Jan 30 - Vista Release!

[Shayne]

So tomorrow is the dawn of a new Windows generation, its been a very long time since the last OS released, and I can't help to be excited.  I have been using the business version provided to me by a buddy for the last few weeks and I really do like it and very little do i dislike (well, i dont like the start menu).

So, who here is upgrading, and to what version?

[Shayne]

My company is providing its employees and contractors a 50% subsidy on the purchase of Vista, so I will probably walk over to Future Shop tomorrow and drop down the $500 on Vista Ultimate.

[Mr. Analog]

I am in no rush, maybe in a year or 2

Most likely when a game comes along that I really want to play and requires DirectX 10, I'll make the move.

[Shayne]

http://www.futureshop.ca/marketing/windowsvista/EN/getready/editions_default.asp?logon=&langid=EN

Helpful link for those interested.

Premium is probably best for everyone

[Cova]

Ever since I played with the media-center-extender to my 360 from Vista RC1, I've been unable to get the 360 to stream ANYTHING from ANY computer on my network (windows media connect, media center extender, WMP11, etc.) - I'll probably upgrade to vista at home in the near future in the hopes that my 360 streaming will start working again.  I'm waiting to find out what kind of deals I can get on price though - hopefully NAIT will offer something similar to staff like we had for XP - staff could get XP Pro for $15 (though the license fine-print says it expires if you leave NAIT).

On the other hand, all the DRM technologies and other crap in Vista really piss me off.  Every day I use Vista, I want to change to linux on my desktop a little bit more.  I might end up with a Gentoo/XP dual-boot system (XP just around to play games in).

[Shayne]

The DRM stuff sort of confuses me, as far as I can tell I will be pretty much unaffected.  Sure the whole hi def video and what not, but its the same stuff you get with current HD content on the TV so I'm not too worried about it.

Media Center functionality is very important to me.  I really like the new GUI and I find that important to me.  Shadow Copy is also very important to me.  Im sure I can come up with enough stuff.

No way will I ever use Linux.  Segregation is the biggest issue i have with it.

[Lazybones]

On the other hand, all the DRM technologies and other crap in Vista really piss me off.  Every day I use Vista, I want to change to linux on my desktop a little bit more.  I might end up with a Gentoo/XP dual-boot system (XP just around to play games in).

I always laugh when I see this argument. Vista SUPPORTS DRM standards it doesn't arbitrarily enforce them. Highdef content you have now should play high def on VISTA. Vista simply supports playback of standards that do include DRM and if that content has the DRM restriction flag set it with enforce the standard as it was written.

Any Highdef content that implements the DRM that would be quality reduced in Vista, would also be completely unsupported in Linux. If you decript and rip the content to another format, then you basically remove the restriction for ether platform.

[Mr. Analog]

Vista DRM Cracked by Security Researcher

No details yet, but it sounds legit (too legit to quit?).

[Cova]

I don't just mean the DRM that applies to HD video content on Vista though - I'm refering to everything DRM-related about the OS.  From its activation and rediculous licensing terms (why can't I run home edition in a VM - what if I'm a dev that wants to test stuff in that environment).  I also don't like the amount of system resources Vista allocates to confirming that all its various protections are in place and working properly.  I don't like it restricting what drivers and software I can install and run.  I just plain hate the user-account-control system (though thats not really DRM related, it is still a huge limitation on what I can do with my computer).

[Cova]

Also - Mr. Geist has put up an article titled 'Vista's Fine Print', which is a pretty good read.

http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/1641/135/

[Lazybones]

I don't just mean the DRM that applies to HD video content on Vista though - I'm refering to everything DRM-related about the OS.  From its activation and rediculous licensing terms (why can't I run home edition in a VM - what if I'm a dev that wants to test stuff in that environment).  I also don't like the amount of system resources Vista allocates to confirming that all its various protections are in place and working properly.  I don't like it restricting what drivers and software I can install and run.  I just plain hate the user-account-control system (though thats not really DRM related, it is still a huge limitation on what I can do with my computer).

- Activation terms are not so different than those in XP. Shame on MS for not wanting you to pirate their OS.
- Recourse used to check if protections are in place apply to DRM HD content, I doubt these checks are running while you decode a DIVX you found lying around.
- Restrictions on driver are required to ensure security for DRM HD content, it has also been cited many times that poor drivers are the number one source for system instability. This also keeps 3rd parties out of the kernel where they don't belong.
- Not sure what is wrong with the user-account-control system? Is this a home edition issue? or did they drasticly change something I am not yet aware of.

