Microsoft: ‘Piracy no longer poses a threat to us’
In a recent interview, managing director of Microsoft Philippines Inc., John Bessey, has claimed that piracy no longer poses a threat to the software giant.
In the interview, which was part of Microsoft’s launch of Windows 7 in the Philippines, Bessey warns users that by using a pirated version of their new OS, they open themselves up to “viruses”.
Elaborating on that, Philstar.com is reporting that online banking may be the biggest danger for those using pirated Operating Systems. Without the protection that Microsoft offers with legit copies of Windows 7, a user could be sharing his banking details with “the world.”
To be fair, in this aspect, that is a chance Internet users always take when when they’re not careful or just unlucky. Nasty little things such as keyloggers and inept users answering emails from Nigerian princes have always been a danger while using any operating system.
To be totally honest, anytime you use any OS of any kind you open yourself up to viruses and trojans, especially with Microsoft’s Operating Systems.
As this article is published, Microsoft has unfortunately not answered to our repeated email requests for a statement on this issue. In the news business that’s called a solid “no comment.”
[quote]
Bessey warns users that by using a [s]pirated[/s] version of their [s]new[/s] OS, they open themselves up to “viruses”.
[/quote]
Correction.
Vidalis
I’m the writer and I wasn’t quite sure what you were getting at. At first I thought it was a grammatical error I made.
Then I pulled my head out of my ass, remembered my html, and lol’d for like five minutes.
Then my computer froze. I think Bill heard me.
[quote]
Then I pulled my head out of my ass, remembered BBCode[s]my html[/s], and lol’d for like five minutes.
[/quote]
Correction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBCode
well i run my system with the anticipation of failure especially when using a ms os, pirate copy or not! ;)
Yes, of course, BBCode is exactly what I meant lol.
It’s been a long week.
Something’s weird with this. John Bessey’s point is about a threat to his company but yet the example he raises is about the end user.
Sounds like their PR division is a tad confused.
Of course pirates aren’t a threat to winblows…we are helping the tyrant to spread 7 across the globe for free. Mega bucks saved there for Redmond. After all to maintain their monopoly they have to have a certain percentage of us using their OS. Though they have hyped their sales figures, the recession and the Vista fiasco have taken their toll. Not to mention the constant security issues with MS. No brainer Bessey. Wouldn’t surprise me if THEY have leaked some of the OEM keys themselves.
Yes, you can open yourself up to malware when pirating.
But that is why you stick with trusted uploaders.
Warf33, I would think that the recession would have helped Microsoft. The only other option that the majority of people know about is Apple, which is more expensive than a computer from Microsoft.
Now, if everyone/the majority knew about Ubuntu and other free linux OS’s, then I could see the recession hurting Microsoft.
this is only going to push more individuals toward linux. bring it on microsoft! didn’t you [microsoft] get the memo? you [microsoft] are creating your own negation–as the business enterprise will naturally decay due to the contradictions it creates.
(check out Veblen’s ‘Theory of Business Enterprise’)
this seems like some cheap back door threat…”use our legit OS and you have nothing to fear, but use a pirated copy and you’re screwed.” i would hope those that use pirated copies of anything have enough know how to avoid the traps and viruses some of the malicious people put into the OS when they upload them, otherwise you’re screwed either way.
Point being, my nephew has a legit copy of Windows, but still comes to me constantly because he dicks it all up…he’s less than a noob when it comes to computer stuff.
so legit or not, if the end user is clueless, they will run into trouble regardless. and those of us who have some knowledge, know what to avoid.
so it seems to me this is a shady bogus threat and also gives false hope to those who use the “legit” copies…like they are somehow safe from the evil doer’s as long long as they buy it.
but in a losing battle against piracy, some people will try anything, including spreading bold claims and false hope
“Without the protection that Microsoft offers with legit copies of Windows 7″
The cracked copies offer the same protection as the legit ones… as in.. they both connect to Microsoft update and they both pass WGA…
Not sure where Microsoft is going with this… but i like it?
Bwahahaha!
With Windows, there is lots of Virus Goodness™ right out of the box!
