Slashdot is reporting a story in Computer Times that users of less than legal copies of Windows XP will be able to download and install SP2 with no restrictions, regardless of dodgy CD key. Microsoft's increasing concern over information security has translated into its decision to bite the bullet and make its upcoming SP2 (Service Pack 2) security patch available to all users - including those using pirated copies of its Windows XP software.
"We haven't explicitly done anything to SP2 to exclude it from pirated copies," said Microsoft group product manager Barry Goffe. The United States-based executive was interviewed via telephone.
This is unlike SP1 (Service Pack 1), which had features to prevent users with pirated copies from downloading it. In SP2's case, the mammoth 80MB to 250MB patch can be downloaded and installed on computers running both legitimate and pirated copies.
Oh noes you stole your school's cd-key?
gg your school has to pay extra to use it and they have to pay again and buy another copy per computer they have winxp on.
So if Microsoft feel like controlling people (which has happened in the past if they think they can get money out of it, major organisations like universities for example), and they find out the CDkey entitled to your school is used twice..they're fucked \o/
actually they bought the comps, (dells) with xp already on em, but its not compatible with their netowrk so they put win98 on all of em and had to replace every network card cause of that lol newbs
nope, corporate key != personal key (which is stickered on the side of quite a few xp boxes in my office)
the personal key will work (providing it hasnt already been regged), your school/comapny etc most likely have a corporate key which either it was installed with at source or imaged. buddy .
\o/
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