MS could track down illegal copies of their XP, but lets assume they are tracking down users based off the cdkey used to intall the OS.
- Where would they start in the tracking? Would they go for the first user who hit it, or the last?
Let assume they tracked you down via IP.
- What about all the dialup users? They are on DHCP
- What about all the DHCP cable modem and DSL users?
Lets assume someone used the same key and has a static IP address. So MS can now track down the user based off their IP and their ISP's records of billing information.
- What would MS do if this person unknowingly had XP preloaded onto their computer?
- What would MS do if this person was given a copy of XP, unaware of where it came from?
The real question is: WILL Microsoft track down individual users of their pirated OS? Its so doubtful, you shouldn't really be concerned with it. If MS was REALLY hard up for cash, they can start leaning on the largest ISPs to get information of people who they "thought" had pirated their OS. Even then, that's a MASSIVE list to sort through, check records, etc. Someone could claim their bought the OS, made a backup and threw away the receipts and lost their original CD in a fire, or someone stole it.
There are way TOO many things to sort through for an individual person and their pirated OS. For the corporation, its another story.
To those who think that one of the floating versions of XP Pro's Corporate Edition has a trojan, stop spreading your flames. If it had a trojan, it would have been seen A LONG time ago, especially with AV software and firewalls running on people's network. Trojans do exist, in software distro's and can exist on OS installs, but lets face facts: a trojan, of that nature, would have been seen and been stomped by now. Groups don't like their names being dragged through the mud lightly -- they don't like to make mistakes and ensure their stuff is the best before it goes out.
vash