Yes, all the apps have long since been cracked. There are functional keygenerators for every office app and os going all the way back to Windows 95. The more modern ones easily sail through activation. If Vista follows the typical trends in the hacker commuity, there will be a flurry of semi-functional activation and key generators released shortly after product launch ( actually, this has already happened for the leaked RTM ) which will be summarily crushed by Microsoft via windows updates. Within a year or so there will be some sort of prepatched and preactivated Vista Ultimate released into the wild with "protections" against MS updates built in. Cat and mouse, you know? Some thoughts on this subject from one who years ago stepped away from the Dark Side of the force... I really believe in legal and appropriate software licensing, but activation is a losing game to play on so many levels. I really, really dislike the level of potential intrusion Vista insists on in the name of assuring I am a legit and legal customer. As far as open source apps go, most of them are great but with the level of integration I need ( PC apps tied to my pocket PC tied to my Exchange server and on and on ) they don't offer the features I need for my work. I am a Technet subscriber and a Managed beta tester for Vista, so I've watched the extrordinary lengths MSFT has gone to to try to protect their work but have also seen *so many* areas where IMHO they've taken it too far. It's really tough for me to feel good about MSFT not leveraging that to their advantage at some point given their track record dealing with other companies and the general consumer public. Is any of this reason to steal their work via pirating of their software? Nope, sure isn't. But am I goinng to be tempted to download and install the "illegal and pirated" patch that turns off their ability to poke and pry without reason, communicate behind my back and otherwise abuse me as a customer? ... Maybe.
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Hal Kaplan Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 6:11 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [NF] Product Keys The mention of product keys in another thread reminded me of something I wanted to ask this venerable group. Has anyone ever cracked the algorithm that is used to create these things? I am just curious about this. I have seen web sites that offer them and I even tried one once. All I got was a ton of spam but no working key. Anyone have any info or opinions or rumors about this? TIA HALinNY [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
