do I really NEED it?

Question

whats up with this genuine microsoft crap , do I really have to purchase it? and what happens if I don't? what the price?
anyone with the most info about it wins the big prize

Answer 1

It's just bs to scare you or think that your copy will suddenly malfunction (of course buying it wont help in this area much heh) and you can safely ignore it.

Xp is pretty damn cheap now though. After rebates in the local paper it was going for around 30-40 bucks. I'm tempted to go get it just so I don't have to play serial jockey anymore.

You can continue using windows forever, you just can't get updates. Which doesn't mean much because as long as you're using opera/firefox and not internet explorer, you're more than likely safe.

Answer 2

Perhaps a bit more information from you might make the question easier to answer. If you're talking about a copy of a Windows OS, then I'd say yes, it's handy. If you're in college you can generally buy some software at extremely low prices (while I was in college you could get a copy of Windows XP for about $15). Other things, not so much.

Purchasing the actual software keeps you out of those sticky legal things like piracy.

Now, if it should be legal to charge such prices in the first place (thus giving people without the financial means to afford it a good excuse to practice said piracy) is an entirely different topic.

Answer 3

I have used genuine MS software since they became common place in offices.

Over the years, I have taken it upon myself to trying to better myself mastering these softwares. Certain concepts never made much sense to me and formatting was difficult as well. What I always maintained was to never become TOO dependent on a product from a company with the enormity of Microsoft.

Now there are websites that make word processing and spreadsheet creation far better and continually updating. MS office is history because of websites that allow for better file storage and file sharing.

I have no reason to ever use a MS office program ever again. This takes a bite out of the MS power grip.

Answer 4

Genuine MS is an attempt to limit piracy.

There are 2 issues that are unrelated. First, starting with XP and some office products, if you do not have a valid license, the product will not update or, in some cases, not work properly. This effect will be more obvious in Vista (the new version of windows scheduled to come out "real soon").

The second issue is one of honesty. Yes, you can get versions of MS stuff from a friend or off the internet -- but Microsoft is not getting paid for their intellectual property. Basically, people are stealing their products.

If you don't want to pay them, you don't have to -- there are many products available "open source." Linux, for example, is available for free (depending on the distribution), but get it on a CD/DVD in a book because the download takes forever. I am using it now, it works fine. You can get open source versions of office (openoffice.org), and a browzer (mozilla or firefox), plus many other tools.

So no, you don't NEED genuine microsoft -- unless you are developing code to run on MS platforms.

Answer 5

You don´t need genuine Windows to get updates. You just need to enable into the . The Microsoft Update use no filters when you set automatic updates.


To remove Windows Genuine Advantage message:

1st: You have to delete the wga files. How?

At the use the

Answer 6

Things to remember about WGA:
1. 15% of the system it flags are in fact genuine
2. When installed WGA includes a spybot that makes regular contact w/Microsoft providing them with detailed information on ALL your softwar.
3. Even if you DO NOT INSTALL WGA you will still get ALL critical updates and patches.
4. As of this date there are no less than six lawsuits be people who have veen the victim of WGA and there is an effort to begin a class action lawsuit.

Answer 7

If What You Have Works Fine To You, Then It Isn't Nesessary. As Long As What You Have Gets The Job Done, Your Set. Screw Everything Else.....Just Wait 4 Years Till An Even Better One Comes Out.........

Answer 8

i dont think im gonna wint the big prize. but this happened on of my others computers. its been going on for months and im pretty sure its genuine and we didn;t do anything bout it and it still runs fine and everything. but u can pay like 50 bucks i think for a real one if u really want to.

Answer 9

Yeah, why should you care if you stole windows - of if the guy you bought it from ripped you off. You don't need all the security updates that ensure you don't get hacked and have your files and identity stolen, right?

Answer 10

If it's not genuine you can't update it or get technical advice.