Pirates Suck

[Dark]

What are the pros/cons to getting the technet subscription vs the action pack subscription?
I'm trying to decide which I want to get and would like some thoughts and opinions.

Fyi my business is a Registered Member of the Microsoft Partner Network. Which means little more than they know I exist but I haven't given them any money or taken any assessments.

 

[14049752]

What are the pros/cons to getting the technet subscription vs the action pack subscription?

I'd suggest the action pack. You are allowed to use the software for your business, with Technet it's evaluation only licenses. With Action Pack, you also get a Technet subscription, anyway. There are additional benefits such as exam vouchers and things that you get with Action pack that they don't advertise.

 

[Cybjun]

technet is for home use/evaluation

check out retailmenot for discount codes

I use action pack in my shop so thats what I recommend although it cost more the benefits are worth

Action Pack Solution Provider (download software): $329 USD
Action Pack Solution Provider (download + physical media): $429 USD

 

[Dark]

Action pack it is then. I'll do some studying on it tonight when I get home. Another hour here, then to my kids school for meet the teacher night and then to do some work for a new customer. After that I'll do some research.
I'm glad I asked the question because I was just going to do the technet and leave it at that.
Thanks to all.

 

[Jonathan]

Forgot I wasn't in gen chat, was thinking this might be about capt jack sparrow

 

[joydivision]

These are completly genuine but I am not sure if they ship outside the UK.

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Home/Product/15460

The price seems to have gone up a lot though!

 

[Dark]

Forgot I wasn't in gen chat, was thinking this might be about capt jack sparrow

Exactly what I'm trying to avoid.

 

[Timidobserver]

This is a complicated issue. Essentially you can stick your neck out or cause another guy to lose his job or his ability to use that previous job as a reference for future employment. In the end, I guess you have to look out for yourself. I would just tell the people that their tech guy was installing pirated software. I'd then find the best legit deal I could and then offer it to them.

 

[NETWizz]

There are three types of licencing that Microsoft has for Windows:

1. OEM System Builder for distribution with new PCs. This is tied to the hardware. When you buy it, you get a COA sticker, which goes on the case... It is then tied to that system and cannot legally be moved though if you replace a motherboard you can call Microsoft and get it re-activated...

1b. OEM like Dell/HP. These are tied to specific hardware. i.e. Dell media will most likely not install on a Non-Dell system, so if you have a Dell laptop running Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit, you need: Dell Media for Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit and the COA on the computer to install. Again it is tied to the system. If you replace a motherboard it should re-activate without needing to call Microsoft provided Dell provides the motherboard... otherwise it won't work.

2. Retail. This is a boxed version of Windows like you would find in Walmart or Staples. It is NOT tied to a specific computer, but you can only run it on one computer per box/per key. If you wish to move the licence to a different computer you can, but you will need to decommission the coomputer running it i.e. Install Ubuntu and contact Microsoft.

3. Volume Licencing, which is negotiated by the licencee for both price and volume. This can be installed on anything, generally does NOT have activation, and can take advantage of the key management server... It is NOT for "At-Home" customers. You keep track of the licencing yourself, you do audits for Microsoft, etc. It is the easiest, but there is a huge minimum i.e. You cannot only one or three... Although it generally passes Genuine Validation no problem at all unless the key is blacklisted, it is still highly illegal to use it at home unless you are taking a computer home from work (i.e. a laptop).

You can look at the product ID. I am at work right now on my Widnows 7 PC, but to the right of me is my Windows XP PC on my desk. It's product ID looks like: XXXXX-640-XXXXXXX-XXXXX. If you EVER see a customer's PC with 640 in the product ID, it is most likely that a Volume Licence is being used illegally. In my case it is fine because we have 2000+ computers and a VLA with Microsoft.

 

[gunslinger]

My take on this is a bit different I guess but I blame Microsoft for this. Pure and simple if Windows XP cost $50 instead of $150 and office was not $299 I think people would pirate the software far less often.


Almost everyone I know both customers and fellow techies have used pirated software at some point. The reason is simple, cost. Who wants to spend $500 on a new computer from walmart and then have to pay another $1,000 for software to make it work? This is a major reason why Macs are becoming more popular. They come with about 95% of everything most people would ever need to get great professional looking results on almost anything.


