Microsoft's dominating power
 

Look this is not an OS better than you are thing. This is just an article for webmasters on how this might affect them. It seems like Microsoft is monopolizing once again by getting rid of key Netscape Components, making Netscape harder to survive.

http://aolpf5.marketwatch.com/news/s...-5A23D5072DEE}

Re: Microsoft's dominating power
 

When first reading that article, the only reference I saw to new incompatibilities was between Quicktime and Internet Explorer. Netscape is not said to have incompatibilies or removed components, however, a spokesman for Netscape is quoted as to Microsoft's reasons for the change in IE. Upon further researching, I found the tool that Apple has released to restore compatibility, as well as a description of what was changed to cause this problem.

It appears that up until Internet Explorer 5.5, IE supported plugins that were actually written for Netscape and included with the EMBED tag. I was unable to find a press release at Microsoft's web site regarding this change, but it appears that they had security issues with the EMBED tag, and therefore dropped support for it in favor of the ActiveX control's OBJECT tag that they have included with Internet Explorer since about version 3.0. Because of this change, viewer plugins that were written using the Netscape plugin format, and therefore worked because of IE including support for that format, no longer function correctly. So, Apple has released an ActiveX wrapper OCX for the QuickTime player.

Based on my own experiences, it seems that Apple was behind the times in doing this. I know that other popular plugins, such as Flash, already had an OCX format for Internet Explorer. It seems that Apple was trying to get away with only having to write one plugin that would work everywhere for as long as possible, and they have only now run out of time.

Here's that page I found...
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/produ...s/activex.html

no way am i surprised. bill gates is just a business man trying to make a little cash money. like he needs it.

How much did you pay for internet explorer?

we got windows for $5. it helps out a lot when you have a brother that goes to college.

*ahem* Legally for $5? Not that I have any problem with cheating Microsoft out of money (though my Win 98 is a legal copy) :rolleyes::D

Yes, but think about all those people who don't have a brother/sister in college and have to pay $200...

yes it is a VERY legal copy. a lot of colleges get special deals with software companies to help out their students. he also got 3d max for less than $50 and auto cad is really cheap too. it's a pretty good idea because those software companies are prolly making a LOT of loyal customers in the process. they also only allow a student to buy 1 copy, for obvous reasons.

/edit he can also get office 2000 for an unbelevablly cheap price. i think it's usually in the hundredes of dollars range, but he can get it for $10.

$200
 

Oh my god I didn't think Windows was that expensive

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...525429-4856141

But it is true, $200 for just an upgrade. I thought Mac OS X was expensive at $129 (Full version). I remember a couple of years ago that Winodows 95 or 98 was $99 full and $49 upgrade.

I have heard of educational versions of software of 50% to 70% off, but not $5. Must be some lincening argrement.

Re: $200
 

Some colleges give software to students for free.

I said this in an eairler post. But Microsoft is making it extrememly difficult to copy Windows XP to another computer. As I heard, Windows XP takes your serial number + the your personal info + your machine ID number and sends it to the Microsoft website. And it is not voluntary, and the information is sent with no notification to the user. But if you give the same CD to another friend and they copy it, than Microsoft will shut your computer down, because they will realize that it is same serial number with a different machine ID number. And you have to connect to the internet some how or the computer will shut down if it can't. According to those agreement it can only be intalled on one computer only(and one for back-up reasons only). That is so rediculus, I mean what if you have mutiple computers in your household, than you have to buy a lincience or a another CD. No other operating system does this, and they don't have nearly as much money as Microsoft. Like Apple with Mac OS X, Linux, BeOS, Amiga, Unix and so on.

This I think will kill Microsoft in the future with the courts by using more Monlipizing power

Oh course I think people will create hacks to solve this problem. But to the common user of a computer, they will have to shell out a lot of dollors for Microsoft being Gready. Becuase they thing they can what they want, whenever they want, and people are powerless to stop them.

The cost for the Wintel PC may go up becuase of Microsoft's strict lincencing. But I just taking a guess on that. I have no knowledge that it will.

Anothering thing that is currious. Windows XP went gold last week, but PC's won't be installing them for 2 months fom now. Does anybody know why?

So Microsoft is wrong to enforce the terms of the license agreement?

All non-free software has virtually the same license agreement, Microsoft is just enforcing it. If you don't like it, don't buy it ;)

JR makes a good point. By using the software, you are agreeing to the user-agreement, which is like a contract. If you break that metaphorical contract, you are subject to any penalties listed in that. If that whole shutdown thing is in there, then they have every right to do so.

And now, I get to once again casually mention that Microsoft Works is the ultimate oxymoron. :D

I wouldn't have a problem with it if micosoft didn't charge so much for windows.

Clarifications on WinXP from Someone who's used it (Legally)
 

Without touching on the license agreement issues(Joe did a good job of that himself,) I can clarify the windows XP authorization system, which, interestingly enough, is quite similar to the one that Autodesk has been using for years, but now that Microsoft has moved to that form of license enforcement, it seems to be an issue...but I digress...

The Windows Product Authorization (WPA) system takes the product key that you enter during installation and combines it with a hash key generated based on certain parts of your computer's hardware. For those not familiar with a hash key, when fed the same information, it will always generate the same result, however, that result cannot be reversed to determine what was fed into the algorithim. Within a set period of time(currently 14 days in RC2, may change for release version,) you are required to submit the 50-digit code that your computer gives you to Microsoft in one of two ways:
-Internet
-1-800 telephone call
When Microsoft recieves this code from your computer through whatever means you choose, they verify that the product ID portion of the authorization code is not already on file as being matched up with a different hardware hash key. After this is verified, they return to your computer a code that notifies Windows(or Office XP, which uses the same system) that it is properly authorized. At that time, your system no longer has a time limitation.

Note that this authorization process and the registration process, where you supply your personal information, are completely separate from each other. It is possible to authorize the software without ever registering it, and therefore your personal information has no way of being included in the authorization process. The requirement that this needs to be done is made very clear during the installation process, and it DOES require user intervention to start the authorization process, so you are aware that it is taking place.

When you use the Windows Update system to check for updates to your computer, the hardware hash code is re-generated and sent to the Windows Update server at Microsoft. In the event that the code does not match the one previously on file for that Product Key, the software goes into a "limited-use" mode, which in the case of Office XP, means that no files can be saved or edited. However, existing files can still be opened and viewed. At least, this is my understanding on the matter, I don't have Office XP personally to verify this on. If you still legitimately have a license for the software(i.e. you overhauled the majority of your computer,) you can contact Microsoft and they will issue a new authorization code which will allow the software to function normally again.

However, you are not required to keep some form of Internet access on your machine, nor are you required to even use the Internet for the initial authorization. Also, it is my understanding that in the event of a software package going into "limited-use" mode, it will not be your machine(the one that the software was FIRST authorized on,) but rather any other machines that you installed and attempted authorization on AFTER authorizing it on your own machine.