J_K9 @ Linux

Vista’s Anti-Piracy Technology - Will It Push Users To Linux?

October 6, 2006 on 9:15 pm | In Linux |

I’ve taken a look at several articles on Windows Vista’s proposed anti-piracy technology, and I am quite pleased with it. Why? Because it will force thousands of people to migrate to free Operating Systems and free software. Linux just so happens to be the most popular free (in both senses of the word) Operating System. But why will this occur? Let me explain.

Thousands of people around the world use pirated copies of Windows XP - there is no doubt about that. Visit a country like China, and you will undoubtedly see Windows XP computers all over the place. However, if you took the time to investigate these machines, you would realise that a substantial number of them - dare I say the majority - are pirated.

Microsoft implemented anti-piracy technology in Windows XP in the form of Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), several years after Windows XP’s release. This (buggy) feature forced you to “validate” your copy of Windows before allowing you to download updates and any other software from Microsoft’s website. Windows Vista will have anti-piracy technology implemented into it from the start, and this will be at a deeper level. By the looks of it, this technology will be implemented below user level (at kernel level), and thus be far more difficult to bypass than WGA, for which ”patches” were released within hours. This technology will force the user to activate the copy of Windows Vista within 30 days of first being booted - and, if it is not updated during this period of time, Vista will begin to operate in “reduced functionality mode”; that means that many features will be disabled, and the OS will also become a nuisance, as it will log you out after an hour of using your browser^[1].

“So what?” you say. Here’s what: tens or possibly even hundreds of thousands of computers are currently running pirated copies of Windows XP. These computers range from home PCs to office desktops to the ones you find in Internet Cafes. They may continue to use Windows XP, but this OS will eventually be left behind - less and less software will be developed for it, and, with the advent of Trusted Computing, it may be left behind in the world altogether.

Are Microsoft ignorant enough to believe that this is not going on? Obviously not - if not, they would not have added WGA to Windows XP. But they must surely realise how many hundreds of thousands of users they are going to lose because of this new anti-piracy technology? Those people will not be able to upgrade to Vista, because the prices will be - as usual - through the roof. They will not be able to run pirated copies of Windows Vista, because it will be very difficult to circumvent the anti-piracy component - and, even if they do, the businesses in particular will fear from being caught and prosecuted by the authorities for using pirated copies of a proprietary OS. They will be left out in the cold. Yet, luckily, Linux and the other Open Source OSs will be readily available (for free, no strings attached), and I have no doubt that Linux will see a huge influx of new users because of Microsoft’s decision to rule out those who are breaking the law. And rightly so?

Well, I’m not complaining. As long as Linux sees a substantial, or even a minimal increase in its userbase, I will be pleased. However, this may pose a significant issue from a security expert or Windows administrator’s point of view^[2] - but, for Linux, there is only one phrase to describe this… The perfect opportunity.

References:

[1] ZDNet article: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6122462.html
[2] TAZForum thread: http://tazforum.thetazzone.com/viewtopic.php?p=42092#42092

Please note that some of the apparent “features” of Vista’s new anti-piracy technology may not be true, but have been spoken of. The specifics of the technology have not yet been released.

17 Comments »

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You don’t know how people will find a way around piracy. They will go to the extend of modding their hardware to support pirated versions of software

You guys in the West are too civilized.

Comment by hari — October 7, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 on Linux
Well, while you hope for a push for Linux, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for OS X.

And Hari’s right - foreigners have no idea to what sort of ridiculous extent people in China go to to save a bit of money; or in Vista’s case, a years wages of Mr Joe Chan.

Comment by Daryl — October 7, 2006 #
Using Flock 0.7.4.1 on Windows XP
Even though i also have this hope that Vista will push users to Linux, i am absolutely sure that a decent Vista-hack will be available in no time.

In the beginning it might be a case like hari is talking about: A very geeky procedure involving things like hardware modifications, but in time i’m pretty sure that a Vista-hack will be as easy as downloading a patch.

Comment by Holmgreen — October 7, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 on Ubuntu Linux
In my country they even pirate an entire ERP package like SAP.

So yeah, you get the idea. To be frank, I won’t lose any sleep if these big companies like Sony and Microsoft lose money to piracy, because they still make enough to make obscene profits.

Comment by hari — October 7, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 on Linux
Hmm… I’m not saying that this technology is not unsurmountable, but that it sounds like it will be difficult to bypass. After all, if it has been implemented at kernel level, it is going to be much more difficult to hack than a user level equivalent.

And even if it is hacked, I’m sure at least a few businesses will switch to Linux, for fear of being caught and sued for running pirated copies of Vista.

Well, I’ll keep my hopes up!

Comment by J_K9 — October 7, 2006 #
Using Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP
I too hope so. But the irrational fear of the unknown has remained for ages particularly with respect to the *nix community.

Comment by hari — October 8, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.6 on Debian GNU/Linux
Well, that is the thing. In one of my Linux Formats they remark that vista is going to miss the 06 Xmas release, meaning thousands who have got PC’s for christmas will have to buy and install Windows for the first time. This is a good thing because:

a) They will realase how much windows actually costs.

b) They will have installed an Operating System, making a *nix install less scary.

PS: In Germany, all the supermarket checkout machines run Linux! And the coke tastes shite. (Buy accross the border in Austria or France. a hundred times better ;))

Comment by Gunny — October 9, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.3 on Linux
yes…indeed….quite…i concur!!!

Comment by Sam — October 9, 2006 #
Using Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP
IMHO, this will happen, at least eventually. But, to speed the process, someone like canonical needs to make a push to get into consumer stores for the price of a cd-r right before vista ships.

Comment by St.Jimmy — October 9, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 on Windows XP
Gunny - Ah, would that be the latest Linux Format? I’ve just started reading it I agree with you, though. St.Jimmy has also made a great point - I know Mandriva and SUSE used to sell in large stores like Dixons and Waterstones (bookshop), but they were fairly expensive. If Canonical put a DVD of Ubuntu in a pretty case and sold it for $5 in the major stores, I think this would also increase the speed of Linux adoption. It just needs to happen.

Hmm… That might be a good thing to bring up on the Ubuntu forums

Comment by J_K9 — October 11, 2006 #
Using Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP
Thanks… SUSE still sells for about $50 in Barnes and noble in the form of “The Linux starter kit”. o corse, selling in stores would be like shipit with profit.sucks I don’t have an acc on ubuntu

Comment by St.Jimmy — October 11, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.7 on Windows XP
Vista is not out yet. Windows came with my laptop but the whole WGA thing annoyed me into installing Ubuntu. I have been using it for a week and I am finally getting comfortable with it. I don’t think I will be buying Windows again.

Comment by Adrian — November 16, 2006 #
Using Mozilla Firefox 2.0 on Ubuntu Linux
Adrian - If you need any help, just ask I’m glad you’re enjoying using Linux!

Vista isn’t out yet but the second Release Candidate is, and this is just a guess at what *might* happen. There are probably other things which might push a few users to another OS.

Comment by J_K9 — November 16, 2006 #
Using Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows XP
As far as I have seen, every home user in this part of the world uses pirated windows. Which means that the Americans and Europeans are paying for the Indians and the Chinese windows users.

Quite a good charity…

Comment by Nag — December 9, 2006 #
Using Internet Explorer 7.0 on Windows XP
Wow. It would be interesting to see how the police would try to handle the situation over there

Thanks for that, Nag.

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Using Mozilla Firefox 2.0 on Ubuntu Linux
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