembled an advertisement of the new antipiracy initiative.
Titled "Don't let this happen to your customers," the advertisement indicates nongenuine copies of Windows Vista will lose access to key features, have limited access to updates, and thus risk attack from viruses, malware and spyware.
"If Windows Vista is not activated with a genuine product key, your customers will experience reduced functionality," according to the ad. "The blocking of nongenuine product keys is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. To help protect honest partners and fight piracy, Microsoft will continue to block product keys that are determined to be pirated, stolen or otherwise deemed nongenuine."
The ad concludes with "Don't risk it!" and "make sure your customers always get genuine Windows Vista preinstalled."
Linux LiveCD's finally find a use for Random Joe. On behalf of penguin lovers, welcome in advance 
UPDATE: seems like the original story was either exagerated or innacurate
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| 09-11-2007 09:15 PM |
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Robert
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Vista sucks anyways, there is no reason to ever use it.
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| 09-12-2007 03:46 AM |
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Toasty
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Vista sucks anyways, there is no reason to ever use it.
I couldn't agree more. I really hope that Linux picks up speed now.
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| 09-12-2007 03:36 PM |
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CrispySilicon
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Until Linux can support directx and is compatible with all up to date games, it never will pick up real speed for the everyday user. Even with the newer UI's it's still far too complex to use for 90% of people who own a computer.
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| 09-13-2007 12:38 AM |
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LaserJohn
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
hahha.. im sure that em crackers will find out another way like they always do...
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This post was last modified: 09-13-2007 07:25 AM by LaserJohn.
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| 09-13-2007 07:23 AM |
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german15
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
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| 09-13-2007 09:05 AM |
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moogleboi
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
XP ftw. It runs everything I need.
Not so keen on Linux, as I have stated before, because I had major problems with it, I couldn't get Linux versions of any of my programs, and compromises left out features I liked and had an interface that I wasn't used to/didn't like. Eventually it f**ked itself after I installed ATi drivers. So it was a big waste of time since I was happy with XP anyway.
So I'm a windows dude, always have been, always will be.
As for Vista... s'okay, but I'm kinda bored of it now.
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| 09-13-2007 10:47 AM |
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Hard Core Rikki
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Not so keen on Linux, as I have stated before, because I had major problems with it, I couldn't get Linux versions of any of my programs, and compromises left out features I liked and had an interface that I wasn't used to/didn't like. Eventually it f**ked itself after I installed ATi drivers. So it was a big waste of time since I was happy with XP anyway.
As for Vista... s'okay
Feel free to ask the *right* folks about advice.
At least you didnt get the MS-branded Black Screen Of Darkness...
...yet?
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| 09-13-2007 11:26 AM |
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moogleboi
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
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| 09-13-2007 03:26 PM |
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galson
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
XP ftw. It runs everything I need.
Not so keen on Linux, as I have stated before, because I had major problems with it, I couldn't get Linux versions of any of my programs, and compromises left out features I liked and had an interface that I wasn't used to/didn't like. Eventually it f**ked itself after I installed ATi drivers. So it was a big waste of time since I was happy with XP anyway.
*cough* Wine *cough* VMWare
If you're happy with Windows, changing to Linux is poitless IMO. I used to use Linux a lot (my fav distro, Slackware), but not anymore as I have everything I need under XP.
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| 09-13-2007 03:42 PM |
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Robert
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
I'm happy with XP and Windows 2000 Professional. Both are fine systems.
Now if only Windows for Workgroups was modernised...
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| 09-14-2007 04:50 AM |
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moogleboi
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Virtual PC is pretty nifty btw.
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| 09-14-2007 03:32 PM |
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Hard Core Rikki
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Virtual PC is pretty nifty btw.
Pretty lame actually, seeing how it sucks at loading Linux virtual machines.
Fluxbox and VMware Player ftw !!
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| 09-14-2007 04:06 PM |
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galson
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Actually Wine is only for Linux and it works pretty well.
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| 09-15-2007 02:14 AM |
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cliffy2000
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RE: Microsoft's gift to Vista pirates: the Black Screen Of Darkness
Wine isn't only for Linux, but virtually all Unix systems. It's been ported to OS X/Darwin as Darwine. Also, TransGaming's Cedega is a fork of Wine. The Wine libraries are used in a bunch of different cross-platform applications as well.
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| 09-15-2007 12:40 PM |
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