• Pika@sh.itjust.works
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    29 days ago

    out of all the censored things, they didn’t think to censor a product key before declassifying it. I wish I could say I was surprised.

  • chraebsli@programming.dev
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    28 days ago

    you can activate any windows or office by using vlmcsd (https://github.com/Wind4/vlmcsd). you can selfhost it, choose any windows version like 11 pro or enterprise or office product like office 24 enterprise. activate it using your kms server and you can enter the matching licence key every so often to activate it. doesn’t cost a cent except hosting on 512mb/1cpu. i think there are public kms servers with vlmcsd too. obviously JUST FOR TESTING PURPOSES ;)

    • mech@feddit.org
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      28 days ago

      That’s the part that mystifies me. On the one hand, in an enterprise setting, it can be frustratingly difficult to license and activate your MS products, to the point where you cry out “Why do you make it so hard to give you our money?”
      And on the other hand, you can easily bypass the whole thing and get all their stuff for free.
      And it’s been that way for decades, so it doesn’t seem to be a mistake on their part.

      • chraebsli@programming.dev
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        28 days ago

        not sure about the legal side because when you install windows you accept eula and much more shit so im sure there is a sentence ‘only keys officially bought from and provided from microsoft shall be used.’

      • funkajunk 🇨🇦@lemmy.world
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        28 days ago

        In an enterprise setting you’d use something like Active Directory-Based Activation.

        You store your KMS key in Active Directory, then any machine that contacts the domain controller will be activated.

  • stoy@lemmy.zip
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    28 days ago

    He used the Home version?

    He owned his own island, he could at least go for Professional!

    I remember Windows 7’s editions being a complete mess, but a come on!

    Either ask your IT guy or your friend Billy G, both will laugh at you for picking a Home version when you have the money to go pro.

    What a fucking loser.

      • TheRagingGeek@lemmy.world
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        29 days ago

        Funny enough I got 7 ultimate for free by having a Microsoft themed Tupperware party and using their party invite platform. They sent me a box with free copy and ms colored streamers and windows 7 napkins. I still have the napkins new and sealed. Had to take like 4 pictures with my friends around a laptop I think. Not a bad trade for the best version of 7. I don’t think they’d ever get people to do the same for the newer OS’s. 7 was one of the good ones

          • TheRagingGeek@lemmy.world
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            28 days ago

            For me I think I enjoyed 98, XP, 7 it was nearly Star Trek rules every other edition was ok. 7 was the culmination of the best of. But absolute shit ever since. Honestly wish I could just go back to 7 for anything that requires windows( I try to stay away from it whenever possible)

        • balsoft@lemmy.ml
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          28 days ago

          I don’t think they’d ever get people to do the same for the newer OS’s

          Just sayin, if you host a Linux install party you can get a copy of most Linux distributions for free. You can also get it for free if you don’t host a Linux install party, but that’s minor details.

        • ilinamorato@lemmy.world
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          28 days ago

          I got a copy of Vista Ultimate from a friend who worked for Microsoft. Upgraded that baby to 7 Ultimate the instant I could and rode that product code for over a decade, until last year when I installed Linux on everything.

          Actually, I think I might still be using that product code on my Windows VM. Hmm.

      • Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        29 days ago

        I still have a retail boxed Windows Vista Ultimate copy new in box! I won it and never opened it. They also gave me a processor and mobo with it… THAT part I was stoked about.

      • LiveLM@lemmy.zip
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        28 days ago

        Ultimate is such a nice codename, I’m a little tired of the modern deluge of Ultra, Pro and Max.

    • roofuskit@lemmy.world
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      28 days ago

      Not really anything a normal user would miss over home premium. Most features in pro and higher target enterprises.

    • TeddE@lemmy.world
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      28 days ago

      In 2019, Gates characterized his relationship with Epstein as a ‘huge mistake’. Make of that what you will.

      But this post doesn’t really address that. It suggests Epstein bought Windows XP once, which … is fine … I guess? (Doesn’t let him off the hook for the criminal empire he ran though)

      • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        28 days ago

        In 2019, Gates characterized his relationship with Epstein as a ‘huge mistake’.

        Probably because it was the final straw for his wife Melinda, and Gates wasn’t happy how much she would take in the divorce. Considering he was a serial philanderer and often used his position at Microsoft as a way to meet women (including Melinda!), it’s not like he respected that marriage or his wife very much, so it can’t be that he’s sad about losing her or something, so my bet is on sad he was going to lose a lot of wealth over his Epstein connections.

  • Prove_your_argument@piefed.social
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    29 days ago

    I saw someone mention that if you find an old installer for windows 10, you can upgrade to that and continue on to upgrade to w11 still and keep the activation.

    ymmv

        • 4am@lemmy.zip
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          28 days ago

          7 is quickly going down as the best version of windows of all time. 10 was alright too but it was the beginning of the end

    • CIA_chatbot@lemmy.world
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      29 days ago

      Or you could update to a modern Linux build, most of which are just as easy as windows and 90+%of apps can run through wine so you don’t miss out on anything

      Yea I use Arch BTW bitch! (Just kidding about the bitch part, it sounded funny in my head, I’m sure you are a wonderful human being and I hope you have a marvelous day)

  • FreddiesLantern@leminal.space
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    28 days ago

    So wait, if you activate a machine with this key wouldn’t that alert a bunch people?

    I mean given Bill’s ties to Epstein and whatnot. Ms would keep track of that right?

    I wonder if W7 had some kind of backup cloud feature… you know, restore lists …