Don't misunderstand. I'm not "pro- piracy" but I do think companies like Microsoft and Adobe shoot themselves in the foot by charging the way they do. Just my two cents.

 

[NETWizz]

My take on this is a bit different I guess but I blame Microsoft for this. Pure and simple if Windows XP cost $50 instead of $150 and office was not $299 I think people would pirate the software far less often.


Almost everyone I know both customers and fellow techies have used pirated software at some point. The reason is simple, cost. Who wants to spend $500 on a new computer from walmart and then have to pay another $1,000 for software to make it work? This is a major reason why Macs are becoming more popular. They come with about 95% of everything most people would ever need to get great professional looking results on almost anything.


Don't misunderstand. I'm not "pro- piracy" but I do think companies like Microsoft and Adobe shoot themselves in the foot by charging the way they do. Just my two cents.

It is the mentality too. Some people do not see the need to pay for software because it is an intangible item. They hold the belief that if they copy it that is not theft because "the victime... they still have theirs." What they fail to realize is that the software company needs to earn money and pay their programmers.

If you think the cost of $150 is the reason for piracy, you are wrong. There are plenty of $30 programs out there that have kegens, hacks, and cracks... The point is people feel they shouldn't pay for their software... but somebody paid to make the software!

 

[gunslinger]

It is the mentality too. Some people do not see the need to pay for software because it is an intangible item. They hold the belief that if they copy it that is not theft because "the victime... they still have theirs." What they fail to realize is that the software company needs to earn money and pay their programmers.

If you think the cost of $150 is the reason for piracy, you are wrong. There are plenty of $30 programs out there that have kegens, hacks, and cracks... The point is people feel they shouldn't pay for their software... but somebody paid to make the software!

No doubt the programmers need to make a living. But guess what? The programmers at Microsoft and Adobe (examples) get paid by the hour, not by the product. They will make the same amount if Microsoft sells 5 million copies or 15million copies. There is no reason to rip people. They charge what they do because they know people "need" windows. Its the standard, same with Adobe. They both have the market cornered on products of their kind and they take advantage of that by charging far too much.


You say price doesn't really matter when it comes to piracy yet I see legit copies of Norton, Mcafee, PC Tools and Nero on computers every day. Almost always legit. All are also in the $30-60 range. On the other hand, about 40% of the systems I get in have pirate copies of XP or Windows 7 on them and with the exception of one customer every single copy of photo shop has been pirated.

 

[NETWizz]

Well that really stinks. I had a neighbor asking me about a starfish in the system tray saying Windows Validation Failed or something like that...

Apparently, she paid some computer guy to work on it last time. My response was, "Windows is probably not legal and I can't help you work on yoru computer until it is genuine. I.e. That is the very first problem we would have to fix before I could touch it."

Surprizingly, that is ALL she wanted fixed. She was insistent that her Widnows was legitamtate too because as she said, "I paid for it."

It is horrible when someone sells ripped off copies of Windows and makes the customer think they are getting a good deal and everything works fine until it all bows up. It is just nonsense. If she could find the guy, I would have her tell him to pay $149 (the price of a legitamate licence) because that is what he allegedly claimed to sell. I would let him know that failure to do so will result in legal action and him being reported for software piracy.

This practice needs to stop. Everybody needs to sell legitamate software, and it might help some people if there would always be one price for it no matter who sold it.

 

[gunslinger]

With the price of a legitimate license being $149 and new computers costing less and less by the day all I can see in the near future is even more pirated copies. The tech doing the job has to make something and most people these days balk at $200 to fix their 4 or 5 year old $500 computer. I don't blame them either.


I really think within the next few years Microsoft will lose the consumer market altogether and strictly sell to businesses because no one in their right mind will pay for "legit" copies. For the little guy at home it simply wont make sense.


Most of the people I know who have pirate copies on their systems know its a pirated copy. They simply do no care.

 

[red12049]

With the price of a legitimate license being $149 and new computers costing less and less by the day all I can see in the near future is even more pirated copies. The tech doing the job has to make something and most people these days balk at $200 to fix their 4 or 5 year old $500 computer. I don't blame them either.


