Oh no! They're stealing our windows!

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Slashdot pointed to this article about a Microsoft press release stating that 22% of Windows Installations are pirated. Their basis for this conclusion? Failure rate of the Windows Genuine Advantage tool.

Self-absorbed boobs. I've never used any pirated software, but I have been greatly tempted to get a hacked version of the software I DO own, just so I didn't have to deal with their invasive and unnecessary activation scheme. There are so many times it's failed on me and I've had to call in to beg for them to let me use my OWN SOFTWARE, that I came very close to getting hacked copies…. Oh yes… very close.

Of course, you can't now because they force you to install an anti-piracy tool before letting you install any kind of security updates. And because Windows is rife with flaws and insecurity, not getting updates is like running through the streets late at night with a scrap of paper in your hand shouting, "I won, I won, Powerball millions woooooo!"

Microsoft needs to stop harassing every user for the sake of a few. They present it as if they're losing 20% revenue when that 20% is made up of pirates who won't buy the software ever. If you succeed in making Windows such a screwed up system that even the pirates won't touch it, chances are, neither will the rest of your market.

If you don't want bad press, try making a better product.

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That seems to be an undercurrent (or more than an undercurrent) of thought on the web. Here is a list of 10 good reasons not to buy Vista.

The point about Windows being released with the need for a hardware upgrade is something I can relate to. When XP came out and I was still working retail, they were recommending a Pentium 333Mhz with 256Mb of RAM. I told people not to even try XP without a bare minimum of 400Mhz and 512Mb of RAM.

My experience is that they list what it takes to make the computer not fail when loading, not what it takes to make it run decently. And from Badvista.org, where I found the link to the top 10 list, I also found this article:

Vista is being marketed to content producers, not consumers... These changes won’t enhance user security unfortunately as they were designed to protect only “premium content ?... The new Vista scheme signals to me that they have exhausted new customer acquisition and are now focused on milking their existing market.

Ouch. Well, if you don't want bad press, try making a better product.