Intel Chips and OS X Licensing

[baleensavage]

I've been a Mac user for most of my life. Recently I've been trying to resurrect an old PC. Unfortunately I don't have the original Windows disk, just an upgrade. Suffice it to say this experience has not improved my outlook on Microsoft.

My question to al of you is this...Is anyone else worried that the switch to Intel chips may also mark the move for Apple to serial numbers and Product IDs and all that garbage that plagues the PC world? It seems highly unlikely in todays world of product activation and all that Apple can hold out forever, but it will be a really sad day for Macintosh fans when our computer automatically shuts down because we forgot to register or when we can't even reinstall our system software without breaking some law somewhere because we have an upgrade disk not an actual OS disk. Or even, heaven forbid, our child peels that little sticker off our computer and we lose the ID number...

 

[mcmadhatter]

I BOUGHT a copy of MSWindblows - didn't install of the the cd, then installed of a coperate version of the cd, used my original install key (hence only activating once, and only with a legal key) stops all of this "you've put a new network card and motherboard in, please activate your product again": and "you've activatedd more than 10 times, windows will now crash die and chew all your work into little pieces". And yet that is still probably illegal!!! It sucks and apple is a breath of fresh air as far as activation goes.

 

[risc]

If Apple don't require serialisation and authentication of the OS on PPC why would you expect this to change? I'm expecting a lot of work to be done by Apple to stop the OS booting on non-Mac x86 boxes, I'm also expecting this to be cracked rather quickly too, but I don't see anything changing for myself as a Mac user.

 

[risc]

I BOUGHT a copy of MSWindblows - didn't install of the the cd, then installed of a coperate version of the cd, used my original install key (hence only activating once, and only with a legal key) stops all of this "you've put a new network card and motherboard in, please activate your product again": and "you've activatedd more than 10 times, windows will now crash die and chew all your work into little pieces". And yet that is still probably illegal!!! It sucks and apple is a breath of fresh air as far as activation goes.

Of course it is illegal, using a select license copy of Windows which is registered to a corporation unless you work for that corporation is pretty damn dodgy.

 

[stevep]

Of course it is illegal, using a select license copy of Windows which is registered to a corporation unless you work for that corporation is pretty damn dodgy.

It wasn't registered to a corporation. He just used the corporation's media. He put his own (paid-for) license number in to activate it.
We do this all the time at work - put one copy of a program on the server, use it to install on all the network machines, while legitimately owning the licence keys for all the copies we've installed.

 

[mcmadhatter]

I purchased and only used once the license key, it's just the media i installed from wasn't the one i bought the license with. If i had installed of a pirate copy, phoned microsoft and said "i've got a pirate copy but how about i buy a license key off you over the phone" everything would have been peachy

 

[risc]

Just because you used a valid key doesn't make the copy of Windows you installed any less dodgy. The general public aren't meant to have copies of select license agreement Microsoft software, you circumvented Microsofts copy protection which while it may make Windows easier for you to use is still dodgy under their EULA.

I work with select license software all the time and I'd get sacked on the spot if I used it at home on my own hardware (if I used Windows at home), while I agree that Micrsofts activation is a PITA I don't understand why it is okay in peoples minds to do the dodgy on Microsoft but not say Apple?

 

[notkevin]

Is anyone else worried that the switch to Intel chips may also mark the move for Apple to serial numbers and Product IDs and all that garbage that plagues the PC world?

Several Apple products already require serial numbers. OS X Server 10.4, ARD 2 and Quicktime Pro just to name a few.

 

[mcmadhatter]

you circumvented Microsofts copy protection which while it may make Windows easier for you to use is still dodgy under their EULA.

There wasn't any copy protection on the media I used , thus none to circumvent. though yes i guess the eula was technically violated.

but apple takes a far more logical approach and doesn't get you to re activate everytime you change your hardware, and doesn't put a 20 activation limit on your serial number, so if you have say 2 new motherboards which contain a network card, a new wireless card , and 2 new graphics cards, your not allowed to reactivate windows automatically, you have to call a premium rate number , speak to a monkey at the local zoo and get them to re-activate your account.

 

[robbieduncan]

I think it's far more likely that OSX will use a TPM based motherboard and simply will not boot on a non-Apple x86 machine.

 

[baleensavage]

you have to call a premium rate number , speak to a monkey at the local zoo and get them to re-activate your account.

lol
And I think their customer support crew is a bunch of monkeys too. I sent them a complaint about the awful, give Microsoft all my personal information, activation process, and got a reply about how to activate Microsoft Windows. It was worse at dodging the issue than a politician's speech.