I really think within the next few years Microsoft will lose the consumer market altogether and strictly sell to businesses because no one in their right mind will pay for "legit" copies. For the little guy at home it simply wont make sense.


Most of the people I know who have pirate copies on their systems know its a pirated copy. They simply do no care.

Are you honestly blaming a manufacturer for the fact that some people have no morals/ethics? Really?

That's much like saying that auto theft is flourishing because automobiles cost too much.

If the price was really too high, something would have already filled the gap, just the same as if your prices were too high, someone would be undercutting you. With the size of the Windows market, and the potential for profit, why do you suppose that hasn't really happened?

Rick

 

[gunslinger]

Are you honestly blaming a manufacturer for the fact that some people have no morals/ethics? Really?

That's much like saying that auto theft is flourishing because automobiles cost too much.

If the price was really too high, something would have already filled the gap, just the same as if your prices were too high, someone would be undercutting you. With the size of the Windows market, and the potential for profit, why do you suppose that hasn't really happened?

Rick

No, what I'm saying is that if they did not rip people with the super high prices maybe their products would be pirated less.


Looks like something already has. A large chunk of people now get Windows for free. Its really simple logic; If you take a product that people need and make it cost more than most people can afford, people will find a way to get it.

 

[gikstar]

I haven't read through all six pages of comments, but I will add this: Windows XP Pro is still available and I have purchased it from here: http://www.buycheapsoftware.com/ not available in the usual places like Newegg anymore.

I go on to several Craigslist Counties (LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura) computer listing daily and I'm constantly reporting the numerous software sellers that are blatantly selling pirated software. If someone really wants the cracked software they will find it but I don't want the general Craigslist public to be duped into purchasing a 'good deal' to find out later they have to buy the program.

 

[red12049]

No, what I'm saying is that if they did not rip people with the super high prices maybe their products would be pirated less.


Looks like something already has. A large chunk of people now get Windows for free. Its really simple logic; If you take a product that people need and make it cost more than most people can afford, people will find a way to get it.

If you think about what you are saying here, you'll see how it directly contradicts what you said further above.

If the person using the pirated copy of Windows is the one that installed it, then the cost to him was exactly $0 (not counting a tiny bit for internet for the download). Are you trying to tell me that if the cost were $50.00 instead of $0 that MORE people would be legal? A very few perhaps, but nowhere near enough to make even a minor dent in the numbers.

In this case, I agree with Netwizz. It's much more a manner of thought than anything to do with being "affordable."

Rick

 

[gunslinger]

If you think about what you are saying here, you'll see how it directly contradicts what you said further above.

If the person using the pirated copy of Windows is the one that installed it, then the cost to him was exactly $0 (not counting a tiny bit for internet for the download). Are you trying to tell me that if the cost were $50.00 instead of $0 that MORE people would be legal? A very few perhaps, but nowhere near enough to make even a minor dent in the numbers.

In this case, I agree with Netwizz. It's much more a manner of thought than anything to do with being "affordable."

Rick

I have actually had people bring their computer to me and tell me up front they knew it was not legit, but they only paid the last guy $40 or what ever. Is Microsoft losing money from this? No, they are just not making more. Again I don't agree with it but at the same time I can't turn away every customer that comes through the door with pirated software on their system. I'd lose at least half of my business.

 

[red12049]

I have actually had people bring their computer to me and tell me up front they knew it was not legit, but they only paid the last guy $40 or what ever. Is Microsoft losing money from this? No, they are just not making more. Again I don't agree with it but at the same time I can't turn away every customer that comes through the door with pirated software on their system. I'd lose at least half of my business.

Ah. Big difference there. You have no idea if those folks CHOSE to be illegal originally, or were the victim of an unethical tech. If a victim, much more understandable why they would not want to throw another $150.00 into an already depreciated computer for very little "apparent" benefit to them. But the basic premise still applies: Those same folks now wouldn't pay that $50.00 for a legal copy of Windows, since they've had "free" usage now.

You could test that premise without bending the rules too far, by offering a $50.00 copy of Windows to the next Dell that walks through the door with an illegal install. Since a Dell CD on a Dell machine is legal without numbers, it would work, and activate. I'm not specifically recommending that you do this, but I bet you wouldn't get many takers.

Rick