MSN Tech & Gadgets

MSN Tech & Gadgets

Maybe there is more to this story but from what I just read I am not sure how this could be a violation of anything. If I buy something what I do with it is of no concern to the manufacturer. Is Craftsman going to sue me if I put their drillbit in a Mikita drill? I don't think so. So why would Apple care if I use the software that I bought as a coaster or loaded it to my toaster or shoved it up my ass! They got their money, what do they care what I do with it? It is none of thier business. I understand that if I do something other than what it was made for I void the warranty but to take it a step further and not allow me to use it how I want? And put a guy out of business that is a supporter of your product just because he tells you other uses of the product. HEIL JOBS!!!



I swear companies are TRYING to drive customers away.

One of my favorite examples is Microsoft's Windows Activation. Basically, if I to get Windows XP I have 2 options: 1. Fight traffic going to a store, wait in line, spend $150, fight traffic again, load the software, call India to get permission to use the product I just bought, load a billion patches (one of which is another check to "prove" I am not a thief), then I can use my purchase. Oh, if you add a new video card or anything like that, you get to spend another 30 minutes calling India again.

Option 2 is spend 20 minutes downloading it from a hacker site, load it, and you are done.

Yes option 2 is illegal but good luck catching, well, anyone. Anyone that has the knowledge to get it free, knows enough to hide it.


Another good example is buying audio CDs. I just love picking on the RIAA. You can buy a cd from Sony/BMG for $20+ and get horribly unsafe software that borders on criminal loaded to your machine without your knowledge or you can download the 2 songs you really wanted for free without that "cancer" they hide on their CDs. I understand they don't want to be robbed blind but: 1. your customers have rights too. 2. the people that BUY the CD are your honest customers and you are punishing them, not the pirates who get your music anyway (and its spyware free). All it takes is for 1 hacker to figure out a way around your "protection" and all pirates have your music. Meanwhile, as a thank you, thousands of honest customers now have to spend weeks trying to get the shit off their PCs that you hid there and 50/50 bluescreened their PCs with. Gee I should do, spend $20 and ruin my $1500 PC or steal the 1 song I wanted to hear, tough call.