4 ms·

For the first example, Microsoft might point a finger during a audit[1] but if the military had a license and just used a cracked version instead to bypass the

by easton 2y ago

For the first example, Microsoft might point a finger during a audit[1] but if the military had a license and just used a cracked version instead to bypass the activation prompt, I don't think they'd really make a fuss? If it turned out that they were only buying 50% of the licenses they should've been then sure, but if they were buying them and just not typing the license keys in, meh. I seem to recall the network activation server for Windows let you activate unlimited clients on a key, although maybe I'm misremembering, or the person who configured it did something funny. --- [1]: Does Microsoft even do first party license audits anymore? I'd imagine with so much of the licensing being a part of cloud spend that they don't care since you're already paying $20+ per month per head anyway for windows and office.

my123 2y ago
Yes they do audits all the time. They outsource them to one of the big accounting/audit firms though.
Brian_K_White 2y ago
When the company I worked for for 20 years was sold to a muuuch larger company, people from the new company were telling us how they just finished a big audit from MS and they did well and they were so happy they came out more or less clean. Not just relieved they made it through a trial that some douchebags imposed on them, actually pleased with themselves for pleaseing MS is what it almost felt like. I was boggled that anyone would be happy about any part of that. I had successfully avoided letting us ever rely on any MS services other than most people's desktops were Windows. I can't even imagine so much as letting MS or anyone else even in the building to go through our shit to satisfy their desire to know if any of our machines were running any of their software. I'm sure it's part of some license agreement that you agree to be subject to audits or else you don't get to buy the stuff at all but still. I can't imagine being pleased that some douchebags have audited me and said I was a good boy this year. As a linux user it boggles me what people are willing to put up with and consider it not only normal but even valid. I'm not full Stallman and I will use proprietary stuff when I have to, and deal with it's terms, but I never even slightly actually internalize the vendors ideas about what I should do.
- bongodongobob 2y ago
  I can't imagine not seeing the value in using the MS stack in the enterprise world.
  - esafak 2y ago
    I see value in avoiding it. Avoiding junk is commonsense no?
    - 999900000999 2y ago
      Not everyone is a Linux user, or willing to become one. You can install Ubuntu on 100 Thinkpads and have that be the official OS of your company. The tech folks will love it, but Mr Smith in accounting will be angry and confused. QuickBooks doesn't work, how will he get anything done ? He doesn't want an open source alternative. He wants QuickBooks.
      - bongodongobob 2y ago
        This is absolutely on point. Every time Microsoft comes up, HN thinks you can just replace an orgs 30 year old stack with OSS. It's ridiculous and shows the narrow experience of this crowd with their small teams.
        999900000999 2y ago
        Linux still doesn't have a lot of one to one equivalents for Microsoft software. If Mr Smith in accounting likes using QuickBooks and Excel, you can't just tell him it's time to switch to libre office. I definitely think Linux is better for personal usage, but I don't expect most companies to ever realistically roll it out to every desktop.
        lostmsu 2y ago
        I still did not find a descent email client. What could be more personal than that?
toast0 2y ago
For the US Military pirating software while on deployment in Iraq, Microsoft would need to seek redress in Iraq's court system. 28 U.S. Code § 1498 [1] holds the federal government liable for copyright infringement (section b), but only in the US (c). I don't know how much copyright enforcement Iraqi courts were doing during the occupation, and the US Military was operating with broad immunity from Iraqi law as well. There's no reason for Microsoft to make a fuss over this infringement, because they're not going to get compensated and the PR will be negative. [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1498 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1498

by easton 2y ago

my123 2y ago

Yes they do audits all the time. They outsource them to one of the big accounting/audit firms though.

Brian_K_White 2y ago

When the company I worked for for 20 years was sold to a muuuch larger company, people from the new company were telling us how they just finished a big audit from MS and they did well and they were so happy they came out more or less clean. Not just relieved they made it through a trial that some douchebags imposed on them, actually pleased with themselves for pleaseing MS is what it almost felt like. I was boggled that anyone would be happy about any part of that. I had successfully avoided letting us ever rely on any MS services other than most people's desktops were Windows. I can't even imagine so much as letting MS or anyone else even in the building to go through our shit to satisfy their desire to know if any of our machines were running any of their software. I'm sure it's part of some license agreement that you agree to be subject to audits or else you don't get to buy the stuff at all but still. I can't imagine being pleased that some douchebags have audited me and said I was a good boy this year. As a linux user it boggles me what people are willing to put up with and consider it not only normal but even valid. I'm not full Stallman and I will use proprietary stuff when I have to, and deal with it's terms, but I never even slightly actually internalize the vendors ideas about what I should do.

bongodongobob 2y ago
I can't imagine not seeing the value in using the MS stack in the enterprise world.
- esafak 2y ago
  I see value in avoiding it. Avoiding junk is commonsense no?
  - 999900000999 2y ago
    Not everyone is a Linux user, or willing to become one. You can install Ubuntu on 100 Thinkpads and have that be the official OS of your company. The tech folks will love it, but Mr Smith in accounting will be angry and confused. QuickBooks doesn't work, how will he get anything done ? He doesn't want an open source alternative. He wants QuickBooks.
    - bongodongobob 2y ago
      This is absolutely on point. Every time Microsoft comes up, HN thinks you can just replace an orgs 30 year old stack with OSS. It's ridiculous and shows the narrow experience of this crowd with their small teams.
      - 999900000999 2y ago
        Linux still doesn't have a lot of one to one equivalents for Microsoft software. If Mr Smith in accounting likes using QuickBooks and Excel, you can't just tell him it's time to switch to libre office. I definitely think Linux is better for personal usage, but I don't expect most companies to ever realistically roll it out to every desktop.
        lostmsu 2y ago
        I still did not find a descent email client. What could be more personal than that?

toast0 2y ago

For the US Military pirating software while on deployment in Iraq, Microsoft would need to seek redress in Iraq's court system. 28 U.S. Code § 1498 [1] holds the federal government liable for copyright infringement (section b), but only in the US (c). I don't know how much copyright enforcement Iraqi courts were doing during the occupation, and the US Military was operating with broad immunity from Iraqi law as well. There's no reason for Microsoft to make a fuss over this infringement, because they're not going to get compensated and the PR will be negative. [1] https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1498 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/1498