Windows Vista Upgrade Editions Not on Hacker Radars

Windows Vista Starter Edition is not the only version of Vista that is immune to piracy. Additional operating system editions from Microsoft have not made it onto peer to peer networks. But is this the mark of a success delivered by the Redmond Company's anti-piracy efforts or rather hacker disinterest? The fact of the matter is that Windows Vista Starter edition is a stripped down version of Windows Vista Business, and as such presents little appeal to bootleggers.

However, there are other Vista copies that have not made it on hacker radars. And this time it is not because of the features gap. The upgrade editions of Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate are missing from peer-to-peer networks. At least they are missing from a P2P super index where I entered the respective queries.

Now, the only difference between the full license and the upgrade editions is the installation process. As features are concerned the full license and upgrade editions are identical. And I find it hard to believe that the upgrade editions are not susceptible to hacking just as much as the complete versions.

However, the actual difference may reside in the mentality behind hacking. The complete versions are a bit impossible to resist. And once cracked versions of the Vista full license editions have become available, the remaining editions were ignored.

Will the close integration of upgrades in concert with a future Windows modular operating system be a viable strategy to discourage hackers? Currently, a single crack can be used as a workaround to activate Windows Vista. But what if in addition to a core operating system, there would be several components and upgrades requiring cracks? As of yet, the Vista upgrade editions are immune to piracy. Would the same happen with the modules of a fragmented Windows?