No need to Pirate
God, who writes their material?!
Oh rats. First they release Vista, which is incompatible with P2P and now this. We’re soooo f***ed! :P
LOL-
Well.. M$ needs to make some money to keep running. I love Ubuntu Linux.. its awesome. I became a linux guru in no time too. I have been a linux user for years and I still love it regardless what M$ got to say about it.
The only other ‘trusted’ windows OS that I use is Windows 2000.
Did you know that when you first boot up Windows 7 after purchasing a new computer from a local computer store-it shows a ‘installation parameters box’ that is identical from Windows 2000!
“Installing software” dialog box only shows windows 2000 model GUI for a few seconds before the windows 7 GUI kicks in. I thought that was awesome. Hiding Windows 2000 GUI inside Windows 7 lol. I was surprised when I first set up a computer for a friend of mine lol.
Software Hackers always have hacked/cracked windows the first day M$ ships them out. Reason why? The Kernel- same old.. same old- Linux has different versions of kernels lol.. You gotta love it.-
“Software Hackers always have hacked/cracked windows the first day M$ ships them out. Reason why? The Kernel- same old… same old-***regardless what they say differently about it. Its all basically the same*** Linux has different versions of kernels lol.. You gotta love it.-
If i have this right.Microsoft is saying it is 100% LIABIL if you get hacked or get virues on a legit ms os.as this only happens on a pireted ms os.
But i think its more like viruses have been written to target those who run pireted ms os.And more than likely with the backing of your big brother.The Goverment.
Life just got better in this padded cell we call earth.
What a bunch of nonsense, Microsoft really know how to sink low, first they try to de story all competition by buying it out and destroying it and making all developers only develop for Microsoft and now they sink even lower as to hold a gun to the consumers head and say you must buy Microsoft and strengthen our monopoly or you will be subject to banking fraud.
Dont believe it people its just a desperate bluff.
Go opensource like ubuntu.com
Running Linux here, Ubuntu and Mint – its cool fast free save etc. and great community included. What else do you want? MS-users, switch to “put the fun back into computing” (as distrowatch.com says), you don’t need Win!!!
I have been using Linux for over a year. Love Ubuntu 9.04 and recently upgraded to 9.10. Love it
[...] Pero parece que esto ya no les importa demasiado, al menos eso es lo que dicen, ya que el director de Microsoft en Filipinas, John Bessey, reveló que la “piratería” ya no es más una amenaza. [...]
It is also true that if one doesn’t make at least one pilgrimage to Redmond, WA, the sacred site of Microsoft Corporation, you could be denied entry into Heavensoft. Without the pilgrimage, it would take a special dispensation by Pope Gates himself to gain entry, and you don’t want to have to pay for a special dispensation, believe me. Anyway, pilgrims to the holy site have often seen the Pope visiting there, and have had the privilege of receiving the sacred sacrilege from Pope Gates himself, as well as a chance to kiss his holy ring.
All the promoting of Linux is grand, but the problem is the same as it’s always been, all the best software is for Windows and the majority of games only run on doze. I use Win7 as well as Ubuntu, and the latest release of Ubuntu is buggy and crashy, they need to stop with developing the next releases constantly and start bringing top quality software into the picture in my opinion.
Take Multisim for example(electronics simulation software), sure it uses the SPICE engine and Linux has stuff that uses it, but there’s nothing on Linux that’s anywhere close to being as usable as Multisim.
Then there’s:
* Daemon Tools
* Rhinoceros
* Cubase
* Grabbit
That’s before we go into games, sure there’s Wine in Linux but it sucks for most things and the selection of games that you can actually run in Linux is a pretty short list.
I really like Linux, and for office work it’s great, it’s even great for most scientific stuff and engineering applications, but it’s hard work to try and match a lot of the really great software you can get on Windows – Linux is still not apt for gamers, and it’s software base is lacking, there’s a lot of hype about the open source movement but it’s sheer quantity more than quality – not saying there isn’t a lot of good stuff because there is, but it’s still lacking.
