Microsoft tackles local software pirates

I'd pirate windows 7, install it onto 32 virtual machines, boot them all up and laugh evil like for how much money MS lost because of me... because we all know, a pirate copy equals a lost sale, and I just milked MS for R96000! Makes me feel all warm and tingly inside.
 
dudleygb said:
“The risk of viruses hidden in fake software is a growing problem - especially given that 36% of all software in South Africa is used illegally. Victims risk losing personal information, having their identities stolen, and wasting valuable time and money,” explained Nyati.
Click to expand...

This happens to me regardless if I run original Wondows or not.
Click to expand...

This was exactly what I wanted to say.... So if I do not pirate windows, I am safe from these crimes? Who is giving the guarantee?
 
Windows > Linux and that is why it is expensive. It may have a bit to do with MS being money hungry corporate bullies who stab everybody in the back but I doubt it. This is all about morals.

If you don't want to pay for Windows then load linux, look for drivers, bitch about crappy graphics in games etc.

On the other hand if you just want your OS to work without any crap, buy and install Windows.
 
Crowley said:
On the other hand if you just want your OS to work without any crap, buy and install Windows.
Click to expand...

I agree.

And if you want an OS which only works with great apps and gets work done without any nagging or fuss, you get OSX.

Keep the shareware and malware cr@p on Windoze.
 
Crowley said:
Windows > Linux and that is why it is expensive. It may have a bit to do with MS being money hungry corporate bullies who stab everybody in the back but I doubt it. This is all about morals.

If you don't want to pay for Windows then load linux, look for drivers, bitch about crappy graphics in games etc.

On the other hand if you just want your OS to work without any crap, buy and install Windows.
Click to expand...

PeterCH said:
I agree.

And if you want an OS which only works with great apps and gets work done without any nagging or fuss, you get OSX.

Keep the shareware and malware cr@p on Windoze.
Click to expand...

Once again people who actually don't know what they are talking about. I know all three of these OS's.

To some point I agree if you don't want to pirate Windows then use Linux. However Linux these days a lot of things just work, assuming that because it is free/cheaper than Windows does not make it less functional.

You can't say that because a system is more expensive it is better. ALL OS"S DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU USE THEM FOR!

If I hear one more time of Windows being bashed for malware I am going to scream. It is not my fault if you are a Windows user and don't have common sense enough to keep it secure.
 
Linoman said:
Once again people who actually don't know what they are talking about. I know all three of these OS's.

To some point I agree if you don't want to pirate Windows then use Linux. However Linux these days a lot of things just work, assuming that because it is free/cheaper than Windows does not make it less functional.

You can't say that because a system is more expensive it is better. ALL OS"S DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU USE THEM FOR!

If I hear one more time of Windows being bashed for malware I am going to scream. It is not my fault if you are a Windows user and don't have common sense enough to keep it secure.
Click to expand...

Haha, you don't know what you're talking about.

There is only one trojan for Mac OSX. You need to install a piece of Warez to get it. There are no worms and viruses for OSX. Windows has those ON TOP OF 1000s of trojans.

Secondly, there is tons of junkware for Windows. Most of it is called Shareware, you can buy 100s of programs for between $9.99 and $30 odd to do things such as do screen captures, registry fixes, compose basic music, draw pretty pictures etc. Most of these apps, I speak from experience, are junk.

OSX has a ton of productivity apps for it. These are very solid, usually less expensive than Windows version apps. You also get lots of OSS software for OSX and even some shareware (most of it junk) but not as much.
 
Crowley said:
Windows > Linux and that is why it is expensive. It may have a bit to do with MS being money hungry corporate bullies who stab everybody in the back but I doubt it. This is all about morals.
Click to expand...

The 'greatness' of Windows is a matter of opinion and also very much depends on your frame of reference. For example most supercomputer and server owners would disagree with you and would argue that Linux is in fact the greatest.

If you don't want to pay for Windows then load linux, look for drivers, bitch about crappy graphics in games etc.
Click to expand...
You haven't used Linux lately have you?

I recently installed Ubuntu9.10 on 3 machines and it was the smoothest install I have ever done (although maybe I'm just getting better :D). It is a far cry from the days of Gentoo (omg Gentoo!!).

These days installing Linux is a dream, there wasn't a single piece of hardware that I couldn't get drivers for in fact the only driver I needed to install myself was the wifi driver and it showed up in the hardware list. All that was required was a simple click of the "activate" button and the thing was downloaded and installed automatically. Seems pretty similar to Windows... except for the fact that there was no BSoD, but I suppose you could map ctrl+alt+del to display a BSoD if you're ever running Linux and find yourself craving that authentic Windows experience. :p

On the other hand if you just want your OS to work without any crap, buy and install Windows.
Click to expand...
Maybe Windows7 is an improvement, but last I checked Windows Vista was far harder to use than Linux and far less user-friendly. I had to take 2 laptops back to the store in a row because Vista wouldn't run the wifi cards that the thing was shipped with. Perhaps they were just faulty (I hope so), but my personal experience of Windows lately has not been a positive one.
 
