After a year of glitches and server issues, Microsoft has announced that Vista Service Pack 1 will no longer include the infamous "kill switch," which puts Vista in "reduced functionality" mode if the license key fails to validate.
Microsoft Corporate Vice President Mike Sievert says in a press release that instead of disabling features, SP1 will merely warn and nag users of pirated software. “Users whose systems are identified as counterfeit will be presented with clear and recurring notices about the status of their system and how to get genuine,” says Sievert. However, he goes on to add that “they won't lose access to functionality or features, but it will be very clear to them that their copy of Window Vista is not genuine and they need to take action.”
Non-genuine copies of Vista with SP1 will display a start-up warning that the system is not activated with links to “activate now” or “activate later.” Non-validated copies of Vista SP1 will also change the desktop background to black and a prominent notification will show up in the lower right hand corner letting you know your copy of Vista is not genuine.
Interestingly enough, part of the warning that Vista will issue to those without a valid license key includes a link to purchase the software at a reduced rate. For instance, using the “get legal” method users can pick up a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate for $200, compared to the retail version which sells for $400. Presumably these are OEM licenses, but it still seems odd that you can pick a legitimate copy of Vista cheaper by starting with a pirated copy.
Microsoft's decision to do away with the kill switch most likely stems from the number of problems the system has had in the last year, including several instances where genuine copies were mistaken labeled as pirated software owing to a server error. That incident, which was caused by human error, affected almost 12,000 users and highlighted some of the flaws in current system.
Perhaps the strangest part is that, in spite of the fact the Microsoft is doing away with the kill switch, Sievert claims that it's been a huge success — Vista piracy is roughly half that of XP.
It's tempting to conclude that perhaps even software pirates prefer XP, but it may well stem from how difficult it is to pirate a copy of Vista versus XP. Unfortunately for Microsoft that success often comes at the expense of legitimate users, which is why it's unlikely anyone outside Redmond will miss the Vista kill switch.
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