There WILL be trouble ahead

[VAVA Mk2]

Anyone inquiring or posting about how to get the illegally obtained RTM (final version of) Windows 7 will be moderated.

You may have your posting abilities removed, remember.. this is the final gold version that will ship in the shops, it is no longer considered beta by Neowin or Microsoft.

I bought my copy in the reduced price period and agree, but just gotta say if you are someone reading this site and have run an RC or pre release build at this point, I am pretty sure without the aid of these forums they could probably get the RTM without too much work over the interwebz...just an observation. But anyways who else here is happy for W7? Me!

[bluewind.]

Wait it RTMed??? How could I have missed it..

:p

[OnePostWonder]

Someone enlighten me.. I go to Newegg.com and look for Windows 7, and it says release date's not till October.

I can't find anywhere online to buy it from... So how in the heck can it be no longer in beta if it is unobtainable anywhere else?

And yes, on the interwebz I have found the RTM version for download, but where would one get it legally?

[Gio Takahashi]

Nowhere (except for Technet and MSDN) until October 22nd.

[OnePostWonder]

Nowhere (except for Technet and MSDN) until October 22nd.

Crap. Thanks for that though!

[Subject Delta]

I'd say it would, considering getting a MSDN/Technet account with the intent of getting Win7 RTM (for personal, extended use) is illegal, end off. Unless your a developer or tester you have no business getting those accounts, I know people don't care :p but in the eyes of the law it's still illegal (far as I understand anyway).

Developer is a very loose term, that could be applied in various ways. You could knock up the occasional web page in your spare time and call yourself a developer, the belief that you can only use development accounts like MSDN only for Microsoft programming languages is actually bogus. hell you could even do free graphics for Neowin and call yourself a developer (a friend of mine was given an MVP award for all of the good work he did donating graphics to forums, and being helpful to members).

Fact of the matter is, if you try and run a business with Technet / MSDN you are likely to get canned, however if you use it on a couple of your home computers for personal usage, Microsoft aren't exactly going to send the police squads knocking on your door for piracy, even if your usage is technically against their EULA.

So realistically, you have no place telling people what they can and can't use their MSDN accounts for. Personally I do actually do development work for websites, so I could argue that my usage is for development work.

[code.kliu.org]

Developer is a very loose term

I don't know much about the TechNet terms, but the MSDN sub has a FAQ that lays out in plain English what is and isn't allowed. IIRC, the example that it gave is that if you have a computer that you use only for developing stuff, testing your software, or demonstrating your software (those being the three things allowed), you can use your MSDN Windows license for it. Doesn't matter if it's personal or production, as long as the system is used for just those things. But if you watch a movie on that computer or play a game, then you would need to also hold a non-MSDN license for Windows for that machine (you just need to own the license; doesn't mean that you have to install with that product key).

Though most people (and I suspect MSFT as well, unofficially at least) don't care about getting that nit-picky about the letter-of-law compliance, as long as you remain complaint within the spirit-of-law.

[Windows7even]

awesome title neo...although there will be "digital" blood would have also been approiate :p

[SirEvan]

So uh...anyone know where I can download...........

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new drivers for my video card? :-p I think it's a smart move. Lately the forums have been filling up with people posting about the cracks/activators/keys....and this place is starting to turn into a warez forum....i say ban em.

[Pharos]

. Lately the forums have been filling up with people posting about the cracks/activators/keys....and this place is starting to turn into a warez forum....i say ban em.

Yeah, but the moderators take down these posts relatively quickly, I barely see an "illegal" thread, and If I do it's literally gone in seconds. The My Digital Life Forums, on the other hand, is absolutely ridiculous :|

[CaptainSlow]

Nowhere (except for Technet and MSDN) until October 22nd.

And Volume Licensing Customers with Software Assurance (iirc)

[UltimaCJ]

Obviously theres been some "issues" in the past if neowin is upset about this and has to post something....

windows will always be in 'beta' one shape or another. There's already patches for it, heck I heard there was already patches coming out to RTM. Although I will admit 7 is much more cleaned up in Vista, but needs a new bootup sound.

[LiamS2008]

Anyone inquiring or posting about how to get the illegally obtained RTM (final version of) Windows 7 will be moderated.

You may have your posting abilities removed, remember.. this is the final gold version that will ship in the shops, it is no longer considered beta by Neowin or Microsoft.

Ah yes, but Microsoft are releasing an RTM release of 7 for testing purposes, as they did with the Beta and the RC, sometime in August, according to an email sent out to the RC users.

[briangw]

And Volume Licensing Customers with Software Assurance (iirc)

and MSDNAA

[kizuran]

I'm thinking it will be more like the kind that involves headbutts. Several of them.

Yep, the Kiefer Sutherland-style headbutts (most likely)...

[ToneKnee]

Yeah, but the moderators take down these posts relatively quickly, I barely see an "illegal" thread, and If I do it's literally gone in seconds. The My Digital Life Forums, on the other hand, is absolutely ridiculous :|

As long as members (like myself) report posts that are dodgy, we can help with this problem! :)

[Deathray]

The only reason there will be trouble ahead is because Neowin treated leaks of Windows 7 so lightly that people will simply assume the behaviour they saw is how things always are here.

I find it amusing, but oh well. Be warned, we will punish you (sometimes)

[Gio Takahashi]

Neowin staff has been pretty strong against windows 7 leaks now that RTM has came out. Beta is one thing, but now that it's RTM. it's serious business time.