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October 4th, 2006

A Vista kill switch would be good for Linux

Posted by George Ou @ 3:16 pm

Categories: Linux, Security, Vista

Tags:

In Focus » See more posts on: WGA, WGA

There seems to be a lot of talk about a potential kill switch in Windows Vista, but that would be very good news for Linux and open source adoption in most of the world and perhaps even college campuses.  The tighter the anti-piracy controls on Microsoft software is, the wider the adoption of Linux.

A person in China for example making $300 a month will save up and spend $400 on a computer.  They will spend 100 Yuan (about $12) on home grown software but they will never spend $100 on software when they can buy a black market copy for $1.  If that wasn't available or if Microsoft made it impossible to use the software because of WGA, they'll simply stop using Windows and stop using Microsoft Office and use Linux and Open Office.  In Government agencies in the third world, this is often the case unless they're able to negotiate an extremely low price from Microsoft.  Even Bill Gates admitted that people can't buy software until the economic standards are raised in the third world.

There is a similar dynamic with college students though not as extreme with American college students since they have a little more money.  College students also have the academic versions of the software available to them but even that's a problem for some.  Many college students will resort to copied software but when those same students graduate and join the work force and have money, they become loyal paying customers.  If they can't copied software then they'll simply use free Linux and Open Source solutions and they'll continue to do so even when their economic status changes.

Microsoft has more or less always turned a blind eye towards individuals who use pirated Microsoft software though they'll implement a few hurdles to using it such as the lack of updates and patches or they'll turn off Aero functionality in Windows Vista.  Is it possible Microsoft could suddenly harden their stance on unauthorized copies of Microsoft software?  It certainly is, but it would be a great boon to Linux and Open Source.

George Ou is Technical Director of ZDNet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.

