News Vista Volume Licenses Changed

[Tim S]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2006/06...enses_changed/

[koola]

Interesting, but this technology is still very crackable - don't expect a delay in a keygen.

[fev]

it'll last a week at most, but i hope to charge vista premium as a business expense

[eek]

Originally Posted by koola

Interesting, but this technology is still very crackable - don't expect a delay in a keygen.

QFT.

If there are cracks to disable things like time-limited versions then I'm sure a crack to spoof the 'phone home' won't pose too much of a problem for a cracker!

[Cthippo]

I wonder if you can tweak Windows Firewall to disallow the connection

Seriously though, if this keeps up I just may make it a point to get a pirated copy of Vista just to piss off MS. Currently I'm hoping to be switched to Linux before I feel like I HAVE to have Vista, but I can always dual boot. On the bright side, I managed to hold off on XP until late last year, so I have a while to get the penguin figured out.

[Atomic]

I wonder how the feature will tell the difference between, my work licensed key I use at home and someone else who's just using a key off the net...

[BioSniper]

perhaps it will force businesses into requiring a static IP or a range of IP's and anything that tries to validate their key outside of that range will get disabled? who know!
All I know is hackers/crackers will always find a way.

[Atomic]

If it's IP range that will totally screw laptop users.

[Bursar]

You could run a license server on a Win2K3/Longhorn server that collects key information and then that one server phones home. That way it doesn't matter about the clients, you just need a VPN connection to your office network to validate the client, or ensure the clients physically connect to the office network every month or so.

Besides, the corp version won't have all the media stuff in it that most home users will want.

[TheColdLord]

Interesting, but as mentioned above, it can and probably will be hacked. Every security system created so far for comercial use was cracked and this won't stop. As atomic said the option of the ip will most certainly be very hard to resolve in the case that MS tries to implement that tech.

[cpemma]

You're all missing the point in your glee to point out the fact that the system will be hacked. This is aimed to dissuade the average joe who just "borrows" the firm's disc and key to install on his PC at home, or has bought what he thinks is a dirt-cheap legal copy on fleabay.

People have a wide range of moral standards. Many will judge getting stuff from work as harmless, like using the office photocopier for a private copy, but deliberately looking for cracks as sordid. Their personal code.

MS must have seen a nice boost in sales since introducing SP2 checks and WGA.

[DXR_13KE]

my adsl connection has variable IP, if they implement this i am totaly scr*ed, it will be cracked in less than 24H certainly, microsoft will make a service pack or a patch disabeling this for sure.

[Firehed]

So, firewall the phoning home (spyware? legal? EULA?) and wait a week until the bypass is made.

I've got no plans to upgrade to Vista any time soon. On the contrary, I'm trying to stay as far from Windows as I plausibly can.

[Bursar]

Originally Posted by DXR_13KE

my adsl connection has variable IP, if they implement this i am totaly scr*ed, it will be cracked in less than 24H certainly, microsoft will make a service pack or a patch disabeling this for sure.

You're talking like it is definately IP address based. It might not be. It's just an idea that's been floated by a forum member.

Wait for some more details before you cry foul.

[koola]

Originally Posted by eek

QFT.

If there are cracks to disable things like time-limited versions then I'm sure a crack to spoof the 'phone home' won't pose too much of a problem for a cracker!

A la AutoCAD 2006.

[Mr T]

Legal or not i still don't like the idea of my computer calling home to Microsoft every so often.

[Confused Fishcake]

The hardest thing with this is going to be the fact that it will take 30 days or whatever. Its a lot harder to hack, because it take a month to find out if your hack worked. I wouldn't be suprisd if someone comes up with a loopback hack, so you host your own validation server.

[yahooadam]

as if this will work atall tbh, fake the dates, fake a auth signal, whatever, i bet you it will still be cracked within a month

[eddtox]

I'm with Mr T on this one. I don't really care *why* they are doing it, I don't like them doing it. This goes back to my previous rant about them "locking us up" because we *could* commit a crime. I am actually considering buying a legitimate copy of vista. I'm not rich, but I think it's worth it. However, I don't want vista reporting to MS every once in a while on a matter of principle. This sounds exactly like spyware to me. Out of interest, what would happen if you installed windows on a pc with no internet access?

-ed out

[yahooadam]

Originally Posted by eddtox

I'm with Mr T on this one. I don't really care *why* they are doing it, I don't like them doing it. This goes back to my previous rant about them "locking us up" because we *could* commit a crime. I am actually considering buying a legitimate copy of vista. I'm not rich, but I think it's worth it. However, I don't want vista reporting to MS every once in a while on a matter of principle. This sounds exactly like spyware to me. Out of interest, what would happen if you installed windows on a pc with no internet access?

it probably wouldnt work i guess - ms doesnt really care about people like that though
most people would be able to connect 1nce a month though, if you have a PC and can afford vista .... - the cut down version may not feature this (as part of MS's rip our cheap version scheme)