[Darren Dirt]

Vista DRM Cracked by Security Researcher

No details yet, but it sounds legit (too legit to quit?).

Canadians are so creative due to our extended white season

Re:Misleading story(Score:5, Interesting)
by Alex_Ionescu (199153) on Monday January 29, @03:26PM (#17804272)
(http://www.alex-ionescu.com/)
1). It doesn't work out of the Box.

Yes, it requires a reboot, which is why it's only useful for bypassing DRM, not for open source apps (which will have to bother the user to reboot).

2). It uses a method provided by Microsoft.

Erm, no, PMP is provided by Microsoft. This method bypasses it.

3). It hasn't been tested.

It works fine, the actual PMP-disabling code hasn't been tested because I don't want to touch that. But my code ran in kernel-mode, which means it's possible. Read up a bit on computer architecture and you'll see that as long as you have access to the kernel, you're God on the machine (Apart from hypervisor machines and/or additional hardware -- which PMP doesn't currently employ).

4). Author is more afraid of the DMCA than of violating Microsofts EULA terms.

Author is a student and doesn't want to be sued out of existence because this method could be used to "circumvent a technological measure primarly destined for copyright protection".


http://www.alex-ionescu.com/?p=24#comments

( For the curious, Alex has 70+ other comments on /. )



- - -

Vista's legal fine print includes extensive provisions granting Microsoft the right to regularly check the legitimacy of the software and holds the prospect of deleting certain programs without the user's knowledge.  ...Vista also incorporates Windows Defender, an anti-virus program that actively scans computers for "spyware, adware, and other potentially unwanted software." The agreement does not define any of these terms, leaving it to Microsoft to determine what constitutes unwanted software.  Once operational, the agreement warns that Windows Defender will, by default, automatically remove software rated "high" or "severe,"even though that may result in other software ceasing to work or mistakenly result in the removal of software that is not unwanted.

from "Vista's Fine Print" (legal blog)

count me in

[Cova]

- Activation terms are not so different than those in XP. Shame on MS for not wanting you to pirate their OS.

Similar, but from everything I've heard it takes less modification to an existing system to trigger a re-activation, they are enforcing activations more strictly, and they are requiring activation of volume license copies (even if it does activate to your own KMS, it's a pain in the ass).  XP Activation was bad enough that even though I own a legal copy of XP Pro, I install a volume license copy from work because of how much easier it was to get working.

- Recourse used to check if protections are in place apply to DRM HD content, I doubt these checks are running while you decode a DIVX you found lying around.

The checks for HD content probably mostly won't be running while watching a divx.  Though something like your video driver / video card / monitor all talking HDCP is likely using resources whenever the monitor has a picture on it.  And then there are all the other various security checks for activation and @%&# that are always running - don't limit yourself to just thinking about HD, Vista has issues all around.

- Restrictions on driver are required to ensure security for DRM HD content, it has also been cited many times that poor drivers are the number one source for system instability. This also keeps 3rd parties out of the kernel where they don't belong.

It also limits useful functionality such as tools like Deamon Tools.  I believe I should be able to run whatever code I want on my OS, including kernel-level hacks and bad 3rd party drivers.  I know they cause most of the instability in Windows, but it should be my choice between having a stable system or a system that does what I want.

- Not sure what is wrong with the user-account-control system? Is this a home edition issue? or did they drasticly change something I am not yet aware of.

The biggest problem with it is that things that fail due to UAC have horrible error messages that don't point you in the right direction at all.  eg. when I had installed a very small 3rd party program (a small app that puts info onto my G15 LCD) and I needed to configure it by editing its .ini file, located somewhere under Program Files - EVERY file under program files is protected by UAC apparently.  When notepad gives me a "read only" error saving changes, but the read-only flag is not yet, and NTFS security says I have full write access, but I can't change anything - I get pissed off.  At the time I was running Ultimate edition, RC1.  Maybe UAC's gotten better since then (that was the release that supposedly had the better UAC), but if I ever do run Vista it'll be the first thing I turn off.

[Darren Dirt]

Oh, quit yer whining and let Momma Microsoft take good care of you by making all the real decisions for you... After all you don't "own" the O.S., you only have a "usage" license.

[Ustauk]

Here's Tech - Reports spin on Windows licensing.