RSSMicrosoft: No Activation Changes Until Longhorn
By Nate Mook and David Worthington | Published April 8, 2003, 12:39 AM
As leaked copies of Windows Server 2003 begin to surface before its launch, Microsoft says not to expect many changes to product activation in the new operating system - indicating the anti-piracy technology has met expectations.
The company has yielded any drastic changes for its next generation Windows client, code-named Longhorn. Windows Server 2003 will have no more of the controversial activation technology than was seen in the first Windows XP service pack, along with a few tweaks.
When retooling activation for Windows Server 2003, Microsoft targeted scenarios specific to server environments. Algorithms were modified to reflect differences in hardware present in business and enterprise systems. RAID controllers and hot swappable drives, for example, are not often found on the desktop. Despite these differences in architecture, the trigger for re-activation remains unchanged.
Microsoft Product Manager of Activation Allen Nieman explained to BetaNews that although it would seem there are major differences between the two environments, product activation processes are identical. Customers will be extended the same number of hardware modifications, and a "grace period" of three days to reactivate.
However, activation is a scenario few will encounter. Most large customers will purchase Windows Server 2003 through Microsoft's volume licensing program, which does not require activation. Key OEM partners such as Dell will continue on the path of selling standalone servers pre-activated. Only boxed copies of the operating system will require activation.
These volume license keys, distributed to OEMs before a product's official release, have caused quite a headache for Microsoft. The company acknowledged that one such key has leaked to the Internet and copies of Windows Server 2003 have already been illegally posted for download. Microsoft encountered the same problem before the launch of Windows XP in 2001.
But such a leak of Windows Server 2003 is of relatively minor concern to Microsoft. The company can easily block the key in future updates and service packs, which are essential to keeping systems secure - a primary concern for business customers.
Nieman previously noted that customers who acquire pirated software are ineligible for technical support, product upgrades and warranty protections.
Windows Product Activation made its debut months before Windows XP was a finished product, drawing sharp criticism from consumers. This public outcry led Microsoft to water down its campaign against piracy prior to releasing the finished product.
Despite customer upheaval, Redmond claims that it continually had its ear to the ground, while at the same time thwarting off casual copying and illegal cloning. According to Microsoft, only a handful of leaked keys made up over 95 percent of illegal installations.
Windows XP Service Pack 1 raised the bar against software pirates by blocking compromised product keys and activation circumventions such as cracks. Microsoft is likely to take this same approach in updates to Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP SP2.
Microsoft's Nieman likened concern over product activation to the over-hyped Y2K phenomenon, while promising that the user experience will be drastically improved in Longhorn – meaning fewer users will need to activate. The activation group is also striving to more precisely identify hardware.
Sources tell BetaNews that Microsoft may additionally bolster Longhorn's system file protection in an effort to make activation cracks nearly impossible to pull off.
Despite its apparent success, Nieman said Microsoft has been unable to make evident that there is any direct causation between product activation and increased sales.
Using an old Chinese proverb, Nieman illustrated the fine line that he and his colleagues are walking to protect their intellectual property. "The harder you squeeze water cupped in your hands, the more it squirts out your fingers," he said.
I swapped out the following 2 weeks ago on my machine, then upgraded to SP1, and no reactivation needed to be done. Off topic? Maybe. Oh well.
Took out modem.
Took out scsi card
Swapped a new video card.
Installed a new network card.
Installed 256M of more ram
Installed Promise Raid card.
Installed new 160 gig drive.
Oh, and then I swapped out my motherboard...just to see what would happen.
Hmmmm...nothing about reactivation came up. I installed sp1, and all has been fine. No messages about calling in for reactivation or anything. Was it all marketing hype?
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|and that was windows xp...sorry I didn't state that clearly
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|i've tested windows 2003 server i can tell you for a Network Administrator it brings many new features such as:
shadow copies, ASR between many but for the feature "shadow copies" it's worth the money.
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|blah.. its called a keygen
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|and you really have no idea what you're talking about, do you?
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|Why does Microsoft want me to squirt water out of my hands?
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|Actually he knows exactly what hes talking about. A keygen will be released that will make corp keys. Whats MS gonna do? blacklist a few billion keys??? I think not.
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|what a n00b
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|oh, what was that microsoft did w/ windows xp? supposed to be what again? hacker proof or something?
same s*** will happen. can't wait to not pay and use it.
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|As has been said over and over....
WPA isn't about keeping out the everyday pirating SOBs, but to reduce casual copying.
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|very true... a keygen will be released along with a WPA-killer to upgrade to the SP of ur liking... but i still dislike XP! ;D
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|"As has been said over and over...."
