Microsoft admits targeting Wine users
Published: 25 Feb 2005 12:30 GMT
Microsoft prioritised making its anti-piracy tool prevent users of Wine, an open source toolkit that allows users to run Windows applications under Linux, from downloading Windows updates, the software giant said on Friday.
A Microsoft spokesperson told ZDNet UK it made sure the validation tool used by its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) programme identified Wine users, so that only users are running a genuine version of Windows could download updates and add-on tools.
"As the most popular third-party translation technology in use, Wine was the first emulator to be specifically tested for via WGA," said the spokesperson. "Microsoft does not knowingly provide copyrighted Microsoft Windows OS files to users of third-party emulators or cross-platform API translation technologies such as Wine."
The spokesperson said users who are not running Windows XP or Windows 2000 natively can still download updates for Microsoft Office from the Office Update Web site.
Microsoft's public acknowledgement of Wine suggests a shift in corporate policy. Earlier this week Jeremy White, chief executive at CodeWeavers, which sells products based on Wine, said that Microsoft has until now had "a clear corporate policy to not talk about Wine".
For this reason, White said he was excited rather than worried to hear that the WGA validation tool was blocking Wine. "The reason we love this is because this shows that Microsoft is aware of Wine at very high levels," said White. "For us it's exciting -- it is an acknowledgement of us as a threat."
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61 comments
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Well this is rare. Microsoft admitting potentially... NJ -
I think it's outrageous that Microsoft is intentio... Anonymous
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Good move, nice, optimal, unexpected!!. Micro... albertwar -
Is there a reading comprehension problem on h... Anonymous
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Minimum system requirements:
Microsoft Windows.
Yo... Anonymous
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Most software also states what the minimum ha... Anonymous
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Minim Requirements are just that minimum... Anonymous -
they useually say or better :P
and better is... Anonymous
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does anyone spell/grammar proof these columns, or... Anonymous
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Obviously, "annonymous" doesn't proof his or... Fr. Time
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What about those users running a legal, dual-boot... Anonymous
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This is an outrage.
Microsoft has a responsibility... Scott Sidel
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Just another way for babbling billy to squeez... Rick
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"Minimum system requirements:
Microsoft Windows.
Y... Kevin C
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Good. Valid Windows users **paid** for it, so Mic... Jack Benetton
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Re: Windows users **paid**; The article is t... Craig Kelley
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Imagine the outcry if General Motors wer... Ed Wilcox
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Another analogy would be if they ma... Anonymous -
"Jack Benetton, Occupation: software enginee... Chris Most
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In general, I agree with you sir.
However, yo... R. Debusschere
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Do you guys read the entire article before bashing... Anonymous
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I'm just reposting this because this person h... Anonymous
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If a person pays for microsoft office, that person... Anonymous
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Good for MS.
Let's be clear about something: You... Anonymous
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=== QUOTE ===
Let's be clear about something:... Donovan Hill
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I use Windows and Linux at both my job a... Anonymous
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First, to those IT Students and oth... LinuxRefugee
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Just say 'NO', to the 90,000 d... Anonymous
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linux is the way of the future, you shou... Jon
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RE: Good for MS. Let's be clear about somethi... Bret Baptist
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Lets be clear about something:
When you buy a... Big CEO
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Hard to imagine a more ignorant post.
1. MS... Robert Rosenthal
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I'm just a bit concerned here. See, Mic... Kevin Foster
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Microsuck does a lot of really bass... Ian Johnson
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"You sir are quite mistaken. If I purchase a piece... Joe G.
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"I'm glad Microsoft is doing this. About time... Mandaris
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I like the arguements here. My point...... Anonymous
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The following is what makes me not like Windo... Anonymous
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Is MS wrong in doing this? Yes they are. Just... Linix user for life
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""You sir are quite mistaken. If I purchase a... Anonymous
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That's so stupid. WINE is not an emulator.
You do... Anonymous
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[quote]
That's so stupid. WINE is not an emul... Anonymous
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MS is right. This is no different from Ford... Anonymous
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Microsoft routinely violates, and encourages... Anonymous
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"And like another person mentioned, their not aski... Anonymous
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Something not immediately apparent in the articles... Anonymous
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I pull into a station for petrol and the atte... Robert
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ps, It was stated above, the minimum req... Anonymous
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First off, let me state that I am a... Anonymous
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hear hear well said linux rock... nobby
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Back to our scheduled Wine com... The Mitch
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If Microsoft blocks it's products to run on Wine,... AY
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It is true Office Update shouldn't be concern... The Mitch
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Would a Microsoft spokesman not have a name? J Reidy
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Whatever...............Using M$ software without a... John Sanchez
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Up until last Monday, my business ran a split... Ken Starks
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what can i say, its typical microsoft momopolistic... Christopher Baluyut
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If apple were to block the use of the Microsoft Wi... Anonymous
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I just want to say to Joe G and others that Linux... jc
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Alright it seems that there is a lot of bashing an... Jeff Johnson
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This is outrageous! We have the rights as WINE use... Anonymous
