Forum Moderators: open
Microsoft is set to release its first mainstream consumer software application protected by product activation, in what could be a first step toward expanding use of the antipiracy technology.
Now what would happen if all software had this phone home anti-piracy feature in it? How much more of a "digital divide" would this cause among people who could simply not afford to pay for these increasingly pricey licencing fees? Just how much more $$$$ can MSFT rake in before it just becomes crazy?
Gotta love the spin they put on it:
In order to enable digital commerce, we needed to use a technology that allows consumers to easily purchase and use the product as well as protect against casual piracy.
Considering MSFT sits on a war chest of untold billions of dollars and Gates is worth more than some countries:
Trade group Business Software Alliance estimates that, around the globe, about 40 percent of software is pirated.
It seems like at this point those who can afford to pay help to subsidize those who can't. Ya don't see anything about lowering prices if this type of technology acutally does lower piracy rates around the globe. When I have to dish out $300.00 for XP for one machine, I'd hope somebody else besides MSFT benefits from it.
However MS's policies leave a lot to b desired. They ignored piracy in China and many other developing nations, until their users were hooked. Only then did they start stamping down.
What the OS and office software area needs now is competition. Im all for Linux type desktops and Open office etc.
MS's products are highly overpriced, once you realise how many times you need (or are forced) to upgrade, and the problems with security, instability, and support.
Are MS offering to reduce prices due to what they save from reducing piracy? I'm not seeing it.
Basically MS goes soft or hard on piracy when it suits them. They need to get into developing markets with high priced products that few can afford. So they wait until you are hooked and then dig in. Its not so much different from a drug dealer who offers a couple of samples for free. Once you are hooked, its all non-negotiable. That's their own moral dilemma, and only competition will solve it.
Im hoping the Chinese can come up with their own high quality solutions very soon.
Could this begin to choke off innovation and learning for future generation
Article said:
The new Plus version offers features aimed at enhancing Windows XP's digital media capabilities, such as creating stories using digital photos or enabling a special party mode for Windows Media Player 9 Series.
I wouldn't say it will choke innovation. The Microsoft definition of "feature", as on this case, is not quite a big deal. When the company begins to alienate their clients this way someone else will provide the same features without the orwellian cruft.
95% of the stuff on MS Office Basic I dont want, but if i want Powerpoint, which is essential for my business, I have to pay a major amount extra for a "pro" version for PP plus a heap of other stuff I dont want with it. Sneaky packaging pricing.
The discount could be better, but there it is.
Jim
It's price and access that could keep the technology out of the hands of the future programmers, web developers, database folks, etc.. As Chiyo mentioned, they already use ummmm creative pricing and bundling and omit basic features one some of the more basic products so that if your gonna be legit you have to spend waaaay more than seems reasonable.
