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Pratap Ravindran

Microsoft has always been careful about coming down too heavily on pirates, because it is aware that aggression may drive the market to Linux. And yet, it cannot ignore piracy altogether because it hurts financially.

Pune , Aug. 5

AUGUST is turning out to be an extremely busy month indeed, for Microsoft.

For one, it's finally squaring off against the operating system, which has long been the single biggest threat to its proprietary Windows - bootleg Windows.

For another, it is releasing a beta version of its first full test version of Windows Vista, hitherto known by its code name, Longhorn.

As of now, those who want to download the latest add-ons for Windows XP will have to go through a piracy check to ensure that their operating system is authentic.

An exception is, however, being made in the case of security patches, which can still be obtained through a manual or an automatic download without authentication.

But the Microsoft Update and Windows Update utilities, which notify new patches, will require validation.

The initiative falls under Windows Genuine Advantage, a Microsoft attempt to get more users to pay for Windows.

According to current company estimates, about one-third of the operating system in use across the world is not legitimate. The authentication requirement represents the stick component of Windows Genuine Advantage. There's a carrot too: an enhanced value of genuine Windows.

Microsoft is now providing more freebies to the users of authentic Windows.

Further, those who flunk validation will be given two options.

They can either send in their CDs along with a piracy report and become eligible for a legitimate free copy of Windows or, if they have no CDs/proof of purchase, file a piracy report and get a licensed copy of Windows XP Home for $99 (Rs 4,300) or Windows XP Professional for $149 (Rs 6,480).

These rates are higher than the upgrade rates — but lower than the rates that they would have to pay for a new copy of the operating system. The company is walking an exceedingly thin line here.

Microsoft has always been careful about coming down too heavily on pirates, especially in emerging markets, because the company is aware that aggression may drive the market to Linux. And yet, it cannot ignore piracy altogether because it hurts the company financially.

Further, the sale of Windows has been trailing the sale of PCs and the promotion of legitimate copies of the operating system is the only way that Microsoft can grow its business.

Even as the company confronts piracy, the test version of Vista is being made available, initially to about 10,000 testers and subsequently to over 500,000 members of Microsoft's MSDN developer programme or its Technet programme for corporate technology workers.

Beta 1 is not for the lay computer user or even technology enthusiasts — it's strictly for people referred to as "bitheads" by the Windows Chief, Mr Jim Allchin.

Beta 1 includes a redesigned start menu, animated effects which kick in when opening and shutting down Windows, new desktop searching and organising features such as virtual folders, an early version of the Internet Explorer 7 browser and security features, including full-volume encryption.

It does not contain updates to the Media Center and Tablet PC features and the new ways of processing music and videos as promised by the company.

Microsoft says it will be offering an update to Beta 1 at its Professional Developer Conference in September.

Microsoft is expected to ship Windows Vista next year in time for the inclusion of the operating in PCs that will be sold during next year's holiday shopping season in the West.

What will it feature?

Microsoft has announced publicly that Vista will have broad IPv6 support, whole-volume encryption, automatic hard drive optimisation, a tweaked synchronization engine and improvements in client-side caching of data stored on a server.

It will further have a secure boot-up process to prevent access to PCs that are lost or stolen.

Those who see nothing funny about Microsoft jokes will be happy to learn that, according to the company, Vista will be easier for businesses to use on multiple PCs and that it will cut costs by reducing the number of times the computers will have to be rebooted.

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