This just appeared on Boing Boing.
DRM bites again: the Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage servers (which every XP and Vista install phones home to) all failed sometime earlier today.
The result? Every single Windows XP and Vista installation — except possibly those with volume license keys — is being marked as counterfeit when it tries to check in.
Looks like this isn’t the weekend to install a copy of Windows or buy a new Windows PC. Now where are they selling Macs.
When you read the forums on this (linked in blockquote below) it’s incredible.
Validation issues – Microsoft is having WGA server problems
Thank you for your response.
I’m sorry to inform you that the Windows Genuine server might be down for few days. I have escalate the issue to our Genuine team, kindly try to validate again on Tuesday 28 Aug 2007.
Thank you for contacting Microsoft Technical Support.
If these programs were properly designed they would all self-validate if the validation server went down. The cheaters would have a free day or two and be caught later. How hard can that be? But no. Now everyone is assumed to be a crook. This is a developing story.
______________________________________
UPDATE: It’s fixed, relatively speaking. Sort of.
Folks:
I understand the frustration you all are going through. I’m investigating the issue right now.
I guarantee that we’re working on this issue right now. For folks wondering, MACHINES ARE NOT SHUTTING DOWN with reduced functionality.
I guarantee that I will personally resolve this issue before I go to sleep – whether or not it is Tuesday I sleep.
#14 “Unbridled greed has the power to blind those afflicted with it to how irrational and ultimately counter productive it is.”
See comment #29… 😉
Cheers
http://www.apple.com/support/
The website speaks for itself.
I feel sorry for the PC folks.
THE “fusiladera” FINISHED THE CHUBBY PIRATE ….. On THAT IT PUTS ITSELF TO RIGHT.
From Papipa..
AND
Derail, I love you Link in the name…LEAVEs a GREAT impression.
Also, did you know that MSN went Off line a couple years back?? BECUASE they didnt use a backup system, and an infection hit ALL their servers, and they were DOWN for 3 days?? How does a customer FEEL about that? Sence you have one of the best systems and connections to the net, HOW would you feel if some Bastard Dug up your connection(by accident) and it took 3days to 1 month to get it fixed…NO MATTER how much you wanted to PAY. We dont have that convenience OR money.
Because if Apple did allow sales of OS X for PCs they didn’t sell they would go broke because Macs are overpriced pretty boys… 😀
Cheer
hehe its all pretty hilarious to me 🙂
I posses licences to win 3.11 and win 95 + plus pack
since then I acquired and used 95sr1, 98, 98se, ME, 2k, XP SP-1-2, 2k3EE and then eventually vista…. then I dropped the lot of them and went back to linux which I’ve been dabbling in since redhat 5.2
I still kinda keep a copy of Vista ultimate for when I’m totally desperate but these days I’m pretty much linux and os x across the board.
There have been lots of problems with legit users getting their rightfully purchased software to work on their machine… Microsofts draconian measures (some would argue because they have saturated the market and ran out of potential customers) stops legitimate users right left and centre but let me clue you in on something.
As I said, I choose not to use MS software anymore… Linux with compiz fusion and awn is really pretty and blows Aero out the water. You could not pay me to use Windows anymore nevermind ask me to buy a license from them.
BUT. In all the many years I’ve had pirating Windows I have never ever had a problem with their anti-piracy measures. Within hours there is always a work around. If my license in vista is revoked I just re emulate the bios and inject the license again.
This whole anti-piracy measure ONLY deters a few non tech people that want to share amongst friends, it has never stopped OS enthusiasts such as myself and those that are willing not to pay. The one thing in microsofts favour is that people who might not otherwise know, find out that their software isnt legit (buying from dodgy OEM’s etc)
At the end of the day however, the only people that lose out here are the ones that have legitimately bought a license.
I used to build computers as a service, and then give them copies of windows etc as a gift, if they were happy that the software was not part of my deal and didn’t mind saving a few hundred $ then it was all cool and everyone was happy. Of course, if I did that commercially I’d get my ass handed back to me 😀
For all of you Windows users who would like to get the feel of OS X for FREE go to…
http://www.flyakiteosx.com/
By the way is the real OS X that “over happy”? I mean when you click on icons at the bottom of the desktop and they bounce up and down…sort of…over happy…
Just asking…is all
Cheers
“37 Yes, but you can switch it off.