 

[jefhatfield]

If Apple don't require serialisation and authentication of the OS on PPC why would you expect this to change? I'm expecting a lot of work to be done by Apple to stop the OS booting on non-Mac x86 boxes, I'm also expecting this to be cracked rather quickly too, but I don't see anything changing for myself as a Mac user.

i like the mac os, but i would never be tempted to use a cheaper pc box since part of the reason i buy a mac is because of its superior hardware and industrial design

apple missed out on being microsoft or dell early on and is doomed to have a small percentage of the market forever, and i think sj knows that and would rather make a great os with great hardware for that small percentage of us who prefer a mac and know something that 97% pecent of computer users will never know

i drive a volvo and other volvo owners know why we tend to be fanatical about the company, but at the same time we know volvo can never be big like toyota or chevy and that volvo does not and will not, and cannot afford, to become an auto giant...they are content to be small and to please us volvo owners who tend to buy volvo for a next car most of the time

i would love to see apple become bigger than microsoft but it's not going to happen and i have stopped trying to explain to a pc user why i like the mac (since i have used macs, apple's market share has dropped year after year after year)...most pc users are happy with the pc and microsoft and all the shortcomings, and don't have a need to go mac...but when i see a graphic designer or computer music person who has only used a pc, then i tend, he he, to get evangelical about apple inc

i believe us mac users will still use apple hardware even if apple decides to license the os

 

[baleensavage]

Several Apple products already require serial numbers. OS X Server 10.4, ARD 2 and Quicktime Pro just to name a few.

I wasn't aware that 10.4 Server added a serial number. Interesting, but it makes sense considering that is a $1000 program. As for the other apps, I'm actually suprised that Apple hasn't put serial numbers on more of them.

My concern is with the operating system. A computer is useless without an operating system and if you get a second-hand computer or if you lose a master CD you shouldn't have to go on eBay to try to track down a legit copy of the operating system just to erase the last persons junk off the hard drive. So far Apple has been able to hold out because they make all their money on hardware and Mac OS only works on Apple computers. However the recent trend with software manufacturers that Microsoft and Quark pioneered is the online activation garbage. And while Apple does know that they get your money with the computer purchase, how many people out there have actually bought one copy of Tiger then installed it on a whole bunch of computers? I'm sure there are quite a few, which does chip out of Apple's profits. I really hope Apple can hold out and save us all from this nightmare. And if they can keep the Intel Macs closed like they have the PowerPCs then maybe they will.

 

[jefhatfield]

And if they can keep the Intel Macs closed like they have the PowerPCs then maybe they will.

any pc techie, like me, can hack past that and most will...i am a loyal mac user and i won't do that...as soon as somebody hacks past it, it will be on every pc techie/enthusiast blog in less than 24 hours worldwide

how many of us on these forums do you think will get os x and use it on a marginally cheaper pc? i think at least most of us would get the $499 mini mac if we wanted to "save" money

apple inc basically sells to people who, in part, love the mac hardware on their desks...i really think apple inc is safe

 

[qtip919]

i like the mac os, but i would never be tempted to use a cheaper pc box since part of the reason i buy a mac is because of its superior hardware and industrial design

apple missed out on being microsoft or dell early on and is doomed to have a small percentage of the market forever, and i think sj knows that and would rather make a great os with great hardware for that small percentage of us who prefer a mac and know something that 97% pecent of computer users will never know

i drive a volvo and other volvo owners know why we tend to be fanatical about the company, but at the same time we know volvo can never be big like toyota or chevy and that volvo does not and will not, and cannot afford, to become an auto giant...they are content to be small and to please us volvo owners who tend to buy volvo for a next car most of the time

i would love to see apple become bigger than microsoft but it's not going to happen and i have stopped trying to explain to a pc user why i like the mac (since i have used macs, apple's market share has dropped year after year after year)...most pc users are happy with the pc and microsoft and all the shortcomings, and don't have a need to go mac...but when i see a graphic designer or computer music person who has only used a pc, then i tend, he he, to get evangelical about apple inc

i believe us mac users will still use apple hardware even if apple decides to license the os

a. On the point of SJ not wanting 97% of the market, you could not be more wrong...EVERYONE at Apple believes that they can offer superior hardware and software and one day capture a larger portion of the market. They want it, they just are not willing to do the dirty things necessary to obtain it. (namely, Licensing...all iPod users should rejoice we arent staring at hundreds of spin off versions of the ipod made by the likes of Samsung and Creative)

Jobs does not want to admit that in the PC world, this doesnt work...you just happen to like niche products, but believe me, the walmarts, Targets and Fred Myers of the world are rolling in cash

b. Volvo is now owned by Ford, get ready for mediocrity

c. Microsoft users are not necessarily pulled in by the OS...ever...they are pulled in by PC manufacturers. That hasnt happened since Windows 95, which was a vastly superior Operating System AND WE ALL KNOW IT

The tipping point came in licensing agreements which always allows the money to go to the fastest slope...Apple needs to do this for one main reason:

If Apple has more money, they are capable of expanding into more markets.

We all trust them right? If they can just tinker around with a few more technologies, you know they'll stumble on another sucess!

 

[jefhatfield]

good points qtip

but i still don't see apple inc as the next wal mart...there's just a different philosophy

apple could maybe be 10 percent of the market, but not the leader like dell