> > download and install this anyway unless you have a valid unique license > key, MS product activation will see to it that your system completely > disables itself if you run unlicensed for over 30 days.
I haven't actually seen this behaviour of late in XP, I suspect they've switched it off (better things to do - Vista etc.) - I had to rebuild a machine a few months back and there was very little left of the original hardware (a hard drive, basically) yet I was never asked to activate and it is still running fine. In terms of sharing distribution media, whilst technically it might be "piracy" as long as you have a key that is yours and not shared I can't really get excited about it... if an OEM vendor didn't actually supply an installation disk then it's inevitable that users will borrow or copy others' CDs... in terms of what is being done I don't see receiving an ISO across the ethers as particularly different to going to your neighbour and saying "can I borrow your Windows installation CD, please, I've lost mine", whatever Micro$oft's wording might say. Yes, it's technically wrong... but in the morning if we're all still alive I'll be happy. Life is too short... Sean
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