But what for? For me it’s the cutest part of OSX, and the reason I still haven’t ditched the 733mhz G4 back at the office…
(that and the fact that sometimes there’s the odd USB thumb that was formated in OSX and isn’t recognized in windows, or the odd Fh11 file that doesn’t open on windows…)
Wizard of Az
Good catch. Methinks the author was an immediate M$ hire after his/her stellar crafting of the astute: “All your base are belong to us”.
37: On OSX: the bouncing icon effect on the bottom row is optional. While I’ll give Apple big points for stability, mostly because BSD Unix is the real OS under OSX, and they only have to make OSX compatible with Apple Macs. I just find the Mac interface on my wife’s Mac laptop to be…weird.
It’s not just the bouncing icons, it’s the detached menu bar at the top of the screen, the singularly useless “widgets,” the odd iLife “lifestyle” software (Wife bought Microsoft Office for Mac to use for her writing; she only uses iTunes in the iLife package), and religious fervor of Mac users (which I don’t share even though i own an iPod, which I do like, and have monkeyed with my wife’s Mac for awhile).
Windows, Motif (Unix) and the Linux menu systems are much more like each other, so less unlearning is necessary when you switch among them.
Incidentally, I consider Vista to be a big step back in OSes, if for no other reason than it imitates OSX weirdness. Give me simplicity. I use WinXP currently, and it just works, though I have messed around with Ubuntu on a boot CD.
Can you say:
Microsoft Genuine Disadvantage?
I knew you could.
Now, go out and buy a Mac. It’s time to vote with your dollars. Whining on here isn’t going to help anything but hitting MS in the bank account will.
Well that tears it. I am going out right now and buy me a spankin new Mac. I dont care if they cost twice as much. They are so cute and they NEVER have software issues. I’ll be the envy of all my loathsome PC friends, that’ll learn em.
Ubuntu!
Well, this post is flaming like a wildfire…who’da thunk it!
People, is there some obscure Mac payoff of sorts that pays you whenever you promote the brand on blogs? Is there? Because if it is, hey, I can paint the Mac in all colors of the rainbow too. I can go mantra on Mac 24/7 if it is the case…
No? None? I mean, are you going nutz over Mac just as a matter of faith? Ok… Hey! Sorry… I don’t like to step on each other’s beliefs…
… respect…
…peace.
sorry. ok. gone now.
#40 – Floyd
“…it’s the detached menu bar at the top of the screen…”
But the single menubar shared by all windows is the original way. M$ had to change to menus attached to windows because of their infringing copycat ways. The same menu position and structure, plus the same keyboard shortcuts, is overall faster and more efficient. Fact.
“…the singularly useless “widgets…”
Whatever you call them, on OS X or on Windows, many millions of people find them very useful indeed. If you don’t, OK – but proclaiming them “useless” when that’s merely YOUR take – that’s rather egocentric…
“…the odd iLife “lifestyle” software (Wife bought Microsoft Office for Mac to use for her writing; she only uses iTunes in the iLife package),…”
Again, YOUR take. Even diehard Windows defenders admit that PCs come with nothing of the kind. They are extremely popular, extremely intuitive apps that are recognized as being a major value point for Macs.
But entirely aside from that, I see that you don’t understand what iLife is about, despite the fact that the name is all the clue you need. It is a suite of LIFESTYLE apps, for HOME and PERSONAL ENJOYMENT. So why are you comparing it to M$ OFFICE??? Apple’s equivalent of Office – if you don’t like the Mac version of that suite, which for years was even better than the Win version – is iWork. Compare THAT to Office. A lot of people already have, and that’s reason enough for many to get a Mac.
“…and religious fervor of Mac users…”
Yes, well, as I may’ve remarked before, those idjits at Apple foolishly sell a hardware / software platform that inspires cultlike devotion – rather than those genii @ M$ (w00t!), who, in their infinite wisdom, sell software that people despise, that inspires bitter resentment of it’s creators, stuff that treats you like either a criminal or a moran – but has more than enough engineered-in flaws to make support of Windows and Win apps an industry in itself.
That shit on the Mac is too easy. As every good Puritan knows, more work = more virtue, and medicine has to taste bad to be any good. Centuries-old habits of thought die hard… 😉
#444 – milo
“Ubuntu!”
Gesundheit!
ITunes is not part of the iLife suite… me thinks…
God gives bread to the people with no teeth.
It gave microshit all the dosh in the world, and no chance in hell to use it properly !.
