News Microsoft adds anti-piracy terms to EULA

Sounds like people making an sizeable mountain out of a tiny molehill. The clause in question has been part of the Xbox Terms of Use for at least a year (probably much longer) and I don't recall anyone making a particular fuss about it. The only reason it appears to have come to light now is that MS have consolidated the terms for all their services into one agreement. However, it's not a new thing that MS have decided to start doing with the release of Windows 10.

 

The difference is the Xbox is a proprietary system, Personal Computers are not, the ethos of the two couldn't be more diametrically opposed.

 

If its specifically only Microsoft based software they are looking at it will effect very few people. If they are going for the wider market and actually scanning peoples systems for pirated software there could be issues.

The Xbox term of use is more a Terms of Service agreement. They can remotely disable xboxs that are in violation of there terms.

 

So? Why should the terms for use of a service be different?

 

No one is saying the terms of a service should be different, but people (me) are saying that the use of an operating system shouldn't mean you're forced to accept the terms of a service that you may never use.

If you bought a car you wouldn't expect that by signing on the dotted line that you're also agreeing to sign up for added extra services, with their own separate terms that dictate what the company can do to you're car once you've take ownership.

 

I disagree here. Many of the arguments against Microsoft focus on their so called 'invasion of privacy' well you can store private files, music, video... all sorts on an XBox now as well as third party services such as Netflix, so just because the hardware and the way said machine was bought is different, I don't see the argument being different at all.

 

Now we know who all the Bit-Tech conspiracy theorists are.

 

People concerned about privacy = conspiracy theorist? That's what they called everyone who thought the government were spying on their own citizens not so long ago and it turned out they were right.

The most depressing thing is how people will happily give up their privacy for the sake of a little extra convenience.

 

Sorry you've lost me, I thought we were talking about the possible implications of the change to the Microsoft Service Agreement.

I'm happy to talk about the implications that using Windows 10 has on privacy if you like but to keep things separate and prevent (my) confusion maybe we could discuss those privacy concerns in the Windows 10 - Please greeks and trojans? thread.

Maybe you should add the Chilcot report to that list, and all those people that said Fifa was a corrupt organisation years before any investigations, or all those people that claimed well know entertainers and politicians were kiddy fiddlers.

 

Given that the clause in question has been part of the terms of use for a number of xbox services for a considerable period of time are we pushing it a little to call it a change?

 

When those terms didn't apply to Windows in the past then no I don't think we're pushing it a little by calling it a change, saying it's not a change seem like saying if Windows adopted Apples TOS that it wouldn't be a change because they were in use for years on Apple devices.

 

It applies to services that you may use while running Windows, but this is no different to the terms of use applying to services that you may have run under Windows 7 or 8 (or even earlier versions). The MS Software License Terms for Windows 10 is, imo, pretty clear that the MS Services Agreement relates to apps that provide an access point to, or rely on, online services. It doesn't seem to say it applies to the whole of Windows.

 

Well if you can use Windows 10 without using those services I would like to know how, previous version before Windows 8 didn't come bundled with many of those services.

 

Having looked at the list of services I don't see anything on there that is critical to running Windows 10. You could just try not using the services in question? Pretty sure Windows hasn't forced me to use any of them so far...

 

Yes you could try not using them, but if Microsoft decided to update one of those apps that use one of those services and that update blocked your use of SafeDisc or certain versions of Securom DRM what could you do? Either from a technical stand point or legally.

It's not like you could selectively choose what gets updated and what doesn't, and it's not like you could argue that you never used those services so the MSA doesn't apply to you.

EDIT: And I would say that even though you're pretty sure Windows hasn't forced you to use any of them so far that your probably mistaken in that belief, as even when not actively using those services your still using them.

 

Well seeing adobe and many other companies now made their software 'cloud based' requiring a constant internet connection (yuck), there really is nothing standing in the way of getting it running on linux. The control and payment you can already lock down just as well as on windows I mean.
But the disadvantage is that the whole mess and nastiness might in the end degrade linux to become a new MS windows.

 

Seriously? Do you live under a rock?
They even have the laptop that the guardian had to physically destroy in front of the 'security forces' on display in the V&A Museum

 

What?!?

Have you taken leave of your senses?

 

So in the future, if Microsoft decide that VLC media player is 'unauthorized' because it can be used to play .MKV files, a format that is perfectly valid but also common for Movie and TV show Torrents, your're ok with their arbitration on that?

 

Interesting update, at least I think it's interesting.

Microsoft claims Windows 10 EULA that supposedly removes pirated games is about ‘security’
http://venturebeat.com/2015/08/21/microsoft-claims-windows-10-eula-that-supposedly-removes-pirated-games-is-about-security/

Probably to the delight of some people they still fail to mention if the MSA applies directly to Windows 10, it seems there's much debate over the fact that as the MSA doesn't reference Windows 10 directly that it doesn't apply to Windows 10.