A few weeks ago we spoke about the pricing and ways to buy the new Microsoft Office 2010 and I was asked by a friend to find out about the MS Windows 7 DSP licensing and the issue of theft. Before, we bought a license and kept it in our grubby paws, when it was stolen, we just re-installed the software and entered our license number. This is no longer possible…..
With the new DSP (Delivery Service Partner) Licensing – which is normally shipped with new computers, the license is linked to the computer and not you as the buyer. Who cares you ask….ask somebody after the computer is stolen and they need to buy a new Windows license as the last one they bought went with the PC.
The question that needs to be asked, which really was the question from my friend; Do you need to add the Windows DSP license to the insured amount of the PC when taking out insurance of the computer? The answer from Microsoft is a definite “Yes”! As we said earlier the license is part of the PC.
Not a nice thought, but Microsoft when getting a “signal” from the PC, checks to see if the registration code is correct and if it is, Microsoft sees the computer as a legal registration of their software. My question to Microsoft is that they should do a check on the registration against a database of “stolen” systems. , surely this would be a great crime fighting tool for places like South Africa with our high level of crime?
Almost a “black listing” for computers. There is a privacy issue, but even if Microsoft blocked the system from being used – it would help fight crime and also protect the victim’s data – for a while. Even better would be for Microsoft to start tracking the computer once the owner reported it stolen – I don’t really want to debate the privacy of that issue here, but it is time to protect our data, and the most common factor with computers these days is Microsoft.
The short answer is that you need to cover your Microsoft Windows 7 DSP operating system with your computer when taking out insurance.
Comments are always welcome, go wild below with your views and ideas.
Contributed by:
Malcolm Pearson
www.tech4law.co.za
