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Windows? Why would anyone run Windows?

View Poll Results: What Operating System do you use
Windows - 100%	59	78.67%
OSX (any version)	9	12.00%
GNU/Linux (any Distro)	29	38.67%
Open Solaris (any Distro)	4	5.33%
BSD (any Distro)	6	8.00%
Duh, I don't know. It's what came with the computer!	1	1.33%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 75. You may not vote on this poll

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Join Date: Apr 2005

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jbennet

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#171

Oct 17th, 2009

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But Microsoft doesn't provide support for stripped-down versions of Windows (like the ones made by nlite

delete the nlite key from the registry and they are none the wiser - as it otherwise appears like any other slipstreamed install (which aught to be supported seeing as MS have a howto for it in thier windows deployment kit)

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Join Date: Oct 2004

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vegaseat

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#172

Oct 17th, 2009

I wait till Google comes out with their OS.

Does anyone have experience with vLite that is supposed to remove the bloat from Vista and make it snappier?

Last edited by vegaseat; Oct 17th, 2009 at 2:16 pm.

May 'the Google' be with you!

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#173

Oct 17th, 2009

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Originally Posted by crunchie

Modifying Windows was/is not the issue here (I run a stripped out version of XP on another pc). The issue is linking to warez sites.

The Pirate Bay is not a Warez site, it's a Torrent Tracker, and carries a wide selection of legal content, such as the movie Nasty Old People which is being torrented by it's Director, Hanna Sköld (note that the movie is in Swedish with English subtitles). A lot of people are using The Pirate Bay as a content distribution platform now, including Nine Inch Nails who torrented their last album there.

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Originally Posted by tux4life

AFAIK 'stripped' is not illegal, as long as you own a legal copy of the software, and you've stripped it down yourself.
But Microsoft doesn't provide support for stripped-down versions of Windows (like the ones made by nlite), though I don't care about that because I've never actually needed technical support from Microsoft.

Stripped isn't what I meant. You aren't legally allowed to modify most of the system files (according to Microsoft), even if you are fixing something that is causing you problems. This has never been tested in court though, and God knows if it would hold up under the "First Sale" doctrine in the United States or Canada. Quite probably it wouldn't.

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William Hemsworth William Hemsworth is offline

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#174

Oct 17th, 2009

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The Pirate Bay is not a Warez site, it's a Torrent Tracker, and carries a wide selection of legal content, such as the movie Nasty Old People which is being torrented by it's Director, Hanna Sköld (note that the movie is in Swedish with English subtitles). A lot of people are using The Pirate Bay as a content distribution platform now, including Nine Inch Nails who torrented their last album there.

The rules go:

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do not post anything warez related

The pirate bay primarily links to torrent files (almost always to illegal files), "anything warez related" covers alot, including your link.

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jbennet

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#175

Oct 17th, 2009

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You aren't legally allowed to modify most of the system files (according to Microsoft), even if you are fixing something that is causing you problems.

You are 100% definately licenced to apply official parches to your windows install media. e.g integrate service packs and hotixes such as you do with nlite. MS state this in thier deployment guide for administrators.

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Does anyone have experience with vLite that is supposed to remove the bloat from Vista and make it snappier?

yes, as i said, remove the vlite registry key or else any MS service packs will fail to install. Stripped down versions are NOT supported, because e.g a service pack or patch may rely on something which is not present, leading to an inconsistent state. I would stay away from that aspeact and just use vlite to integrate the vista SPs into your CD.

Server 2008 is the only system where stripping down the OS is formally supported (because its designed with modular design to reduce attack surface)

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God knows if it would hold up under the "First Sale" doctrine in the United States or Canada

it would likely fail (as it did in court in europe) because, as the EULA states, software is not sold, but licenced. You arent buying the software, but the right to use it as per those licence terms. Its the same as buying say, a satellite TV subscription. The product (ability to view) is for you in your own home only, and is not transferrable.

Re: MAD HATTER

Modifying Windows was/is not the issue here. And i am not questioning the legality of certain sites. The reason an infraction was given to you by me was because you linked to a copy of windows. An infraction would have been given regardless of where it was hosted or whether it was verbatim or modified. The reason it was given was purely because it constiututed unaurthaurised distribution of copyrighted materials and therefore falls foul of our warez rule.

