Downloading $400 software from Lime Wire...how do they do it?

[120inna55]

I've noticed on Limewire that there are many downloads available for Microsoft products (MS Office Professional 2007, for instance). Some of the downloads claim to come with "key", or "key generator", etc. I'd never download something like this---particularly because I consider myself an honest person, but additionally because my company provides the software I need.

I'm just curious how people get away with this without getting caught? How can they have valid "keys"? I assume there are hundreds of people downloading the same software with the same key, so how does that work? I thought the serial numbers were unique.

 

[navychop]

Sure looks illegal to me. I wouldn't d/l anything there.

 

[120inna55]

Sure looks illegal to me. I wouldn't d/l anything there.

Of course it's illegal---that goes without saying. I just wonder how it's done without all these people getting caught. I figure Microsoft must come down hard on this pirated software, so how come there are so many of 'em available for download. I assumed if I had any illegally obtained software on my machine, MS would find it with Windows Updates, etc. I'm certainly not savvy enough to pull it off, nor do I even have a desire to.

 

[Pepper]

The dirty little secret: Microsoft wants market share more than they want to sell licenses. Every machine running pirated MS software is one less machine running Linux.

Heck, they give away the DVD ISO of Server 2008 for free download on their own website, they call it a "demo" but that demo is fully functional and can run indefinitely without ever having to enter a license key.

 

[snathanb]

I'm just curious how people get away with this without getting caught? How can they have valid "keys"? I assume there are hundreds of people downloading the same software with the same key, so how does that work? I thought the serial numbers were unique.

Some corporate versions doesn't required an individual license key to be entered. Some versions on the net are cracked to accept any serial number. Most are hacked not to ever connect to the microsoft server for authentication. Etc, etc, etc..

 

[duckydan]

When you download one of those "keygens" they sometimes contain cracks that block the program from logging online or being detected on the internet so there is no way to find out that you are using the program. With programs like MS Windows there are programs that block the Microsoft Validation Tool from working so that the update installs without the need for the scan. That said I would never get it from limewire... that's like a guarantee that you are downloading a virus. I'm going to avoid illegal chat but limewire is the least reliable place to do so. And while I also consider myself an honest person as well sometimes there is a need for an "extended demo"... i.e. I needed a program called Bluff Titler for a work application. It is on order at work however the IT department needs to test it before I can get it. As a result I needed it yesterday but they told me it would take a few weeks so the only option was to get a demo and a key until I could actually get the legal copy.

 

[vurbano]

Well you can get the software the same way from Euro websites for 50 bucks or so, XP pro, Office pro, Microstation, autocad etc. if it makes you feel better. Except that you cant get microsoft updates and such without continually cracking the genuine advantage tool everytime Microsoft updates it. Not that I would know anything about it.

 

[iafirebuff]

Good thing this is not in the FTA section....

 

[Pepper]

Well we are not discussing how to do it in any great detail, just the fact that it is being done. There are plenty of other places to get that kind of information.

 

[iafirebuff]

I was just commenting that this thread has gone on longer here - discussing software - than if we were in the FTA area discussing hacking

 

[NightRyder]

I don't know how many computers I've had to clean up because people were trying to get something for nothing. This stuff almost always comes with nasty little extras, anyone stupid enough to download it gets what they deserve.

NightRyder

 

[vurbano]

I don't know how many computers I've had to clean up because people were trying to get something for nothing. This stuff almost always comes with nasty little extras, anyone stupid enough to download it gets what they deserve.

NightRyder

sometimes it does, sometimes it doesnt. Not that I would know

 

[Van]

Theres an easy way that though not full prove is pretty much on the money to tell you if theres an added "program" to your program and thats generaly the size of the file even if its compressed or so Ive heard. Knowing someone who knew someone who knew somebody else some of the tools inquestion are in themselves a vessel for other programs that you wont see until its to late.

 

[cparker]

Hang in there. Microsoft is actually all in a tizzy over all of this SaaS stuff (software as a service) like Google's line of Office apps. There will be a lot more delivery of this type of application. Microsoft recently began allowing downloads of their software at nearly give-away prices (relatively speaking) and there will be more and deeper discounts to come. People are looking for alternatives to Microsoft's stranglehold and Microsoft is not oblivious to this. In order to keep market share they are going to ahve to change the way they do business on some products.

By way of background, I deal with Microsoft and do licensing for 65 colleges in the state system. Campus Agreements and Microsoft Select licensing. About 6 million dollars worth per year. So I have a bit of experience with them.

Downloading off Limewire is still not the way to go, but I think you will see some changes down the road.

 

[Hall]

Many years ago, AutoCAD was probably the most pirated software program out there and Autodesk oddly did next to nothing to stop it.... Today AutoCAD is the most popular/common CAD software available, with no competitor even close. Was that part of Autodesk's plan ?

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I think the point above that its a good thing this isn't in the FTA section is valuable. The discussion about Microsoft's approach to dealing with the issue is fine, but lets NOT talk about HOW to get stuff you don't pay for; or the technology underlying keygens, please.

AND as far as getting Office for cheap; the Home and Student version is $129; which is a fair price, and includes the three programs most people ned. And because I am at a university, I was able to buy The Professional version for $70.

The other way to get cheap stuff is to just go to NewEgg, and buy any piece of hardware, and you can usually get OEM pricing.

 

[cparker]

Find a college student who attends a college with a Microsoft Campus Agreement. Students at the university where I work get Office 2007 Enterprise for $14.95. They are entitled to one copy of each version. So if you find a student who is a Mac user, they can still get the PC version.

 

[Hall]

At one of the local universities, students could go to the library and "check out" the install discs for MS Office, install it on their PC (and their friends, parents, and so on .... they could, not that they should), and then return it. Did Microsoft consider the supposed "risk" in this setup ? I suppose they did, but looked at it as "more people using the software".

 

[truckracer]

I always stay away from any of the file sharing sites. They are full of viruses and whatever else. A few years ago, my cousin wrecked his computer trying to download music.
I had to format his drive, and re install everything (which took forever).

Lesson learned from somebody else's mistake.