Windows Vista piracy rate 50% lower than that of XP

Posted on Wednesday, December 05 2007 @ 0:05 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Microsoft claims that thanks to Windows Vista's tougher security the new operating system has a fifty percent lower piracy rate than Windows XP:
"Piracy rates are lower because it's harder," Microsoft Vice President Mike Sievert said in an interview Monday.

There are a variety of reasons for that, including the fact that businesses no longer have volume license keys that can be used to activate an unlimited number of machines. Another is the fact that Vista machines that aren't properly activated pretty quickly become basically unusable once they enter "reduced functionality mode."

For Microsoft, the gains have been significant. In its last earnings call, Microsoft said that five percentage points of Windows growth could be attributed to gains in piracy.

Interestingly, though, Microsoft makes the experience a little less harsh for those running pirated versions of Vista. With Service Pack 1, Microsoft is doing away with reduced functionality mode in favor of putting prominent notifications on systems that are not found to be genuine.
Source: CNET


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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Re: Windows Vista piracy rate 50% lower than that of XP
by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 05 2007 @ 0:53 CET
Couldn't possibly be because people who can pirate it know enough about technology to not want to pirate it...