Last edited by jbennet; Oct 17th, 2009 at 4:16 pm.

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#176

Oct 17th, 2009

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Originally Posted by William Hemsworth

The pirate bay primarily links to torrent files (almost always to illegal files), "anything warez related" covers alot, including your link.

This is incorrect. There is a lot of legal content on The Pirate Bay. A lot of the smaller film makers use it for distribution, as do a lot of bands. From a legal stand point your statement that The Pirate Bay is a "Warez" site is not correct, and if The Pirate Bay group was litigious, would quite possibly be actionable.
Calling it a torrent site, and noting that there are a lot of illegal torrents (at least they are illegal in the United States, other countries have other laws), is fine.
At which point I have a question - where is Daniweb located (I'm curious as to what laws the site operates under).

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#177

Oct 17th, 2009

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Originally Posted by jbennet

You are 100% definately licenced to apply official parches to your windows install media. e.g integrate service packs and hotixes such as you do with nlite. MS state this in thier deployment guide for administrators.

Well duh! Of course you are licensed to use Microsoft's patches. I'm talking about making your own, or editing the executable files with a Hex editor.
The current EULA does not allow this.

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Originally Posted by jbennet

Modifying Windows was/is not the issue here. And i am not questioning the legality of certain sites. The reason an infraction was given to you by me was because you linked to a copy of windows. An infraction would have been given regardless of where it was hosted or whether it was verbatim or modified. The reason it was given was purely because it constiututed unaurthaurised distribution of copyrighted materials and therefore falls foul of our warez rule.[/B]

It "constiututed unaurthaurised"? Spell check. Always spell check.

Distributing a copy of "Longhorn Reloaded" would be legal in some countries. In the United States and Canada it would be. Since I don't know the location of Daniweb, I don't know what laws it operates under (I am assuming the United States).

Now, I didn't argue about posting the link - I shouldn't have done that without first checking to see what the rules were. The discussion about modifying Windows was a side thought, and I think a legitimate topic of discussion. Can you legally hex edit your own copy?

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Evenbit

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#178

Oct 17th, 2009

Just a quick note about this "unaurthaurised distribution" of a protected product: Microsoft has provided an authorized download (including a valid install key) of its OSs in certain instances.

For instance, for enterprise clients who purchase licenses in bulk, they provided a CD ISO of Windows XP at their website so that clients would not have to wait for the product to be shipped to them. The legal purchase of the license was handled separately from the actual attainment of the product.

Another example involves early versions of the Acer AspireOne netbook which were factory loaded with Linux. Enough users expressed an interest in running Windows that Acer negotiated with Microsoft to provide an official release of WinXP SP3 that has been tailored and tested to run on AspireOne machines. The only way to obtain a copy is via the link on the Acer blog post about the subject.

Just my 2-cents worth as a quick FYI. Back to your fun Windows vs. Linux discussion. Pretend I wasn't here... carry on...

Nathan.

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Join Date: Feb 2004

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crunchie

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#179

Oct 17th, 2009

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Originally Posted by The Mad Hatter

It "constiututed unaurthaurised"? Spell check. Always spell check.

Now you sound like a spoiled child who has been caught out. You should not cast stones as your English is not perfect either.

Last edited by crunchie; Oct 17th, 2009 at 9:14 pm.

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Evenbit

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#180

Oct 17th, 2009

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Originally Posted by The Mad Hatter

Now, I didn't argue about posting the link - I shouldn't have done that without first checking to see what the rules were. The discussion about modifying Windows was a side thought, and I think a legitimate topic of discussion. Can you legally hex edit your own copy?

As to where Daniweb is located, a little 'net searching can shed light on that. For instance, I found this Frugal Friday interview which is very interesting to listen to:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/frugalt...rom-DaniWebcom

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Can you legally hex edit your own copy?

I'm sure that there exist attorneys who will point to recent reverse-engineering legislation as proof that it is illegal to do something like that in the country that *I* reside in. Same goes for most of the Daniweb participating audience. This is why such subjects are not considered "a legitimate topic of discussion" on most technical forums -- it is a safety precaution to protect all participants... including you.

Nathan.

while (CPU is present) {some assembly required}

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