what happens when you use student/teacher edition software...

[badboyeee]

office 2003 in particular... can microsoft really tell?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Yes.

 

[Slick5150]

Of course they can't tell, how would they know?

 

[sourceninja]

ninjas

 

[Cheetah8799]

Originally posted by: Slick5150
Of course they can't tell, how would they know?

Microsoft sends info regarding what software you are using back to their servers every time you update Windows. There was a big article linked from Slashdot quite a while ago about this. Very interesting read if you can find it. I'd bet that they have added quite a bit of software checking to the update process since that article was written.

The real question is what will they do when they find out you are not using a legit copy?

 

[daniel49]

The microsoft police will be at your house at 2 PM

 

[nweaver]

as long as you can sleep at night knowing that you are breaking the law, then I think you are OK. Doubtfull they will chase you down over a few hundred bucks when they can chase down the few hundred thousand buck guys elsewhere.

 

[Queasy]

Bill will call down strikes of lightning upon you.

So it was written in MS Ofiice v3.0

 

[40Hands]

Originally posted by: Queasy
Bill will call down strikes of lightning upon you.

So it was written in MS Ofiice v3.0

haha.. :laugh:

 

[episodic]

Ninjas
yep

 

[corkyg]

There is a lot of slack and wiggle room as to what defines a teacher or a student.

 

[Ryland]

How is MS supposed to know that you are neither a student or a teacher? My wife homeschools our son so technically she is a teacher but since she doesn't have "credentials" this would fall into a gray area...

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
ninjas

Yes.

Many ninjas :Q

 

[Gunslinger08]

Originally posted by: Cheetah8799

Originally posted by: Slick5150
Of course they can't tell, how would they know?

Microsoft sends info regarding what software you are using back to their servers every time you update Windows. There was a big article linked from Slashdot quite a while ago about this. Very interesting read if you can find it. I'd bet that they have added quite a bit of software checking to the update process since that article was written.

The real question is what will they do when they find out you are not using a legit copy?

Link?

 

[yukichigai]

The term "student" is used very loosely. If you're enrolled in any educational institution, or more to the point were when you purchased the software, then you can use it. Parents/guardians/etc. of the "student" are allowed to use the software as well.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Question is, they'll know you're using it, but will they know you are a student or not?

Also, don't do windows updates with IE, download service packs instead, and ensure any type of updates you do are for network installations and not online installers. For IE 6.0 upgrades for example, use IEAK installers. Block any requests to connect to M$ servers while doing installs. That will ensure maximum protection.

Oh and while this is a bit more unsecure (the fact of not running windows updates) you should always be behind a router at all times and use AVs on all PCs in the house.