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Author Topic: MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar  (Read 390 times)

HSDEMONZ

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« on: November 24, 2004, 05:21:00 AM »
Pirated software used to create help content in MS's Windows XP
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QUOTE

By Wolfgang Gruener, Senior Editor - Tom's Hardware

November 15, 2004 - 13:54 EST

Chicago (IL) - Members of a former software cracking group have discovered that audio files created with one of its cracked programs are distributed with each copy of the Windows XP operating system, possibly exposing MS to a large-scale copyright infringement lawsuit.

The content in question can be found on every computer with Windows XP as operating system installed. Nine WAV audio files located in the folder " "Help\Tours\WindowsMediaPlayer\Audio\Wav" in the Windows installation directory include a signature of "Deepz0ne", a member of former cracking group "Radium". If the files are opened not with an audio player, but with a HEX editor or simply in Windows' own text editor Notepad, the last line displays as "000-04-06 IENG Deepz0ne ISFT Sound Forge 4.5".


(IMG:http://www.pictures.xbox-scene.com/hsdemonz/MS-Uses-Pirated-Soundforge-Software/Sniper-small.jpg)

Click for Large Picture

A source confirmed to Tom's Hardware Guide, that the signature is "authentic for the cracked version of Sound Forge 4.5" and relates to the cracker Deepz0ne. "The Radium group has been dissolved about four years ago, but still meets every week in a casual manner," the source said. "One of the members circulated the information at a birthday part last weekend and then pitched the story apparently to Germany's PC Welt magazine," he said. PC Welt published the story the same day.


News-Source and Full Story: www.tomshardware.com
Independantly verified and picture credit Sniperkilla

UPDATE:
MS's hyprocacy is even funnier than Tom's Article suggests..

QUOTE

Ballmer (MS Executive), speaking in Singapore at MS's Asian Government Leaders Forum, said that Linux violated more than 228 patents. He did not provide any detail on the alleged violations, which the Linux community disputes.

"Someday, for all countries that are entering the WTO (World Trade Organization), somebody will come and look for money owing to the rights for that intellectual property," he added.


News-Source and full story: www.CNN.com

MS should keep it's nose clean before looking to pick someone elses nose.
(November 24 07:54 EST)  <
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NerdENerd

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2004, 05:32:00 AM »
It would not have been MS that used the pirated version but the sound engineer thay contracted to make the sounds for them.
I am sure that many big companies have been unaware that content they have paid contactors to create for them was made with pirated tools.

There is absolutely no way in the world that any project manager who contracts an external supplier to create content is going to be able to audit the licencing of the tools used to create the content supplied to them.
So the fact that content supplied to MS has the signature DeepzOne in it when viewed by a hex editor means that MS are all of a sudden software pirates.
I am no MS lover but you MS bashers really love an excuse to abuse MS.

P.S. How many of you bashers are reading this in IE on your pirate version of Windows XP?

This post has been edited by NerdENerd: Nov 25 2004, 03:39 AM <
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HSDEMONZ

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2004, 05:35:00 AM »
MS in the end is responsible for every line of code.. every module.. and every file and app included in their Public Retail OS releases.

It's up to them to QC everything. If Sony brings in the big guns.. ultimately.. MS will be the ones with their wallets open. (they may later go after "any" subcontractors.

As I noted in the news.. MS spend far too much time pointing fingers.. instead of keeping their own hands clean.  <
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Xtrem

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2004, 06:07:00 AM »
QUOTE (HSDEMONZ @ Nov 24 2004, 10:32 AM)
As I noted in the news.. MS spend far too much time pointing fingers.. instead of keeping their own hands clean.

I'm With You 110% !   <
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chefelf

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #4 on: November 24, 2004, 06:25:00 AM »
QUOTE (HSDEMONZ @ Nov 24 2004, 10:32 AM)
If Sony brings in the big guns.. ultimately.. MS will be the ones with their wallets open.

It's probably a matter of "When?" rather than "If?"  ;)  Sony would be foolish to let MS get away with this, particularly after MS has intruded onto their console gaming market.

This story delights me far more than it should.  :)  I bet MS is wishing Sony hadn't bought Sonic Foundry.  <
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HSDEMONZ

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #5 on: November 24, 2004, 06:28:00 AM »
MS will probably solve this problem like they do most.. and just purchase the sonic foundary Product/division from Sony.  <
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alagares

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #6 on: November 24, 2004, 06:54:00 AM »
Wow I think this is really big.

