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1. Microsoft's XP: Hardware changes a turnoff
Microsoft may have discovered the ultimate turnoff. The company's new product-activation technology, which locks Office XP or Windows XP to a particular PC hardware configuration, can deactivate unexpectedly, rendering the software useless until a code number is obtained from Microsoft. The feature could present the biggest headache to people that frequently upgrade or change components on their PCs.
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I heard today that they were going to have a hot word link so that anytime you clicked on word from a companies website that MS designated as linkable it would bring you to one of their own sites.
Someone must have talked some sense into them. They are a scary company.
------------------ Artworks Olympia WA
Posts: 797 | From: Olympia, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Microsoft (not to mention Oracle & Sun Microsystems) is looking to change the basic revenue model that the software industry has operated under for the last several decades. To this point, when we ‘purchase’ software, we are granted a perpetual license to operate that version of the program on one machine.
With Windows/ Office XP, they are attempting to change the license model to non-perpetual: a three year license. Personally, I think that while that MAY fly with larger enterprise accounts (Fortune 1000 etc), small and midsize businesses will rebel against this type of licensing plan.
At least now, we have the option of upgrading to new versions of programs when they become available. Under the non-perpetual license, the 3 year upgrade (revenue stream) is guaranteed, or the user would lose the right to run the existing programs!
Just use the same operating system you have now and forget about upgrading.
XP is a hunk of junk and has all kinds of security holes and poor device driver support...
When the consumer market rejects the theory of renting software when they already have working software that poses no real limitations to them, MS will re-think how they do things because some money is better than no money.
MS has lost alot of its luster with the whole win95/98/ME thing because these "upgrades" just didnt offer the grandure they promised to consumers. They still crash and they're basically the same thing with some minor interface enhancements. How's that for a $200 full seat or $90 upgrade? Hard earned money for the same thing you already have!
Anyway..
Dont get too worried about the XP activation stuff. As soon as XP is launched, there will be software cracks available that will disable the activation "feature".
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Does this work the same way Vinlymaster and Estimate software work? Both of these programs required me to contact the software company and get a (hardware code?) to run. If I want to change computers, I need to call and get it deactivated on one and a new code for the changeover. This was in lieu of dongles I suppose. I will be damn reluctant to go through this for operating systems and general software.
------------------ Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Since 1978 www.wrightsigns.outputto.com All change isn't progress, and all progress isn't forward.
Posts: 2786 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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One thing you have to factor into this equation, though, is that Bill Gates would have known, from the beginning, that people would fight this "rental" and would not want to get involved with it.
Therefore, being the smart (?) person he is, he would determine a way for consumers to eventually have very little choice in the matter; ie, if you want to run this or that new program, you have to get XP and rent the program. That's generally the way these things work.
Amy Billings T-Shirt Express Asheville, NC
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Posts: 45 | From: Asheville, NC USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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True, but do you think software companies are going to produce programs that are only compatible with a single and latest version of Windows? Nope.. they have to watch their bottom line as well, and supporting only ONE operating system will hurt them.
Gates cant force the software companies on this issue like he's done in the past, there are too many people suspicious of Microsoft now unlike when windows first came out and you had to have it to run new software. That wont happen again, there's too many of us this time.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Yes, the purpose of the security key we require you to get is in lieu of dongles. I'd love to hear some feedback on this, as a matter of fact. I know it's a real pain to have to call us when you want to move EstiMate from one machine to another, but it's the only alternative to a dongle that we have of protecting our bottom line.
IMHO, for specific software(s) like EstiMate and VinylMaster, this isn't such a big deal, but I think a scheme like this for a computer operating system is downright ridiculous. Linux is just over the horizon, and when enough people are using it, we will support this platform as well. Then MS will have to really worry about the reactions of software developers to their strategy.
Amy,
How nice to see an Asheville native on the board! We should have a cup of coffee one day and talk signs. I think you are correct that MS will try to force the hand of software users.
Mike,
Again, to Linux... this is the wave of the future and I think it will force Windows to become free or very cheap, with application software becoming the way MS makes its money... this XP BS may be their "last gasp," we'll wait and see. I know that my Win2000 install (the first build, because the patch on the website messes my machines up every time) is rock solid and I like it a lot.
------------------ Mark Smith Ampersand Signs & Design EstiMate Sign Estimating Software www.ampweb.com/estimate 1-888-304-3300 Hailing from beautiful Asheville, N.C.
[This message has been edited by Mark Smith (edited June 30, 2001).]
Posts: 724 | From: Asheville, NC, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Let's hope the brush & paint people don't get wind of this or after 10 signs my brushes will completely fall out forcing me to buy new ones.
Or can you imagine Ford, Chevy or Chrysler making a car, that after 3 years it just won't run anymore and you have to buy a new one.
How about TV's washers, dryers, etc. God you gotta love planned obsolescence.
Oh, here's a good one if you use Quickbooks and after 3 years you don't upgrade all your data starts disappearing one day at a time untill you upgrade.
I don't get this whole liscence thing anyway, see for me in my company It's only me that uses the software, so I should be able to load the one program on whatever computer I am using at the time like my laptop or my desktop in the office. Because it's only myself who uses it, I don't see a reason to buy another liscence to use the program when I'm out of the office say on the road versus in the office.
Now a big corporation on the other hand I can see some major revenue lost to software companies like Estimate, because they may have hundreds of computers and or users and what a deal that would be for 1 purchase for say 200 users.
I have 4 computers, 2 at the office, a laptop and a home system, I only have one liscence of Windows and that's all I should have to buy, I am one person who has 4 machines, I only use one at a time so what's the big deal.
In a program like Estimate or Omega I have dongles, when I want to use the program on another machine I take the dongle with me, that way I am only using one program at a time where I want to use it. If I had to get a code for each machine that would tick me off. It's a pain in the but to take dongles as it is.
Just my opinion
------------------ Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA bob@creativesignworks.com
"Some people's kids"
Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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