8 thoughts on “No more Vista “kill switch””

  1. WGA was a “nice” way of saying, “Any time we like, we can shut you out and lock you out of your own machine.” It’s now clear to Microsoft that this was a Very Bad Idea that came back and damaged them. After all, why install Vista if there was the risk of that sort of frightful event?

  2. My only question, after reading the article, is this: What actual functionality remains in any of Microsoft’s antipiracy technologies? If there is no particular reason to activate a copy of Windows, why should anyone do it?

  3. Serdar, there is a reason to do it: Call it ethics or morals or whatever, but most people will be willing to pay for a product they use every day. Businesses will have BSA audfits to fear. If they have a bunch of machines displaying non genuine messages, they’ll be subject to being turned in for a reward. Most home users (90%+) buy Windows preinstalled so they pay for a genuine copy with their PC. If someone wants a pirate copy, they don’t need to go download it from a warez site anymore, they can just borrow it.

  5. This is good, I hope they stop updating your system though, otherwise there would not be any (technical) reason to pay for Windows anymore.
    Mine is genuine so I don’t know whether they do it already.

  6. Am I correct in my understanding that we won’t be able to slipstream SP1, like we have in previous versions of Windows? Slipstreaming is one of my favorite things about Windows.

  7. Jeff, Microsoft is currently distributing full copies of Vista with SP1 slipstreamed, so it is definitely possible. A better option, IMO, is to do a full install with SP1 and then snap a restore image using either the built-in Complete PC Backup tool (Business/Ultimate/Enterprise) or a third-party product.

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