Last edited:
Go for it Micro$oft... you'r days are numbered any how..

From now on its a straight race between your own greed and piracy

astalapasta.. .
 
killadoob said:
in all my years i have yet to see a virus infected pirate copy of windows.
Click to expand...

+1. surely it's far easier to achieve mass exploits via email/network/http attack than write it into an OS and hand out burned copies?

the following line epitomises microsoft's ecology of bloated expenditure which translates into cost to consumer:

Locally the day is being marked locally by 'mystery shopper' visits to almost 400 computer dealers across the country, the launch of a 'clean dealer' certification and training for partners, and a series of 'knock and talk' visits to resellers who have been caught selling bogus software to unsuspecting consumers.
Click to expand...

the sabre rattling around piracy is really just a smokescreen to make it appear that they have a strategy to combat piracy and ultimately compete against modern alternative OS's. their time and money would be better spent making a cheaper, better product for the consumer.
 
PeterCH said:
Haha, you don't know what you're talking about.

There is only one trojan for Mac OSX. You need to install a piece of Warez to get it. There are no worms and viruses for OSX. Windows has those ON TOP OF 1000s of trojans.

Secondly, there is tons of junkware for Windows. Most of it is called Shareware, you can buy 100s of programs for between $9.99 and $30 odd to do things such as do screen captures, registry fixes, compose basic music, draw pretty pictures etc. Most of these apps, I speak from experience, are junk.

OSX has a ton of productivity apps for it. These are very solid, usually less expensive than Windows version apps. You also get lots of OSS software for OSX and even some shareware (most of it junk) but not as much.
Click to expand...

Nice bit of bait there, however I am not going to take it. If you truly believe that Apple OSX is perfect and has no flaws. Good luck to you, however if you just use Google/Bing/Yahoo you will actually find out that there are now viruses, flaws etc with it.

Personally I prefer Windows and Linux.
 
Linoman said:
Nice bit of bait there, however I am not going to take it. If you truly believe that Apple OSX is perfect and has no flaws. Good luck to you, however if you just use Google/Bing/Yahoo you will actually find out that there are now viruses, flaws etc with it.

Personally I prefer Windows and Linux.
Click to expand...

No OS is perfect. They all have flaws and if someone is good enough or has enough time they will eventually bypass any measures that you have in place to protect you regardless of the OS you choose to run.

It isn't however a stretch of the imagination to say that there are a lot more flaws out there for Windows than there are for other OSes at the moment. Right now though I am happy with Linux and find that I am able to work faster on a Linux system than I am on a Windows system. Perhaps just because I am more familiar with a Linux system, but I think it is actually because there is no system equivalent to the terminal in Windows.
 
Linoman said:
Nice bit of bait there, however I am not going to take it. If you truly believe that Apple OSX is perfect and has no flaws. Good luck to you, however if you just use Google/Bing/Yahoo you will actually find out that there are now viruses, flaws etc with it.
Click to expand...

There was one trojan. We have how many 1000s of trojans for Windows?
No viruses or worms. We have how many viruses and worms for Windows?

Even Mac OS9 had about 80 viruses and that had a smaller support base than OSX.

Now I'm not a Linux user, but Linux is also a more virus-resistant OS than Windows too. OSX has the benefit that development tools are free (unlike Visual Basic), it has some really good professional apps on it and you get better support than the Microsoft's and Dells of this world can give you. Also the interface has less garbage on it than Windows. Did they have to add those cheesy side bars (gadgets) in Vista/7?
 
If all you people are getting virus's and such,what dodgy sites are you visiting?
That cheesy side bars can be disabled.

If the excuse you give to not using Windows is because of virus's then it's where you are browsing not microsoft.
 
AmonRe said:
If all you people are getting virus's and such,what dodgy sites are you visiting?
That cheesy side bars can be disabled.

If the excuse you give to not using Windows is because of virus's then it's where you are browsing not microsoft.
Click to expand...

Microsoft has pushed Microsoft Windows as the best way to connect to the Internet and not just browse the Microsoft Intranet.

You don't need to browse dodgy sites to get viruses in Windows. You find them on USB sticks, in email attachments, as rootkits on CDs, as ads on legitimate sites etc.
 
What part of counterfeiting didn't people here understand? There is a huge problem with almost-exact packaging and CD's coming in from Asia that is being flogged on our market. Add injury to insult the counterfeit stuff is riddled with malware which leaves their victims open to all sorts of online fraud.
 
I posted this in an earlier thread about the Randburg Waterfront bust, nobody seemed very interested.

What about www.cybergames.co.za? They obviously sell fake PC and Xbox games, R150 per game, how is it even possible that those are geniuine, unless they are stolen or something? (I know they are fake as I have seen some of them bought buy an ignorant friend.)

This place has been in business years, apparently they have had some legal issues but they seem to be going strong.
 
Last edited:
Price your merchandise properly and you'll have killed piracy that me. Me, I prefer Linux as its far more stable, secure and free...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X