German police are chasing buyers of cheap Windows 10 licenses

[FireFox]

so all my keys are stolen and i am a criminal?

Kinda, you didn't pay for it ( JOKE )anyway you aren't in Germany, that said you are safe, instead I'm screwed

 

[StartofEnding]

THIS is the most illogical and funny news I read today (and the day is over)

 

[AsRock]

Microsoft wants teh annual revenue stream, but the marketplace has become so competitive with versions of Linux and people willing to use older versions of Windows and alternate paid Anti-Virus they have themselves painted into a corner, and until they can make some new amazing features they can charge a yearly fee for they will never get that Windows as a service model off the ground.

They really did themselves in (for me and a lot of others) when they killed off Windows Media Center, it had the ability to run on a second screen while still using windows for gaming, I loved that feature, my wife could watch netflix or movies while I was gaming on another screen with no noticeable effects.

Wait until the day come that MS takes over Linux, it's going to happen.

 

[Caring1]

Wait until the day come that MS takes over Linux, it's going to happen.

They can amalgamate the names and it shall be known as Microsux.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Wait until the day come that MS takes over Linux, it's going to happen.

Perhaps, but on that day many other things will also happen. For example, the Sun will turn green, the Martians(who have been hiding from us behind the rings of Saturn) will drop in and give us all pizza and the magical world will finally reveal themselves to us mere muggles...

 

[basco]

can i have extra cheese and maybe some super chilly´s from behind the sun

 

[lexluthermiester]

can i have extra cheese and maybe some super chilly´s from behind the sun

Sure, why not. Grand fantasy, isn't it?

 

[freeagent]

So, if you live in Germany, and you bought a key from say.. goodoffer24, they advertise here.. would that key be ok to the authorities?

 

[skizzo]

this reminds me of the Adult Swim show Metalocalypse with the band Dethklok. They had an episode where the band and their hired guns would bust into peoples homes while they were downloading music and beat the crap out of them or bring them into their dungeon like prisons lol. Clearly was a joke on the whole Metallica flipping out over Napster ordeal. I can only imagine someone installing Windows 10 to have German Police with a SWAT like response bust into their computer rooms guns drawn and all

 

[lexluthermiester]

would that key be ok to the authorities?

You'll be fine. Unless the NAZI's have returned, the police will not care about you buying an inexpensive CDKey.

 

[xrobwx71]

All you have to do is call Microsoft's phone activation center. I have never had them deny an activation for an OEM key. Ever. It takes all of 5 minutes to do.

This has always been my experience as well. It's the easiest robocall you'll ever make.

 

[R-T-B]

You'll be fine. Unless the NAZI's have returned, the police will not care about you buying an inexpensive CDKey.

Honestly, the nazis didn't either. Just saying.

Sort of before their time.

 

[AudiQ7]

Hello!
Has there been any development regarding illegal keys? Has it become a police case ??

 

[Kapone33]

Hello!
Has there been any development regarding illegal keys? Has it become a police case ??

Buying a discount key from a retailer with your Paypal account and having Microsoft verify your copy of Windows is not a crime.

 

[AudiQ7]

Buying a discount key from a retailer with your Paypal account and having Microsoft verify your copy of Windows is not a crime.

Not what I asked. Now, specifically, I ask the Germans, what has become of any police case?

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I have bought 3 over the last few years, never for more than $20. If they sell them cheap, someone will buy them, human nature, even if you know it is too cheap.

 

[qubit]

Yeah, of course these cheap keys are bent. They're obviously way too cheap. Unless the letter of the law is stuck to in the license conditions, it's technically pirate, no matter how edge case it may seem. I think that this should be a settled question.

Having said this, the marketplace is rife with sellers of such keys and heck, they're even promoted on TPU with locked threads, so what's the deal? To me, that strongly suggests that Microsoft looks the other way as market dominance is everything to them because of a bigger payoff than someone not paying for Windows. A multibillion dollar company like Microsoft could easily clamp down on this practice if they wanted to. So, if Microsoft isn't bothered by it, or tacitly accepts it as a cost of doing business, who are we to start worrying exactly how legit these keys are? I say, buy the keys and enjoy the products, no need to worry about exactly how legit they are even though they activate.