  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 167 Talkback(s)
RE: A Vista kill switch would be good for Linux
you overestimate people's desire for free software, otherwise Microsoft would be out of business by now. If Free Software hasn't dominated the market, especially in today's economy, it never will. (Read the rest)
Posted by: Khyron Posted on: 05/20/09 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Bill and Steve  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/04/06
It already exists  Ed BottZDNet Moderator | 10/04/06
That's unusable though  georgeou | 10/04/06
Of course it is  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/04/06
That's debatable  georgeou | 10/04/06
I know  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/04/06
No body wants that version  georgeou | 10/04/06
Then they can pay for the full version  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/04/06
Won't happen, they'll turn to Linux  georgeou | 10/04/06
What?.......  D. T. Schmitz | 10/04/06
Nahh he's said it before  Edward Meyers | 10/04/06
Yup, and long debate here  georgeou | 10/05/06
Debunker  D. T. Schmitz | 10/05/06
Someone else is missing  Edward Meyers | 10/05/06
On the Mike Cox scale...  bportlock | 10/06/06
George - belief is not reality  TonyMcS | 10/04/06
You'd be very surprised......  linux for me | 10/04/06
Outside of the Comp Sci department?  nucrash | 10/05/06
Big difference  voska | 10/05/06
Yes, they often use a copy of an academic version  georgeou | 10/04/06
Your right.,..  ju1ce | 10/05/06
Most students don't have the cash  voska | 10/05/06
I don't think...  ju1ce | 10/05/06
They "MAY" pay for the full version, they will not if the can't  DavidBurke | 10/04/06
Been saying that for years...  John L. Ries | 10/04/06
Even 1/4 price is too high  georgeou | 10/04/06
MS would be smart to price by living standard  mustang_z | 10/05/06
The price of anything...  John L. Ries | 10/05/06
Like the DVD Region codes...  Spikey_Mike | 10/06/06
Is piracy bad Windows and CDs?  alex.cameron@... | 10/04/06
nope, it just gets microsoft more money  BasHamer | 10/04/06
I think Microsoft should keep their licencing as is  zzz1234567890 | 10/04/06
There is a down side to that for security  georgeou | 10/04/06
So, you are saying...  mustang_z | 10/05/06
Til a million zombies come bashing on your router door.  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
Spam Bot anyone?  bka1959 | 10/06/06
Use ads: its not perfect, but it is better than nothing  P. Douglas | 10/04/06
I'm sure they're looking in to this  georgeou | 10/04/06
Re: I'm sure they're looking in to this  P. Douglas | 10/04/06
Updates as a service.  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
Ask yourself this  Yagotta B. Kidding | 10/04/06
Have ads for cheap stuff  P. Douglas | 10/04/06
Vista Kill Switch already exists in XP Embedded  Xwindowsjunkie | 10/04/06
I know about the kill switch in XP  jackie40d@... | 10/05/06
Something's not right here  D. T. Schmitz | 10/04/06
I've always been saying this in my posts  georgeou | 10/04/06
It's nice to be back  D. T. Schmitz | 10/05/06
Naw  John L. Ries | 10/04/06
It already happens as we speak.  p_msac@... | 10/04/06
They can't give it away  TonyMcS | 10/04/06
You're full of stuff.  linux for me | 10/04/06
Oh dear  TonyMcS | 10/05/06
Only if your installing Gentoo  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
nice try, but no dice  Monkey_MCSE | 10/06/06
Try it yourself. You lose.  dave.leigh@... | 10/06/06
Ummm you really don't have a clue do you?  Linux User 147560 | 10/06/06
Mistruths and Ignorance  XJRider | 10/04/06
I never spend time maintaining Windows  georgeou | 10/04/06
Good for you  XJRider | 10/04/06
Will get easier with Vista  georgeou | 10/05/06
On the Contributing End...  nucrash | 10/05/06
Oh sure, it's great for learning how to code too  georgeou | 10/05/06
Neither does a College Education...  nucrash | 10/05/06
Lack of Applications on Linux?  XJRider | 10/05/06
Windows isn't just an OS  georgeou | 10/05/06
Hmmmmm  XJRider | 10/05/06
Windows Just an OS?  nucrash | 10/06/06
Yup it is  XJRider | 10/06/06
Could you clarify for me  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
wow the link fit!  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
Ok, I'll keep it simple  georgeou | 10/05/06
I'll keep it simpler : PS,Games, utorrent  zara994x | 10/06/06
re: OK, I'll keep it simple.  dave.leigh@... | 10/06/06
It is already easier on Linux.  p_msac@... | 10/06/06
Most people I know spends a lot of time maintaing Windows.  p_msac@... | 10/05/06
Pedro  D. T. Schmitz | 10/05/06
No anti-virus protection? no msconfig ? no maintenance?  zara994x | 10/05/06