I will continue to use both Windows and Linux despite each having shortcomings in different areas.
just remember that Internet Explorer as a browser itself is spyware. as a browser, 99.98% works for your computer. the other .02% sends everything you type to Microsoft. All spyware is written for windows based operating systems. so are most worms, trojans and malware.. as opposed to Linux etc. licences are only good for the first 2 months anyways. then after that..the operating system is available almost all websites worldwide as ‘pirate’. Just as google was built with the assistance of the NSA..what makes you think there are no “back doors” built into ALL windows operating systems? As long as you stay away from “windows update”..there won’t be any crap put on your hard drive. If it worked correctly.. you wouldn’t need daily “Patches” and “security updates”. If it wasn’t for the “free (pirate) software”.. software development worldwide wouldn’t be where it is today with microsuck benefiting in the end.
Intel closed 5 of it’s plants in the Philippines recently.. i guess they needed a “patch”..
Like an old ocean map..”beyond this point..there be dragons”.. just keep away from microsuck update for one..and us Linux.
also..when i was in China..EVERY COMPUTER I SAW.. USED A PIRATE OS…..
So what does that tell ya?
LOL – In response to ur article, njtp about linux-
Which is better? Linux or Windoze? – You got buggy Linux? well thats due to microsoft coding on your mainboard- they expect you to use pure windows on your machine instead of linux. Linux Ubuntu 9.10 for example, would run perfectly on machines that are compatible with ‘reverse coding’- Not only Microsoft have monopoly in the software gaming world, they too have some sort of monopoly on mainboard manufacturers-
Linux is just an option to have besides Windoze. I cannot wait for Ubuntu to come out with the Version 10 of it, so I can experiment with it’s source to improve it better. There are other softwares beside WINE in Linux- WINE is just a typical ‘nooblet’ basic Windoze executable converter.
So far, I have found that EliteGroup mainboards with AMD CPUs to be totally compatible with Ubuntu Linux. There are other mainboards, I am sure – but a mainboard that works quite well with Linux either as a standalone or installed inside windoze.
Spywares you say? 0.o of course- the first time you install Windoze on your machine, its loaded with spywares. You have to remove them before running anything else by using anti spyware softwares.
Yup- China uses ALL pirated Windoze Oses.. Its FORBIDDEN in China to have Windoze. China government banned Microsoft from selling in their country. One has to wonder why Chinese hackers are trying to get into US military defense systems and so on. Microsoft is responsible for this, and some day if something terrible happens- as they claim it would be a myth, Microsoft will be held responsible for the intrusions-
Awww well.. people have to learn-
Ahh, well then I stand corrected on China :) I have AMD hardware and previous releases of ubuntu (and other distros) and BSD work great, it’s just the latest stuff, which has brought unnecessary updates and at least as far as my uses, nothing new in terms of functionality. Obviously my usage is fairly limited, but I still think there really needs to be more development time spent on creating better applications. For the majority of people I’ve spoke to about Linux the major reason they returned to doze is that there is better software available on the doze platform.
And I wasn’t attempting to compare the two to arrive at any conclusion on which is better, I was getting at the reasons for their advantages/disadvantages. I personally prefer Linux as an OS because it allows access to it’s inner workings and such. As far as Wine goes, it’s an implementation of the Windows API (doesn’t do any converting of exe files), and I’ve used other software intended for running doze software, some geared specifically towards running doze games, Cedega was one of them (think I spelled that right), but none of these APIs/emulation softwares are anywhere near efficient enough.
Linux vs Windows is a pointless argument because neither is particularly better than the other, my point was that it’s factors outside the quality of the OS that decide stuff like it’s susceptibility to malware – although the non-standardized kernel gives nix an advantage on some security fronts, I suppose therein lies one of the major advantages of open source. But subtle differences in kernel layout between many distros is more safety in chaos rather than a particular strength of the kernel design.
You’re absolutely right about m$ having a monopoly on the closed source world of hardware and software, but my argument is that more needs to be done to bring better software to Linux to rival the commercial stuff on doze.
