[X4U] Implications of Boot Camp

[Stroller]

On 6 Apr 2006, at 17:44, Robert Ameeti wrote:
>>>
>>> Unless you are a System Builder, that license will not work for a  
>>> user. You must be a builder of computers to use that license.
>>
>> Not true.  You can buy OEM versions with a Motherboard or Hard  
>> Drive, though I've yet to see a copy for $100, around here they're  
>> $150.
>
> They can be bought for $100. The fact is that you can buy anything  
> you want for near any price you want. But what I said was that the  
> license would not be correct. Microsoft does authentication where  
> they examine the components of the computer that you are installing  
> the OS on. That authentication process gathers up info such as the  
> RAM, Hard Drive, Ethernet MAC address etc. The authentication  
> process can easily see that the MAC address is assigned to Apple  
> and since Apple is not an authorized System Builder, the OEM  
> license can prove to be invalidated.

The authentication process produces a validation key which is  
affected by the hardware in the machine but it's not clear that all  
or any of the components can in reverse be determined from that key.  
I believe privacy concerns were raised when Microsoft originally  
instituted activation.

In any case, the license cannot be proved to be invalidated because  
even under Microsoft's dubious terms an Apple Mac bought from a third- 
party (such as a local computer shop) with Windows XP pre-installed  
is clearly a "validating" piece of hardware.

> I do have clients that can not get Security Updates due to the lack  
> of the authenticator being able to validate their installation.

Then your clients should phone up & get their installation validated.  
If you tried to do so on their behalf then you would find it very easy.

Stroller.