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.
*Originally posted by Kyle Fenton *
**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.
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/products/tutorials/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.
*Originally posted by David Kelly *
**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?
*Originally posted by Joe Ross *
**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.
*Originally posted by David Kelly *
**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:
*Originally posted by David Kelly *
**we got windows for $5. it helps out a lot when you have a brother that goes to college. **
Yes, but think about all those people who don’t have a brother/sister in college and have to pay $200…
*Originally posted by Jay Lundy *
**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:
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.
Oh my god I didn’t think Windows was that expensive
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.
*Originally posted by Kyle Fenton *
**Oh my god I didn’t think Windows was that expensiveBut 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. **
Some colleges give software to students for free.
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?
*Originally posted by Kyle Fenton *
**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.
**
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 
So Microsoft is wrong to enforce the terms of the license agreement?
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.
I wouldn’t have a problem with it if micosoft didn’t charge so much for windows.
*Originally posted by Kyle Fenton *
**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. **
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.
*Originally posted by Kyle Fenton *
**Oh my god I didn’t think Windows was that expensiveBut 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.
One thing to note when looking at that page…that is for the Professional version of Windows XP, which is from a marketing standpoint for Microsoft, the next step up from Windows NT/2000, which has always been targeted more for businesses and has been substantially higher priced than the 9x line…the Home edition of WinXP is considered to be the successor to 95/98/ME, and that upgrade is $99…
As far as the prices for previous versions of Windows, according to Staples at their web site…
Windows 98 SE Upgrade -> 97.95
Windows ME Full Version -> 199.95
Windows ME Upgrade from W95 -> 99.95
Windows ME Upgrade from W98 -> 49.95
Windows 2000 Pro Upgrade -> 189.97So as far as a massive jump in prices from previous versions of Windows, I wasn’t remembering it being as low as you mentioned in the past(I’ve worked with and installed every Windows since 3.1,) so I just thought I’d double check to make sure my memory was correct…
**
I’m sorry Nate, I made estimated on those prices from what I remembered what I installed on my sisters computers. I may have missed it by a couple of dollars.
But it is interesting to note that none of that I have Office 98 for Mac OS, and I had to do none of that registration stuff. I heard that it is the same for Office 2001. Don’t know about Office for Mac OS X though. They always said that Office for Mac OS X was easier to port off of their Office XP for Windows 2000 because of the FreeBSD Kernel (aka Darwin) inside Mac OS X. But most likely not, because no other Mac OS application has such a tight integration of that kind of that kind of licensing agreement.
I mean it is one thing into trying to cheat a demo by not paying for it. But when you shell out a lot of dollars for a system upgrade and it shut downs on you if you multiple computers than it is just a pain that makes you wonder that even though you are breaking the policy to be able to control your computers abilities. I mean that is just wrong.
*Originally posted by EddieMcD *
**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.
The main issue is the fact that it is a license agreement and not a contract. You are allowed to license copyrighted works. Copyright licenses and contracts are different things under the law. However, many software companies (including Microsoft) want them to be treated as the same thing. Contract law falls under state laws so this will very state-to-state. The validity of software license agreements as contracts is questionable because they are non-negotiable. Non-negotiable contracts have not faired very well in courts. There is also the fact that is extrememly difficult to return a piece of software when you do not agree to the licensing agreement. The disclaiming of all warranties may also not be legal under state laws (some states forbid the disclaiming of implied warranties).
The main issue is to remember that copyright was established for the public good, not for the profits of different companies or producers. Therefore, unlimited control over a work is not granted to a copyright holder and the rights claimed by companies such as Microsoft may not be valid.
Matt
For those of you who are interested(or paranoid,) here’s information from Microsoft on the WPA process, including how much has to require re-authorization.
From that, here’s the list of what it uses to generate your hardware ID code:
Display Adaptor (5 bits)
SCSI Adaptor (5 bits)
IDE Adaptor (4 bits)
Network Adaptor MAC Address (10 bits)
RAM Amount Range (3 bits)
Processor type (3 bits)
Processor Serial # (6 bits)
Hard Drive Device (7 bits)
Hard Drive Volume Serial # (10 bits)
CD-ROM/CD-RW/DVD-ROM (7 bits)
“Dockable” (1 bit)
Algorithm Version Used (3 bits)
Another thing to note is that in cases of things like the processor serial #, the actual hash code generated is 128 bits in length, but only 6 of those are used. Which means that out of the 100 million or more PCs sold last year, only 64 keys could be generated(privacy issues solved)…but back to WPA
Of that list up above, if you haven’t changed your network adaptor(if you even have one), you can change up to 6 of them without having to reactivate. If your network adaptor changes, then you can change up to 4 without requiring reactivation.
Also, just one last note, in a direct quote from that document, “the Microsoft activation clearinghouse system will automatically allow activation to occur over the Internet four times in one year on substantially different hardware.”
Just some info I found that I decided to pass along…