 

[dirtyferret]

So the email I got from Franz titled Achtung Abschaum was legit?

 

[Kapone33]

Disciunt Windows Keys exist for the same reason Discount Gaming sites exist. Scales of economy. The Internet is Worldwide though so in richer economies we can also buy "discount, cheap (even if you want illegal) legitimate keys for Windows programs....among others. The fact that there is a digital transaction for the key is registered on the Microsoft ecosystem before we the consumer even buy the key. There are not that many economies that can afford $200 Canadian for a copy of Windows from their Website.

 

[Frick]

It should be noted, this is not Microsoft doing this. Microsoft has already stated they do not object to these keys being sold. This is German law enforcement acting poorly.

Late reply, but do you have a source on this?

 

[AudiQ7]

So you don’t know of any cases where someone is summoned by the police or fined?

 

[Jetster]

They're also going after drugs and internet crime (dark web). I suspect the Windows cases will all be dropped

German authorities behead dark web Hydra Market (techtarget.com)

 

[lexluthermiester]

Buying a discount key from a retailer with your Paypal account and having Microsoft verify your copy of Windows is not a crime.

Exactly. German Law Enforcement seems to have their heads firmly lodged in their bum..

Late reply, but do you have a source on this?

Yes, microsoft themselves. This discussion took place in one of the cdkey threads where we debated until I reached out to microsoft and they confirmed their stance. I will not repeat it here, you'll have to look up that thread.

So, if you live in Germany, and you bought a key from say.. goodoffer24, they advertise here.. would that key be ok to the authorities?

According to German authorities, no. According to EU law, yes. German law enforcement seems to be acting outside EU law, which in a way, makes them an outlaw agency bordering treasonous behaviour.

 

[Ruru]

According to German authorities, no. According to EU law, yes. German law enforcement seems to be acting outside EU law, which in a way, makes them an outlaw agency bordering treasonous behaviour.

There's many examples when that same crap happens in Finland as well. Though never heard that grey market keystores have been criticized here.

 

[Vayra86]

Disciunt Windows Keys exist for the same reason Discount Gaming sites exist. Scales of economy. The Internet is Worldwide though so in richer economies we can also buy "discount, cheap (even if you want illegal) legitimate keys for Windows programs....among others. The fact that there is a digital transaction for the key is registered on the Microsoft ecosystem before we the consumer even buy the key. There are not that many economies that can afford $200 Canadian for a copy of Windows from their Website.

This. And I'm going to believe this whole topic's premise when someone can post a documented case of someone actually picked up for court to talk about an illegal Windows 10 key.

Please, someone humour me. Otherwise this topic necro has no purpose other than fearmongering
Grey market sales like this are completely, utterly irrelevant, MS even said so and their policy echoes it as it has done since Windows XP. The cost of hunting this down by far exceeds just spraying Windows licensing over all consumers happily like golden showers. There is a group that believes otherwise, they call them sheep The same principle applies to piracy in gaming. You don't fight this per-case despite all the lobby you see from the entertainment industry. That whole idea never really went any further than a few edge cases in which the public outrage and just general common sense dictates this makes no sense whatsoever. I vaguely remember one from France. In the Netherlands, we have 'Brein' and their biggest achievement has been blocking some torrent IPs and mirrors, but you can still access them regardless, even without a VPN.

This whole anti piracy/grey/black market battle is a back and forth with no end, no solution, and the only realistic stance is 'live and let live'. It exists. It covers a few percent of any marketplace. So what. I call it a healthy consumer anti-corporate practice that keeps some form of sanity in the market, and also is an enabler for us to preserve data irrespective of whatever companies think is right over time. That last part is of greater value to us than the economical damage of piracy. Its for that reason we have companies like GoG, but also Steam and its pretty comfortable DRM and access to content. The market is better with piracy.

/thread