4 ms·

Electronics-recycling innovator faces prison for printing Windows restore discs

39 points by sverige 9y ago

spunker540 9y ago
This guys’ actions merit a cease and desist letter and nothing more. Maybe if it didn’t work they could then press charges. But irrespective of his actions Microsoft should be embarrassed by their overblown testimony in attempt to put this guy out of business and/or behind bars-he’s devoted his life to solving a societal problem for which they are partially responsible! And instead of thanking him or working with him they’re treating him like he’s no more than a bootlegger.
- nathanaldensr 9y ago
  To me, this type of injustice exemplifies late-stage capitalism.
ars 9y ago
Annoying clickbait title - and yes, I know it's the original title. (Flagged so a moderator will hopefully change it.) Change it to: "Electronics-recycling innovator faces prison for printing 28,000 windows restore discs". Anyway, Why would he print the disks with full Windows logos and everything? That doesn't sit right with me. Sure, you can say the machines had a license and everything, and that's a good argument. But printing the discs that way? That seems much more fishy. The article isn't really clear, but it seemed like he was planning on selling those CDs? But only for computers with the Windows certificate sticker?
- hungerstrike 9y ago
  It sounded to me like he was selling CDs with each refurbished computer. If that is in fact the case, since each computer already comes with a license for Windows, there would be no real theft or piracy.
- rootsudo 9y ago
  What happened to the word burning? We don't use it anymore?
  - wor3q 9y ago
    Printing disc labels, not discs themselves.
- dang 9y ago
  OK, we've changed the title.
mnm1 9y ago
When even the judge is too stupid to understand the case, of course something like this will happen. I'd say this is pretty much the norm with any trial involving any technology. I can't say I've read any case where the judge had any real grasp of the underlying technology. And a jury of peers ... oh please, don't make me laugh. Yet this system of charades is what we're supposed to be satisfied as carrying out justice? It's a penal system not a justice system. There's nothing just about having a judge too stupid to understand the case and the technology behind it.
manicdee 9y ago
Why Windows?
- wincy 9y ago
  Because a lay person is basically completely unwilling to use Linux? If I tried to set my mom up on Ubuntu she’d just go buy a new computer and not tell me. It’s really easy to get all sanctimonious about free software, but 99% of the population doesn’t even know what Linux is.
  - philipkglass 9y ago
    A lot of ordinary users do everything through a browser now and never install additional desktop applications. Those people are pretty easy to transition off of Windows. I did it for my wife with Ubuntu 5 years ago and for my mom with a Chromebook this past Christmas. Show them how to start the browser and they don't care about the OS.
- hungerstrike 9y ago
  Well it's orders of magnitude better, in just about every way, than any other desktop OS. So, why don't you tell us: Why not Windows?
  - craftyguy 9y ago
    https://www.howtogeek.com/342871/hey-microsoft-stop-installing-apps-on-my-pc-without-asking/ https://www.howtogeek.com/342871/hey-microsoft-stop-installi...
    - hungerstrike 9y ago
      Yeah compare the two seconds that I’d have to take to remove those apps with all the bullshit and lack of quality and configuration and fragmentation of your favorite OS.
      - 9y ago
qplex 9y ago
>The discs work if computers still have their license and product keys available, and the license transfers with the computer, no matter who owns it. >The discs had labels nearly identical to the discs provided by Dell for its computers and had the Windows and Dell logos. At first I thought this was about license infringement. He admitted he was wrong in making the discs look like they were official releases from Dell/Microsoft.

39 points by sverige 9y ago

This guys’ actions merit a cease and desist letter and nothing more. Maybe if it didn’t work they could then press charges. But irrespective of his actions Microsoft should be embarrassed by their overblown testimony in attempt to put this guy out of business and/or behind bars-he’s devoted his life to solving a societal problem for which they are partially responsible! And instead of thanking him or working with him they’re treating him like he’s no more than a bootlegger.

nathanaldensr 9y ago
To me, this type of injustice exemplifies late-stage capitalism.

ars 9y ago

Annoying clickbait title - and yes, I know it's the original title. (Flagged so a moderator will hopefully change it.) Change it to: "Electronics-recycling innovator faces prison for printing 28,000 windows restore discs". Anyway, Why would he print the disks with full Windows logos and everything? That doesn't sit right with me. Sure, you can say the machines had a license and everything, and that's a good argument. But printing the discs that way? That seems much more fishy. The article isn't really clear, but it seemed like he was planning on selling those CDs? But only for computers with the Windows certificate sticker?

hungerstrike 9y ago
It sounded to me like he was selling CDs with each refurbished computer. If that is in fact the case, since each computer already comes with a license for Windows, there would be no real theft or piracy.
rootsudo 9y ago
What happened to the word burning? We don't use it anymore?
- wor3q 9y ago
  Printing disc labels, not discs themselves.
dang 9y ago
OK, we've changed the title.

mnm1 9y ago

When even the judge is too stupid to understand the case, of course something like this will happen. I'd say this is pretty much the norm with any trial involving any technology. I can't say I've read any case where the judge had any real grasp of the underlying technology. And a jury of peers ... oh please, don't make me laugh. Yet this system of charades is what we're supposed to be satisfied as carrying out justice? It's a penal system not a justice system. There's nothing just about having a judge too stupid to understand the case and the technology behind it.

manicdee 9y ago

Why Windows?

wincy 9y ago
Because a lay person is basically completely unwilling to use Linux? If I tried to set my mom up on Ubuntu she’d just go buy a new computer and not tell me. It’s really easy to get all sanctimonious about free software, but 99% of the population doesn’t even know what Linux is.
- philipkglass 9y ago
  A lot of ordinary users do everything through a browser now and never install additional desktop applications. Those people are pretty easy to transition off of Windows. I did it for my wife with Ubuntu 5 years ago and for my mom with a Chromebook this past Christmas. Show them how to start the browser and they don't care about the OS.
hungerstrike 9y ago
Well it's orders of magnitude better, in just about every way, than any other desktop OS. So, why don't you tell us: Why not Windows?
- craftyguy 9y ago
  https://www.howtogeek.com/342871/hey-microsoft-stop-installing-apps-on-my-pc-without-asking/ https://www.howtogeek.com/342871/hey-microsoft-stop-installi...
  - hungerstrike 9y ago
    Yeah compare the two seconds that I’d have to take to remove those apps with all the bullshit and lack of quality and configuration and fragmentation of your favorite OS.
    - 9y ago

qplex 9y ago

>The discs work if computers still have their license and product keys available, and the license transfers with the computer, no matter who owns it. >The discs had labels nearly identical to the discs provided by Dell for its computers and had the Windows and Dell logos. At first I thought this was about license infringement. He admitted he was wrong in making the discs look like they were official releases from Dell/Microsoft.