DUMP WINDOZE NOW BEFORE ALL YOUR DATA DISAPPEARS !
(not kiddin)
The funny thing is Microsoft has pretty much alienated/pissed off everyone in the universe! They may have thousands of employees writing programs, but there are millions of M$ haters around the world, gleefully writing programs against them.
Unless M$ changes it’s monolithic policies, it’s going to be the biggest “Ma Bell-type” failure in the 21st century!
#45
Nope, no payoffs. They just really like there machine and hope that maybe you will too… hence the reason for saying so.
No offense, but you had a rather stupid rant there. People who talk great things about what they own tend to like what it is they own. Not many other ways to go about doing it…
46. Just because you mother named you after a chick, is no reason to get pissy.
#45
to add to what everyone else is saying…
I dont know if it will always be the case with so many new converts…. but macs in the past for whatever reason have always kept a higher 2nd hand value than PCs. I know one company boss that absolutely despised buying PCs because they lost almost 75% the minute your brought one in the door. I never suggested he got macs, but maybe on hindsight, if I wasn’t such a MS fanboy back then I should have.
My first mac was a G4 cube that I bought on ebay and HEAVILY modified, who says macs cant be upgraded? 🙂 Anyway that was 5-6 years after it had came out (2000) and before the mac minis came out. I paid £400 for it and I thought it was a reasonable price at the time.
The cube, the macbooks and even the powerbooks have always had fantastic resale value so I guess people are more willing to buy another because they didn’t feel so shafted selling their old one.
As I said though, with so many converts and macs being produced more then maybe they too will become comoditised, UNLESS Apple keep innovating and doing different unique things their competitors dont. Nowadays there is only money made in the higher PC market (look at dell and their Alienware purchase)
Some people love their cars and call them names and treat them with respect almost like they have a personality. I believe the same to be true with those that buy macs… maybe hence why they are more willing to promote them due to that.
And lastly, I think everyone loves an underdog, whether its AMD vs intel, mac vs windows or windows vs linux. Nobody gets paid to tell everyone how much they like OSX or Linux… I think they genuinely want you to experience and encourage the fun, excitement and refreshness that they have had.
I’m not much of a drug person…. but people that are on Ecstasy/Acid feel that they are having such a good time that everyone else should be doing the same. MOST of them are not intending to encourage anyone to break the law but they genuinely believe at the time the world would be a better place if everyone was on Ecstasy/Acid
MAYBE that is also the same with mac users? (like with drugs, whether that’s a good thing or not I’ll let you decide. 🙂 )
You guys that argue over which computer is the best crack me up. I’m sure Apple is terrific and PCs can be terrific. I’ve never had the slightest problem with XP, but I don’t bash Macs. I wouldn’t switch to Mac because I’m totally unfamiliar with it and it’s OS. I’ve always had PCs. People always think what they have bought is the best.
#53 Amen brother, and hallelujah…
Steve loves you!
#54 But Mac users are 10X more fun…(@ least to tease.)
hhopper
I once met a guy who said something similar. “People always think what they have is the best.” I was quick to correct him that I thought his wife was actually better at some things.
He didn’t want to discuss PC vs MAC vs Linux any longer. I don’t know why.
55#
lol if it makes you feel any better… I’m writting this from an Ubuntu PC
I totally agree with #54 I never said I agreed with everything I said…. just that I’m thinking a lot of people do feel that way… so meh 😛 just thought I’d sit on the fence a bit.
#58 If that makes you feel any better I’ve got beside me an Ubuntu MAC…
How’s that for a laugh?
Amusing, 🙂
If you cant laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at 😀
OK,
WHO HERE KNOWS, What PC stands for??
It dont stand for INTELL.
It dont stand for WINDOWS
NOT even WinTell…
It stands for Personal computer.
Which includes almost any computer you could USE at home…
from timex sinclear to Sun Raster…From the 8088-G5-Amd-motorola-IBM-Cyrix-and other chip sets and makers…
Actually – WGA is totally optional on XP. If you are a serious computer user, you DO NOT allow automatic updates to install ANYTHING without your specific approval (the notify but don’t download option).
Then, when you install XP let it auto detect the updates and list them for you. Then you simply deselect WGA and an option comes up to never notify about that update again. WGA is not installed and Auto Updates never tries to install it again till they change it (and you simply repeat the process).
This means no WGA on XP and thus no hassles like this, yet you can still get all the other updates as normal.