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Microsoft: No Activation Changes Until Longhorn

Daniel Fleshbourne   on 08 April 2003 - 11:26 · 9 comments & 821 views

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As leaked copies of Windows Server 2003 begin to surface before its launch, Microsoft says not to expect many changes to product activation in the new operating system - indicating the anti-piracy technology has met expectations. The company has yielded any drastic changes for its next generation Windows client, code-named Longhorn. Windows Server 2003 will have no more of the controversial activation technology than was seen in the first Windows XP service pack, along with a few tweaks.

When retooling activation for Windows Server 2003, Microsoft targeted scenarios specific to server environments. Algorithms were modified to reflect differences in hardware present in business and enterprise systems. RAID controllers and hot swappable drives, for example, are not often found on the desktop. Despite these differences in architecture, the trigger for re-activation remains unchanged. Microsoft Product Manager of Activation Allen Nieman explained to BetaNews that although it would seem there are major differences between the two environments, product activation processes are identical. Customers will be extended the same number of hardware modifications, and a "grace period" of three days to reactivate.

However, activation is a scenario few will encounter. Most large customers will purchase Windows Server 2003 through Microsoft's volume licensing program, which does not require activation. Key OEM partners such as Dell will continue on the path of selling standalone servers pre-activated. Only boxed copies of the operating system will require activation.

View: The full story
News source: Betanews


AntiCap Uk’s Objectives:

· To provide a voice for users concerned at the imposition of residential broadband service usage limits.
· To argue the case for the provision of unlimited residential broadband services by UK ISPs.
· To advocate that where limitations can not be removed, they be fair and sensible and relate to demonstrable costs in the provision of service.
· To advocate full disclosure of such limits to existing and prospective customers.
· To encourage ntl:home (and any other offending ISP) to remove their cap and provide the unlimited service that customers signed up for.

ntl:Home 60 day download monitoring period

On 7th February 2003 ntl:Home imposed the 1GB a day download limit cap in an amended
Acceptable User Policy published on the ntlworld.com website. This restriction has not been formally communicated to customers in any other way other than the small link on the ntl website.

In subsequent guidance , ntl have indicated they will monitor usage over a 60 day period before contacting "offending" customers. This monitoring period expires imminently.

AntiCap’s formal launch is timed to meet the challenge of any cap enforcement action that might be imposed by ntl:home.

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 9 additional comments
#1 Quick Reply on 08 Apr 2003 - 11:35
[QUOTE]"grace period" of three days to reactivate. [/QUOTE] whats that?
#2 mrk on 08 Apr 2003 - 11:49
pff, people will use the Corp versions just like 70-80% of XP users now
(1 reply) #3 Bizzard on 08 Apr 2003 - 11:55
I wish all them idiots would stop cracking windows....
#3.1 warr on 08 Apr 2003 - 13:56
windows is famous. crackers will also become famous together with windows. if not for windows, who care to crack it.
#4 Andareed on 08 Apr 2003 - 12:33
[quote]I wish all them idiots would stop cracking windows....[/quote] What's wrong with cracking (other than the illegal part)
(1 reply) #5 razar on 08 Apr 2003 - 13:04
I think the goal was to stop noobs, and the people they can control to stop running Windows on more then one system. If it happend to stop a few warezers that was great too, but not the over all goal.
#5.1 CoolShady2002 on 08 Apr 2003 - 13:39
Yes, I was under the same impression
(1 reply) #6 Darkwolven on 08 Apr 2003 - 14:51
Bah!!...activation was to stop the [B]corporations[/B] from installing the same copy of windows over several hundred office machines in the same building! It was just conveniently a way to throw a wrench into the piracy rings too but they know that they aren't going to stop warezed versions. MS cares diddley squat about the few thousand warezed copies running on machines. That's not where their money is!!
#6.1 JaggedFlame on 08 Apr 2003 - 22:37
Activation was also intended to curb casual copying. I think one employee, as an example, said that if Joe went to his neighbors house to "borrow" a copy of Windows XP, he wouldn't be able to.

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