14 DAY TRIAL // When Microsoft repeatedly proves that it barely knows its own products, the fact that the company is providing education on the user experience is on the border between hilarity and ignorance. And ignorance is nothing short of bliss for the Redmond company. In this context, Microsoft performed a laughable Windows XP vs. Windows Vista Business vs. Windows Vista Ultimate comparison after it tore the Enterprise edition of Vista apart, artificially ripping out the Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption. But this time it gets better. Microsoft has set up a video demonstration of how users of pirated Windows Vista copies will be affected through the implementation of the Software Protection Platform. You can access the video fragment here.
Now, the fact of the matter is that Microsoft gets it right for the most part. "New Software Protection Platform built into Windows Vista, identifies non-genuine versions or versions that have been tampered. During original installation or as updates and enhancements are installed, Windows Vista can identify and block stolen, leaked, false or abused keys at any time. If a system is determined to be non-genuine key features will be disabled and, the operating system will go into a reduced functionality mode. Failure to activate within the 30-day grace period, will result in Windows Vista going into a reduced functionality mode. No desktop. No start menu or task bar. Windows Vista functionality limited to the default web browser for 1 hour periods," Microsoft revealed.
Essentially, a pirated copy of Vista will initially move into a non-genuine state, losing some functionality such as the Windows Aero graphical user interface, the Texas Hold 'em Poker game and ReadyBoost, in order to provide the users with an incentive to re-activate the operating system. This is of course before the platform will move to Reduced Functionality Mode. Still in this state, "a non-genuine copy of Windows Vista may not receive updates to Defender, Microsoft's antispyware program, leaving your PC at risk of spyware. Non-genuine copies of Windows Vista won't have access to the latest updates and improvements from Microsoft, meaning your software could be quickly out of date. Using a non-genuine copy of Windows Vista means you won't have access to hundreds of valuable downloads from the Microsoft Download Center," the company explained.
And speaking of accessing items on the Microsoft Download Center available exclusive to genuine Windows users, why does Microsoft think that Windows Media Player 11 downloads play any role whatsoever in the Vista experience? Just to make myself clear. There are but two downloads of Windows Media Player 11 available: wmp11-windowsxp-x86-enu.exe and wmp11-windowsxp-x64-enu.exe. The keywords here are Windows XP. And surprise, surprise, both files are designed to integrate with... XP. Right...
Now, I do realize that Microsoft aimed to emphasize the fact that genuine-only downloads will not fly with pirated versions of Vista. But, at the same time, the example they chose is absurd, simply because Windows Media Player 11 is already an integer part of Vista. The screenshots at the bottom are from both the video and the PowerPoint presentation. In the video, Microsoft did not use the complete WMP 11 download page, as it did on the PPT presentation, where you can see that it is actually the file for Windows XP.
"From time to time, users may be required to validate the software is genuine using an online process. Access to certain content, downloads, and updates are reserved for genuine versions. If validation fails, Windows Vista will go into a "non-genuine" state with a 30-day grace period. At the end of the 30-day grace period, failure to successfully validate will result in a reduced functionality mode," Microsoft added.
Yes indeed, Microsoft has understood the behavior of non-genuine users down to the last detail. And apparently, the minute copies of Vista are flagged as non-genuine, a flood of Windows Media Player 11 attempted downloads will ensue. Because what Windows Vista pirate doesn't want to download Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP, even though the software ships by default with Microsoft's latest operating system?
