Microsoft Pirating Their Own Software?

14ghz writes "Microsoft gave out copies of .NET Visual Studio Pro to attendees of the Microsoft .NET Student Tour. Despite the discs saying "UNLICENSED SOFTWARE -- Illegal without separate license from Microsoft", the freebie didn't contain any license document, and one guy decided to ask the MS conference rep about it. Read the in-progress story."

New business plan

[Transient0]

Maybe they've just decided to give out illegal copies of their software to everyone they can and then sue them over it. It's easier than getting them to trudge all the way down to the store and fork out a hundred bucks willingly.

EULA's! Get your EULA's!

[Fjornir]

...onna disc, they're lovely! EULA's, c'mon, getchore EULA's!

not illegal, just license free!!!!

[AmigaAvenger]

start uploading those things!!! It is in writing that there is no license for those. Your typical license says, among a bunch of other stuff, no copying, distributing... Hence, no license, distribute all you want! Free as in beer!!!

Running out of good reasons to bash ms?

[JPriest]

Slashot is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one. I rate this story as -1 nitpick.

I got one of those copies

[0x12d3]

yeah; the back's blue and "visual studio" is misspelled it's all in marker and what not; 3 of the disc's say Imation and the other 4 say sony. But it's cool the guy swore he was in w/ Gates.

I say sue the guy for $97 Trillion

[happyhippy]

To make an example for asking awkward questions.

Only on Slashdot

[Anonymous Coward]

would there be complaints about Microsoft giving away software.

Yes, Microsoft is pirating their own software. . .

[Fritz Benwalla]

And Linux is going to make a credible challenge as a desktop operating system.

And my Mom will eventually know that FreeBSD is not Unix.

And Hillary Rosen will be discovered with a 10,000 song library on a Kazaa SuperNode in her basement and get sued for ten trillin quadrillion dollars.

Then there will finally be peace on Slashdot, and it will be converted into hotornot2.com

We can only pray.

------

In other news:

[mrpuffypants]

Some guy in my dorm must work for microsoft too. He gives out copies of everything that microsoft makes on CD for free. All the programs have names like Verbatim, Memorex, and CenDyne.

I've never heard of those programs, but they work for typing up term papers really well!

in other words

[geekoid]

Man stops MS from giving away there software.
when asked, the person replied "well its obvious? I'm a pendantic ass".

well there you have it...

Amen

[frovingslosh]

IT'S A TRAP.

Absolutely. Now Microsoft has a list of people who they can audit and definately find that they are using illegal unlicencesed software. A claim that someone at M$ told you that pirating was OK is hardly going to be a defense.

Re:Yes, Microsoft is pirating their own software.

[Jester998]

"Slashdot...will be converted into hotornot2.com"

Hopefully few (if any) of the members of the current site will be allowed to post on the new one...

Re:Not pirated

[GnarlyNome]

My Head Hurts! this is a new high for M$ I have always considered them more of a pain in the Butt

Re:I havent installed MS Software for ages but...

[shepd]

>And delete the software with a very good deleter utility before they bribe the cops to come with a search warrant.

I reccomend a mix of microwave and grinder.

I would

[Artifex]

BTW... I wouldn't install that POS "development suite" if *they* paid *me*.

I'm unemployed, you insensitive clod! :)

No, really. I'd install it all day on lots computers. Later, if they paid me enough, I might even support the IDE for it.

Re:Running out of good reasons to bash ms?

[Old Wolf]

Unless you are trying to bring down the system from the inside

Re:Not pirated

[Anonymous Coward]

What was that key, by the way? I lost the sleeve of my copy that I, uh, also got from one of those events...yeah, that's it. (c:

Re:Discretionary licensing

[Joey7F]

I got it for an intro level C++ class, and it works well! Though, it is sometimes hard to justify the cost, the fact that it keeps track of parenthesis by bolding its compliment is worth the cost alone.

Also it is nice to see a list of functions for structures and classes etc.

--Joey

Re:in other words

[TeknoHog]

> "I'm a pendantic ass"

That's pedantic. Sorry. Didn't mean to nitpick or anything.

Re:Discretionary licensing

[Anonymous Coward]

Not even if you put Steve Ballmer's buttprint on it.

Re:Sasha is probably NOT an employee of Microsoft

[I-R-Baboon]

Good call!

Bet the headers might show not even a Manpower employee or mail server...

This proves just one thing

[Ciderx]

Every person called Lance needs to be punched extremely hard in the face.

Re:Discretionary licensing

[TKinias]

scripsit Joey7F:

Though if you printed out the emails, wouldn't that be sufficient proof?

Clack, clack, clack...

Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2003 11:23:03 -0700
From: John Doe <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: RE: Licenses
X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19)

Sure, amigo, go ahead an install XP on as many boxes as you like. I talked to Bill and he says it's fine.

-jd

-----Original Message-----
From: [e-mail]
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2003 11:13 AM
To: John Doe
Subject: Licenses

Hey, I've got this copy of an XP install CD that says it's illegal without a license. Can I install it on my computer?

I'll just print that out and I'm fine, huh?

Already In Violation

[devnullkac]

Poor Lance is already in violation of the restrictions on the media they gave him... he made an illegal copy [ucalgary.ca] and posted it on the Internet.

Re:in other words

[Anonymous Coward]

The world needs fewer pedantic people.

Re:I say sue the guy for $97 Trillion

[Andrewkov]

For 97 Trillion Dollars!!!

....Said with pinky in mouth a la Dr. Evil...

Anyone notice...

[terradyn]

Sasha's last response went like this:

Hi Lance
I am going to forward your request to my managers. Please stay tuned, I will get back at you ASAP.

Sounds like he's gonna sic the ms lawyers on you for messing with him. =)

In other news

[Billly Gates]

RMS was caught pirating his own GNU software at a tradeshow.

Re:New business plan

[Anonymous Coward]

1. Hand out "free" software with "illegal to use" printed on it
2. Sue everybody who uses it
3. Profit!!

Now we finally know what #2 was

Re:I would

[evilviper]

I'm unemployed, you insensitive clod! :)

Hey! My name is Clod, you insensitive Artifex!

Re:Not pirated

[ubugly2]

M1CR0-S0F71-54WU5-5YID1-OT5HA