Is your Windows for realz?

I've been wondering, who among us has an authentic, store-bought (or computer-shipped) copy of Windows installed on their PC, and who has a pirated version of some sort?

Today I went to install Internet Explorer 7 beta. Apparently I have to validate Windows to install it. I saged that and downloaded a pirated IE7 to install on my pirated Windows XP Pro.

But at the same time I feel: most computer ship with Windows XP, even if it is Home edition. I had to pirate XP Pro for two reasons: to install IIS (webserver, so I can edit/test webpages locally) and to join Domains. (Actually, does Windows XP Pro have any useful features besides this?) In a way I feel I don't really owe MS that much because I already own their software, but in a crippled form.

I also like how even if you do have a valid copy of XP, after about 3 activations online, you can activate your installation of the OS anymore. At that point you have to call MS and explain your situation. This is retarded, since I must format C:\ five to ten times a year for various reasons. (After a while, the process of installing/uninstalling software causes things to break and I just feel much better doing a clean install.)

Anyway. Discuss.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I also find that Simple File Sharing works in most cases. I manage our tiny home network and domain controller, and have to share many of my music files with the family. When I fuck around with advanced file sharing, it's not that it doesn't work but it gets very complicated and it's easy for things to get inconsistent as far as permissions go.

Simple File Sharing is perfect if you pretty much want to share your stuff under the pretense of "anyone on the domain can access the directory; only I can modify it and its contents".

Of course without Windows XP Pro you can't join a domain (actually I think you can but it's a haxful operation) which is another reason I steal XP Pro.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Merv Burger

That's the worst part of it, actually.

In order to do it, you have to use the Simple File Sharing to share the directory first, then you can tweak the security settings with the "regular" dialoge.

As opposed to 2000, where you just, create necessary users, set permissions and go.

It's terribly designed, but what do you expect from Microsoft.

Actually I don't know what to expect from anyone. Having used Linux I've had far more problems dealing with permissions because I find them to be far more complex. Eventually I give up and 7777 everything. I definitely prefer sharing files in Windows over Linux.

But this is another conversation.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.