As Microsoft kicked off the global launch of its long-awaited Windows Vista, the software giant’s new operating system also hit the streets of China – in pirated form. In an electronic market in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, scores of sellers were offering the brand new software for as little as 10 yuan ($1.66), along with Microsoft Office, anti-virus software and others.
The sellers said Vista was available several weeks before its launch, although they would not say how they got hold of the version. Described as the “official version of the new generation operating system” on its cover, the pirated copy offered an identification code at the back of the disk for downloading the software. Microsoft could not be immediately reached for comment.
News source: AustralianIT
HAHAHAH, pirates rule! Nice post!
-carlosss
I wonder what sort of activation key they provide? Surely your just buying a Frisbee without an activation code?
I normally don’t post in blogs but your blog forced me to, nice work..
big secret as you can find this information anywhere online and many Microsoft staff must also know about it as they created this process! The “secret†is that the setup program (setup.exe) in Windows Vista’s upgrade version will accept an installed copy of XP, W2K, or an un-activated copy of Vista itself as evidence of a previous installation.
…and it is this last option that enables y