Initially that is NOT what was said! That only started being said because those "everyday pirating SOBs" find ways around WPA which ended up with using VLK's and finally a key generator!
"WPA isn't about keeping out the everyday pirating SOBs, but to reduce casual copying."
And has it succeeded in reducing copying? Casual copiers don't swap the 'corporate' cd? Casual copiers are the 3 people left on the planet that haven't heard about the key generator?
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|casual copying...hmmm, you got a point there
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|ok pirating software is pirating software, "whaterver",pirating is what makes microsoft thrive, if us aka ""young system admins"" couldn't get our hands on the server and client software, we might use some free inferior client server network like linux, and then security will go to s***, I love the fact that microsoft products are distributed everyday illegally and used more than any, and thier software is more secure than any on the market
p.s.: I haven't downloaded longhorn yet but it better perform unlike Xp, 2000 is still the best microsoft platform to date
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|"we might use some free inferior client server network like linux, and then security will go to s***"
Linux is in fact superior in virtually every way. The fact that it has not been reduced to the level in which you "young admins" can graphically associate operations does not make it inferior.
Furthermore, if you actually know what you are doing, Linux will be more secure than any Windows system. Not Windows bashing nor am I boosting Linux...I am just saying it like it is.
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|"...who acquire pirated software are ineligible for technical support, product upgrades and warranty protections"
how many of you got even a DIME for windows crashing from M$? Warranty my AZZ
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|once a copier always a copier :)
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|Well I see my last comment was deleted. Since I obviously hurt someone's pride, I'm going to reiterate what I said in a more "friendly" fashion.
There will not be any keygens. Yes, there are brute force keygens starting to surface but do you know how long it would take to generate a key?
Every "keygen" thus far has been nothing but what's called a serializer. A serializer is a prog that contains a pre-defined list of keys. When you hit "generate", all it does is randomly select a key from the list. That's it.
WPA killer? Highly unlikely. And for all you guys who want to try to flame me, then answer for me why a nothing remotely close to a "WPA killer" hasn't come along until fairly recently? And NOW M$ has changed the game. Remember that infamous crack that recently came out that allowed you to get away with not having to activate? Well... Remember when WiNBETA decided not to release that one build of .NET? I believe it was 3771... The reason wasn't because of the BS they claimed on their website... It was because M$ found a way around that crack. WiNBETA could figure out how to "Crack" that build. So instead of saying that they couldn't figure it out, they said a buncha BS to save face. So... You be the judge.
You'll be waiting for you keygens and "WPA killers" for a long time...
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|"Every "keygen" thus far has been nothing but what's called a serializer. A serializer is a prog that contains a pre-defined list of keys. When you hit "generate", all it does is randomly select a key from the list. That's it."
You have no idea what your talking about.
"There will not be any keygens. Yes, there are brute force keygens starting to surface but do you know how long it would take to generate a key?"
First of all, you contradict yourself. And second, it doesnt take much time at all..
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|Yes, initially that is what was said, I happened to be a beta tester for XP, and WPA was very controversial in the newsgroups for it.
Casual copiers are the ones that say "Hey man, can I borrow your CD of product XYZ?"
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|Boy, do I feel like a dumba**. lmfao. I kinda forgot about bluelist... I stand corrected. lol
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|Yeah... for real... who's actually called MS for a problem with the OS? Pretty much unless you've done something fairly easy (like getting a driver back or something) the MS ppl are fairly useless. It would take less time to back up (if you can get into your OS...that is... or even boot to a compatible Safe Mode for Networking) and format the thing and reinstall everything. For example. I don't know if it's a standard thing in Office XP, but I have a button called "Format Gallery" that is installed with my version and when I installed all the updates I can't switch to a .doc file without it taking 10 seconds to reload itself or SOMETHING... In any case... It's a real pain in my ass... especially since I have a 10 page report due soon... BAH!
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|s*** ms needs to get smart and just give there os's away and charge for support
but wait that would requier them to acctuly have people who knew the product and used the product
i been using win2k/xp/.net alot and i works fine
ms should sell there os in stores with a set number of calls/problems covered by there support then charge for extended warr service
thay would make more$ that way since there are some pretty stupid ppl that think calling ms for helps gonna get ya someware (yea thay tell ya to run scandisk or chkdsk and then defrag LOL)
i have the 3in1 cd of 2k3 also have my access to dl the rc2 off ms sight
been running ms webserver for a week now and its grate like crossing what i acctuly liked about xp with what i loved about 2k
granted i had to enable d3d and sound (takes about 2 min tops) but that was koo since install went off without a hitch
though just like 2k/xp it still dosnt recognise my raid controler on cd boot :/ stupid fast trak light pos :/
well gotta jet other places to post :)
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