----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2005 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: Guide to Building an Unattended XP Install CD
You want some one to do all the work of combining patches & upgrades into
one disk then just mail it to you? Hardly sounds fair.
Microsoft should do it. Easy updates is not piracy.
I highly doubt that MSFT would approve of one distributing their OS. Sp2
is nearly the complete Xp OS @ 266 meg especially in lite of their Windows
Advantage Initiative where they verify whether your copy of Windows is
legit or not. It also sounds like you want a Update CD plus several OS CDs
I install Windows XP Home OEM SP 2 on formatted hard drives where only plain
Windows existed before with no Service Pack or just SP1 and Microsoft gives
their wink of approval twice. Once is when they allow authentication and the
2nd time is when I run the Advantage certification check.
I knock piracy in the head on repair jobs by telling prospective customers
who have had Windows XP (Legally should be the Upgrade or the Full version)
installed on their existing computer to bring me the package with Product
Key and bill of sale. Most get the point and do not come in.
I find nowhere where Microsoft takes an active stand against slipstreaming
and easy updating etc. as long as your Windows is legal. They may tell you
to use only authentic CD's but they authenticate your slipstream job and
Advantage Initiative passes it, also, as long as it is legal.
I am not worried about the person who does their own format jobs and faces
this issue only once every 2 years or so. I am concerned about us OEM's who
buy our Windows in 3 packs so we will not have to have hardware shipped with
each kit. Microsoft could simply channel the update CD's through their
authorized distributors with a suggested retail of around $20.00 so no OEM
or repair shop rides free.
Microsoft hates burned CD's and says you need original Microsoft CD's for
purposes of accuracy, which is true. We know their primary motive is to
prevent piracy.
I will keep doing my thing and calling Microsoft every time Windows fails to
authenticate because I formatted a name brand computer and the computer
manufacturer used a different Product Key than the one on the COA when they
installed it. As long as Microsoft gives me their wink of approval via
manual phone call authentications and via their Windows Advantage Initiative
I am halfway content.
Although "free" is best, I did not say, "free". I just hate the idea of
paying the penalty imposed my Microsoft security issues in place to prevent
software piracy. I will gladly pay for an authentic copy of the media from
Microsoft. I will make a work copy the same as adults make a child's copy of
an expensive movie, to protect their valuable media. From time to time a
work copy will not run in somebody's CD or DVD ROM and I have to use my
authentic Microsoft copy.
Chuck
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