Pirates can upgrade to Windows 10 for free but they won't be supported by Microsoft
Microsoft has given up trying to stop people from pirating Windows. We already knew that Windows 10 was going to be free, but now Terry Myerson has revealed that it will be free to everyone, including people who are running pirated copies of earlier versions of the operating system.
Speaking to Reuters the Windows chief said: "We are upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10". The move is an admission that the fight against piracy was a battle Microsoft was never going to win, but the benefits that will be felt extend far beyond just a free copy of Windows.
Microsoft later expanded on this by saying: "Anyone with a qualified device can upgrade to Windows 10, including those with pirated copies of Windows". We reached out to Microsoft for a further explanation and we were told that while pirated versions of Windows can be upgraded to Windows 10 free of charge, the upgraded operating system will not be supported. A spokesperson said:
"We have always been committed to ensuring that customers have the best Windows experience possible. With Windows 10, although non-Genuine PCs may be able to upgrade to Windows 10, the upgrade will not change the genuine state of the license. Non-Genuine Windows is not published by Microsoft. It is not properly licensed, or supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner. If a device was considered non-genuine or mislicensed prior to the upgrade, that device will continue to be considered non-genuine or mislicensed after the upgrade. According to industry experts, use of pirated software, including Non-Genuine Windows, results in a higher risk of malware, fraud (identity theft, credit card theft, etc), public exposure of your personal information, and a higher risk for poor performance or feature malfunctions".
Previously, no matter what obstacles Microsoft tried to put in the way of pirates -- from the simple serial numbers through to product activation -- they were all overcome very quickly with "corporate keys" and activation cracks.
The problem did not just hit Microsoft's pocket, it also decreased the security of computers around the world. Pirated versions of Windows are often from unreliable sources making it difficult to determine if there is malware lurking in the background. More than this, there was also the fact that pirated versions of Windows were often denied access to Windows Update, leaving systems running such versions of the operating system vulnerable and, by turn, increasing the ease of spreading malware.
Now none of this matters. Whether you bought a dodgy copy of Windows 7 from the bloke down the road, or downloaded a cracked copy of Windows 8 from your favorite torrent site, you will still be able to enjoy all that's new in Windows 10. If you're still running XP, there's never been a better time to investigate the world of piracy -- it'll open up a previously closed upgrade path to Windows 10 (we jest, obviously).
Talking about movie piracy, Kim Dotcom took to Twitter today with some advice about how to reduce the problem:
How to stop piracy: 1. Create great stuff 2. Make it easy to buy 3. Same day worldwide release 4. Works on any device 5. Fair price
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) March 18, 2015
With the latest announcement about Windows 10, Microsoft has gone one better and completely eliminated the need to pirate the software. It's free for everyone, even those with shady pasts, although pirates don’t get the full benefit it would seem.
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