Windows 9: Are M$ driving away their customers?

[Myk_SilentShado]

http://www.eteknix.com/microsoft-to-change-activation-system-for-windows-9-no-more-product-keys/

Infamous Windows leaker WZOR has been at it again revealing more interesting details about the upcoming Windows 9 OS. Microsoft is set to overhaul the way Windows 9 is activated and will ditch the current product key system. In its place Microsoft will make having a store account with them compulsory, you will have to buy your license from the store and it will give you a generic ISO file to install your OS with. Once you install that ISO file your system will then be profiled (most likely motherboard related details) and then linked to your account and activated. To move to another machine you simply deactivate the install on the last system, redownload the generic ISO file and go through the online syncing process again. The concept will be applied to 3-user and 5-user family licenses as well as individual licenses.

Straight away there are obvious issues with the new method of activation. Firstly, you have to get a Microsoft store account, whether you want one or not because your activation is linked to your account. Secondly, you will need an internet connection to use your PC and install your OS, this may not sound like an issue for home users but for business users this could be a deal breaker: especially those on closed networks. Thirdly, motherboard upgrades will essentially break your system so you will have to reinstall your OS, annoying if you’re just making a same chipset family upgrade: such as Intel H81 to Z87 where a reinstall is not needed. Fourthly, if all licenses are sold via the Microsoft store then Microsoft are cutting retailers and resellers out of the operating system market: they can no longer sell licenses if they have to be acquired via the Microsoft store because there are no product keys to sell. In summary Microsoft are trying to force an “always-online” style of DRM onto the Windows OS, if this is the case, I don’t think it will go down very well at all. We saw a huge community retaliation against Microsoft’s attempt to make the Xbox One “always online”, I am sure we will see a similar thing within the desktop environment.

What are your thoughts on Microsoft’s new Windows activation system?

[Heini]

It's enough to drive me trying Linux!!!!!!!!!!

[MeanMachine]

Windows 9: Are M$ driving away their customers? You betya!!

DRM is the way they are all going, I suppose for (their) security reasons?.
It will only encourage piracy, cause one way or another, hackers will develop a crack.

When last I upgraded my hardware, my OS reported my Windows was not Genuine and Microsoft wanted me to buy a new licence. They refused to help me. (typical) I fixed that little bit of b***s**t myself.

Open source software will be the future of OS, if MS keep going this way.

[X-ROG]

I don't see the issue, it's just like Office 365. In fact it's better than product keys because I don't have to phone up MS to get it reactivated. Just unlink your existing PC from your MS account then relink it on the new PC. You can unlink via smartphone/laptop/tablet/another PC etc. I've done this on Windows 8 right now - it's linked to my account. What pisses me off is that I have to login every time I turn on the PC.

The biggest downside is that - possibly - email/password is less secure than product keys so if someone hacks your MS account you potentially lose *all* your purchases.

"3-user and 5-user family licenses as well as individual licenses." What worries me is that they do the same 'pay monthly' model. But, potentially, if the discounts are good for a one-off payment I will upgrade the whole family instead of keeping them on Win 7. Still - any upgrade is gonna have to be $30 like Win 8 was. I'm not paying silly money MS usually charges for an OS.

[Arne_Saknussemm]

Good grief....worse and worse....

Orwell's 1984 starts to look tame....

In theory at the moment if I want to clean install windows 8.1 I can't....I would have to install windows 7, upgrade to 8 with upgrade key and then upgrade to 8.1. I have tried this method and it leaves the OS in a pretty bad state.

Of course at the moment a few tweaks and hacks and I just clean install 8.1 directly with my upgrade key....there will be no chance of this type of workaround with NSAsoft or whatever they are becoming

[X-ROG]

Arne Saknussemm wrote:
Good grief....worse and worse....

Orwell's 1984 starts to look tame....

In theory at the moment if I want to clean install windows 8.1 I can't....I would have to install windows 7, upgrade to 8 with upgrade key and then upgrade to 8.1. I have tried this method and it leaves the OS in a pretty bad state.

Of course at the moment a few tweaks and hacks and I just clean install 8.1 directly with my upgrade key....there will be no chance of this type of workaround with NSAsoft or whatever they are becoming

You create accounts everywhere though, Steam, Google, .. everything. It's just another purchasing avenue.

I did 8.1 via 7-8-8.1 and it's been pretty smooth in all honesty. I've heard otherwise, but then again no install was ever perfect.

[HappyBuddhaman]

MarshallR@ASUS wrote:
You create accounts everywhere though, Steam, Google, .. everything. It's just another purchasing avenue.

One word - LastPass.

I'm sure they'll have other options, like OEM's for system builders. How else would you do a clean install of an OS? I just bought an OEM copy of 8.1 for my current build on disc.

And I'd rather trust Microsoft, and give them my money, than a company as corrupt as Google. I trust the NSA more than Google.

[HiVizMan]

I use office 365 and it is a pleasure, I am quite happy to pay for my OS and will have no issues with this method.