Ultimately the chaotic diversity of the open source world is both a strength and a weakness – imagine if all the effort put into minor distros that have come and died over the years had gone into developing software for nix instead of just more distros. I suppose getting individual groups to collaborate rather than just re-inventing the wheel is like herding cats :P
Meh, just my thoughts anyhow :)
This is an in-cohesive mess, with theories and accusations being thrown around, so im gonna try to “correct” so of your wild tales;
First of;
*Microsoft is not banned from China, the selling of certain earlier versions of Windows is.
*Windows does not install spyware on your computer during the installation of the OS.
*Ubuntu 9.10 BLOWS ASS! It’s an unfinished piece of fanboy diarrhea, that is only good for one thing: DELETING.
– 9.04 is obviously the good one..
*Hardware manufacturers need to SELL they’re goods, so therefor the most widespread OS (Windows)is the one they are aiming at.
* The last part of your “speech” seems to be you rambling on about chinese hackers…. Seems like the sort of “speech” a drunkard, or a crack fiend would give.
Windows is the most common OS by a long shot, which is one reason it’s attacked, zombie networks and all that. IE was, is and always will be a bag of stink; I’d say use Opera or Firefox (I personally prefer Opera). Linux isn’t particularly immune to viruses and worms, it boils down to two main things: A. It’s the most widely used OS. B. Hacktivism.
“also..when i was in China..EVERY COMPUTER I SAW.. USED A PIRATE OS…..
So what does that tell ya?”
Not a lot really, just that you saw at least one computer with pirate doze on it (presumably you meant doze anyway? Can’t see any reason to pirate Mac OS or proprietary nix), assuming you saw a LOT of computers with confirmed pirate OS’s on em, then it’s likely that people don’t have the money to fork out the cost of doze – that’s the main reason for people pirating it where I live anyway.
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[...] crying crocodile called Microsoft is again openly admitting that “Piracy no longer poses a threat to us” [to [...]
LOL M-soft fails.
“Pirated Copies” of win7 or any other Windows OS are genuinely ripped from the original dvd by Pirates and use some sort of Activation-Killer
and then uploaded to the BitTorrent Network
Like njtp said If China have more pirated Win7-running Systems then how come We hear more west-countries (America etc) that have horror stories about fraud and theft of Computer data? (and Ironically, are I predict one of the biggest buyers of Microsofts Windows 7 or Vista or XP)
Its not if an O/S is pirated or not, Its if your a fool for fake, and phishing sites
Americans are fools anyway ‘Aww lets invade Iraq on the sole purpose of magic documents’ …that turn out to be fake (That Hang10-dictator Saddam Hussein bought Ammonium Nitrate from South Africa)
but thats for another day :)
P.S.
Chrome, Opera or Firefox better than Microsofts own Internet Explorer (whether pirated or original)
piracy not an issue at ms anymore? no one wants your craaaapy software these days!
The greatest danger in the world wide web is Microsoft, with is tricky updates and the Windows Defender and Firewall. Delete the Windows Defender and check carefully all the updates. Go to C:/ and check for something called Watson Remote Control made by Microsoft destined to control all our private lives.
Hackers, in the majority, are an invention from Microsoft and associated fuckers, an invention destined to control even more our existence.
Also, Microsoft work closely with NSA and Pentagon. By the way, Windows 7 are a conspiracy on our lives. Be careful, be god!
Hi kids, using cracked versions of Microsoft Windows is indeed insecure.
1. Some people who have pirated copies wont update because it will break their crack.
2. People who do update eventually get their crack broken.
Steps 1 and 2 lead to mass ownage from public 0day exploits.
3. People that _do_ update their cracks are very likely to be owned from malware for reasons which may or may not be obvious, but in any case it’s very trivial to cause massive ownage on pirate networks.
Linux and BSD are much more secure than Windows, even when you do buy Windows. The fact is, if you want to be secure for free, get something that is free, not stolen…
my win 7 ultimate works fine, updates fine, tests as genuine with MSE installed… no complaints.
[...] two weeks ago that the software giant announced that piracy is no longer a threat to them. Then, a week later, Microsoft launched a global campaign against the piracy that was [...]