My wife says that the possible legal complications in this case are that MS will get a big lawsuit and the employer who created the files will probably face criminal charges.  <
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jthoboston

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #7 on: November 24, 2004, 06:55:00 AM »
nothings going to come of this. 9 sound files which were created on pirated copies of sound forge?  They probably got these files form somehwere else or an outside contractor.  QA doesnt go through the hex values in a sound file, at least i wouldnt think so.   <
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chefelf

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2004, 06:57:00 AM »
QUOTE (HSDEMONZ @ Nov 24 2004, 11:25 AM)
MS will probably solve this problem like they do most.. and just purchase the sonic foundary Product/division from Sony.

:lol:

I can only imagine the happiness felt by ther person who discovered this.  Can you imagine the sheer delight you would feel as you uncovered this?  :)  <
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Baner

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2004, 07:03:00 AM »
Who the hell sits around and hex edits every file on their computer looking for this kinda crap?

QUOTE
They probably got these files form somehwere else or an outside contractor

That's the thing tho, they're using the files to make money.
A. The copy was pirated
B. It's Sony's.
C. It's M$
I'd do everything in my power to screw over M$ if I was Sony.  <
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HSDEMONZ

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2004, 07:04:00 AM »
QUOTE (jthoboston @ Nov 24 2004, 11:52 AM)
nothings going to come of this. 9 sound files which were created on pirated copies of sound forge?  They probably got these files form somehwere else or an outside contractor.  QA doesnt go through the hex values in a sound file, at least i wouldnt think so.

When you are MS.. and you have as much money, time and manpower involved in projects like their OS.. you have someone who oversees the projects.. and ensures everything is kosher.

MS fucked up. Plain and simple.

Now.. what we need.. is for someone else to start combing the files.. and see what else MS lifted.

Rumours of them lifting open source had been around a long time. Time to find it.

I imagine if files made with pirate copies of Sound Foundary are in the OS.. imagine what other files made with pirate software might be waiting to be found.

It's clear that one of 2 things have happened.. MS dev team slipped up on their due diligence and protocol by allowing this to slip in there.. or they blatantly allowed it.

People will be fired.. and hopefully Sony give them a black eye.  <
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HSDEMONZ

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2004, 07:07:00 AM »
MS new motto:

Steve Balmer "at MS.. we don't condone piracy in any shape or form.. unless it's us using other people's pirated software, or our subcontrators using others pirated software.."

course.. he'd only say that is we had Woinder Woman's lasso of truth wrapped around him.  <
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chefelf

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2004, 07:11:00 AM »
QUOTE (jthoboston @ Nov 24 2004, 11:52 AM)
nothings going to come of this. 9 sound files which were created on pirated copies of sound forge?  They probably got these files form somehwere else or an outside contractor.  QA doesnt go through the hex values in a sound file, at least i wouldnt think so.

Of course something will come of this.  If you buy a car that ends up being stolen does that mean you get to keep the car if the authorities track it down?  Of course not, and that's just something on a very small scale.

MS messed up big.  MS gets sued on a daily basis.  This will bring forth legal action, there is no doubt.  Sony will not just let this slide.  They'd be stupid if they did.  People are always looking for reasons to take legal action against MS.  They're one of the richest corporations in the world, so even getting a settlement from them is something.

This will end up costing MS quite a bit of money but, one would imagine, they will be largely unaffected in the long term.  <
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Baner

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2004, 07:17:00 AM »
I'm surprise M$ hasn't released another virus to clean out those files. It's been awhile since we've had a large virus outbreak, and here's a good reason for one. ;)   <
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PITABoy

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MS Caught With Their Hand In The Cookie Jar
« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2004, 07:17:00 AM »
MS are hypocrits. dont pirite our software but we'll pirate software and hope that nobody finds out. bad MS. does this give us the right to pirate their pirated software. and i payed for windows i want my money back. it just isn't fare. I thought that i was liget but sence MS isn't does that make us all pirates. are they going to have to give us all new versions of windows without the pirated files? i sure hope so but they will probabally make you have your origional recipt. anyway that is about all the questions that i have. we need to have a fourm for updates or a yahoo email group.  <
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