Windows 10: Microsoft Still Not Willing to Offer Windows 10 for Free to Pirates

Don't most home PCs come with Windows installed anyway?

 

They do, and what does this have to do with pirates??

 

For OEM computers and notebooks yes. But if you build your own you can choose to get it with Linux or without OS to get it cheaper. Then most will install a pirated copy of Windows. Also most will try to upgrade the Home version to Ultimate or the 8.1 to 8.1 Pro to get the "full package".

 

Well the point is if most people are legit and if giving proper software to the small number who aren't makes everyone safer then it is for the common good.

To stick to a moral position that decreases your own security doesn't make sense to me (although your position is at least consistent).

I was annoyed when I bought an anytime upgrade to 7 Ultimate for €180 about a month before the €15 Windows 8 keys came out but to say people who pirated it instead should keep their dodgy versions putting me at increased risk (if that is true, I don't know) is logically unsound and I'd be cutting off my nose to spite my face.

Still it is pointless to discuss as MS will do as they wish but if they think the reason that people pirate is due to the complexity of buying a license rather than the cost they must be mad. Even in 7 for the anytime upgrade you only clicked a button and typed in your credit card number - it really wasn't terribly complicated. Anyone who couldn't figure that out would probably have many other difficulties using a computer *Smile

 

I don't know if people who are scammed are more likely to get malware or not, but they are more likely to have spent money for the non-genuine Windows whereas pirates never do.

 

These DRM and Activation schemes only affect legitimate users (like WGA, or the Sony Rootkit).
They have no affect on pirates.

Pirates are already claiming that they have upgraded their earlier version of Windows to W10.

 

Let's face it Windows 10, is more like Android now, with MS's business model changed to make
data collection the priority, much like Google did. Android is free. That should be the bargain,
as far as I'm concerned. If you want my data, provide the OS free no questions asked..

Look, I know how polarizing this question is, and others like it. Microsoft knew who pirated it's systems, but it
never came after any single individual users. Time to forgive and forget.

 

Maybe MS should offer W10 to all Vista and XP users (paying customers) before they offer it to thieves. Why make it so easy for a pirate (so romantic) to get a W10 license ? If you have paid your way you should get on the boat. If you chose to cheat your way on board hopefully the malware that is in your luggage will expose you to people just like yourself. MS knows that 80%+ of users in Asia, South America, Russia and its satellites have pirated copies of Windows - that includes the governments of those countries. Here is how it will go - 'oh wow, look I can pay for it now - better provide my stolen credit number ASAP' .

 

If the pirate copy is used in office environment or company, then the body checking their Invoices can also check if they have a COA ticket in their computers and may also ask to show the invoice(s) where the computers are purchased as a proof of authenticity. But if a home user has a pirate copy, Microsoft would have to visit everyone's house to check for authenticity and as you can imagine this is not possible. When the pirated copy is connected to the internet, Microsoft can check their key. But if the key used in a pirate copy is not blacklisted, there is no way Microsoft will know if the user activated Windows legally or cheated.

 

Not every country has laws and mechanisms for that. Here it happened only few years ago when MS opened regional office.

 

Well, I thought Microsoft originally said they would even upgrade pirated copies. Which made sense to me, get the illegals off the streets. Perhaps that would put some of those pirates out of business.

This just demonstrates to me is that, it is business as usual with Microsoft, and Windows 10 is no different than any other version, other than it is very intrusive. In a few years I suspect it will be replaced with something else, contrary to what they say.

 

Pirated versions, properly patched, can still upgrade but that doesn't make them legal.

 

Most typical users are not aware that they can upgrade older Windows to 10 for free or don't know how to do it. So pirates can still sell them a Windows 10 copy. They often offer Office and other applications as well to attract customers. If anyone has a pirated version of Windows 7 or 8.1 he won't risk upgrading to 10 and lock it. He would rather buy the pirated Windows 10 version to be safer it will activate.

 

There's a lot of gray area in MS's licensing politics. Even Bill Gates said few years ago that he is not overly concerned about pirated Windows and sees it as a way to get windows to more machines.

 

Sorry but what is that source and where is it from? The link just looks too weird for me to click it.

Anyway I don't see why MS should relent on this issue. You stole a product from me and I should reward you for it? Really *Huh