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Pirates who had been running for years a pirated version of the Windows OS and hoped and prayed for a miracle where relieved when they learned that Microsoft finally allowed them have access to a free and legit upgrade to Windows 10.
But Microsoft wants to push things forward and erase any traces of a dubious past – its brand new version of OS automatically scans systems for illegal software and blocks the counterfeit programs from being used until a valid license is bought. So, no more bootleg games, Photoshop, and MS office suites.
If you may find that a little too intrusive you need to learn that it is all written under the End User License Agreement (EULA) which you agreed upon when you decided to make an upgrade to Windows 10.
If you read carefully the EULA conditions you will also learn that the new Windows constantly monitors the current version of your software, and can download software updates and make chances in your overall settings to prevent you from playing counterfeit games, accessing illegal services such as unauthorized servers of certain online games, and illegally using devices.
EULA doesn’t get more specific on what type of devices Windows 10 may try to block but we assume that it may refer to a wide range of devices and platforms from altered Xbox controllers to non-genuine versions of MS Office. The new operating system will scan all software and devices and disable the ones that seem not legit.
By doing so, Microsoft tries to follow one of its long-standing dreams – to bring piracy levels to a minimum after its operating system and products had been pirated for nearly two decades.
Other software makers introduced new security measures to reduce piracy such as key codes or the need to validate a product online, but that didn’t stop crackers from generating perfectly usable counterfeit copies of the products in no time.
Video games usually require an activation code that you will get when buying the product. Without that code, users can only benefit from offline features and get easily bored of the game.
On the other hand, Microsoft’s latest move is both vague and controversial. It doesn’t specify if only the company’s products are targeted or all types of illegal software. Plus it lacks transparency on how exactly the new version of OS will block a certain program. Moreover, there’s no guarantee that Windows 10 may mislabel legit software as illegal and try and block it.
Image Source: Windows.com
