Oh no! They're stealing our windows!

(Image used under: Creative Commons 2.0 [SRC])

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.

(Image used under: Fair Use doctrine)

The Washington Post reports that IE 7 will not have the long known flaw that allows a website to steal the data that may be hanging out in your clipboard.

For those who don't know, the clipboard is where anything you cut and paste hangs out. The trick is, it stays there until you cut or copy something else. So, if the last thing you copied was your tax record from one document to another and then you visit a nosy website, they could have all that data.

If it seems as stupid to you as it does to me that IE allowed this in the first place, then you'll understand why the security community knocks Microsoft products.