MSCONFIG is a one shot deal  georgeou | 10/05/06
One shot deal????Since when?  zara994x | 10/06/06
MSConfig doesn't kill everything though  nucrash | 10/06/06
Trick is not to get infected in the first place  georgeou | 10/06/06
The REAL Trick  zara994x | 10/06/06
"I've written plenty about AV/AS. I don't run it."  handydan918 | 10/06/06
No, you got that wrong  georgeou | 10/04/06
The Problem for MS is the first time users install Linux.  p_msac@... | 10/05/06
ROFL NT  TonyMcS | 10/05/06
Keep 'em coming Pedro!  D. T. Schmitz | 10/05/06
They don't have to  voska | 10/05/06
Interesting Spin  XJRider | 10/05/06
Interesting Spin  chparsons@... | 10/07/06
" "They" Can't"  zara994x | 10/05/06
"They" Can't"  chparsons@... | 10/07/06
yeah technical..  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
BTW..  firehound | 10/06/06
It's a mix actually  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/06/06
Don't need To Give It Away  Ole Man | 10/06/06
Don't need To Give It Away  chparsons@... | 10/07/06
mangling of the English language?  Ole Man | 10/07/06
A perfect virus opportunity  Mace Moneta | 10/04/06
Meanwhile...  cyber_rigger@... | 10/04/06
Time for Apple to jump in the market  nucrash | 10/05/06
Apple has the same issue  mdemuth | 10/05/06
Shameless spin...  hulse_kevin | 10/05/06
sorry, but it is  mdemuth | 10/05/06
Apple does release new OSes though  nucrash | 10/06/06
Who wants a cheap Dell  voska | 10/05/06
Brave New World  D. T. Schmitz | 10/05/06
George is missing the point  lostinspace | 10/05/06
Well said  John L. Ries | 10/05/06
I don't think he is.  dave.leigh@... | 10/06/06
George is missing the point  chparsons@... | 10/07/06
...good for Linux  time2change | 10/05/06
Do me a favor  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
Do us all a flavor  D. T. Schmitz | 10/06/06
The point of the kill switch  pkstephens | 10/05/06
Where  D. T. Schmitz | 10/05/06
Yes, He is clueless as to the flexibility.  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/05/06
flexibility isn't the point  pkstephens | 10/06/06
E) All of the above [x]  D. T. Schmitz | 10/06/06
I have used Red Hat, SUSE and Ubuntu...  bportlock | 10/06/06
SUSE installs easily  craiglarry | 10/06/06
Hello  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
Debian Testing  Ole Man | 10/08/06
Nice  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
Just try PCLinuxOS  Hrothgar - PCLinuxOS User | 10/06/06
Interesting  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
Oh, how nice.  dave.leigh@... | 10/06/06
Choice  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
Message has been deleted.  mustang_z | 10/05/06
Well, human nature is human nature...  mustang_z | 10/05/06
Life style  wuboyblue | 10/05/06
Multimedia is different from Life Style ...  p_msac@... | 10/05/06
BIG BROTHER BILL  zara994x | 10/05/06
uh oh. it's....  D. T. Schmitz | 10/05/06
Rants  zara994x | 10/05/06
MicroSoft Kill Switch  Xeno77777 | 10/05/06
MicroSoft Kill Switch  Xeno77777 | 10/05/06
All the more reason to switch OS  ghawkins@... | 10/06/06
Linux is Not Just an OS..  zara994x | 10/07/06
So  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
ha..windows 98 , Best windows ever!  zara994x | 10/07/06
Make your point, but don't be ridiculous  georgeou | 10/08/06
My Point ?? U Don't get it?  zara994x | 10/08/06
Skunks Think They Don't Stink Themselves  Ole Man | 10/08/06
What part do u challenge ?  zara994x | 10/08/06
When Balmer calls Linux/OSS cancer it's not "ridiculous"??  zara994x | 10/10/06
Nevermind Vista, I dumped XP Home in favour of 2k...  Linux_Fanboy | 10/07/06
That's an E6700 Core 2 ^^^ (NT)  Linux_Fanboy | 10/07/06
And yes, it IS fast...  Linux_Fanboy | 10/07/06
Iz Fast?  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
Enuf  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
Why is it that Linux fanboys always praise old versions of Windows  georgeou | 10/08/06
Reasons  D. T. Schmitz | 10/08/06
I moved a company to XP in 2001 from Win2k  georgeou | 10/08/06
Choice, Change, Scarey  D. T. Schmitz | 10/08/06
DUH!!! Because it is telling!!!  zara994x | 10/08/06
Please....  nucrash | 10/10/06
Huh ???  zara994x | 10/10/06
Home vs Company Desktop  D-cat | 10/09/06
Kill Switch  chparsons@... | 10/07/06
Funny  D. T. Schmitz | 10/07/06
Laff Till It Hurts  Ole Man | 10/07/06
You may migrate to linux, but it may not do you much good.  osreinstall | 10/08/06
Microsoft should charge by location  jason.mailley | 10/09/06
Trustworthy computing????  Gezelig | 10/17/06
RE: A Vista kill switch would be good for Linux  Xeno7777777 | 01/26/08
RE: A Vista kill switch would be good for Linux  Khyron | 05/20/09

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