Canadian Windows demands a jolly good bit of validating
(2021/01/06)
- Reference: 1609930878
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/01/06/bork/
- Source link:
Bork!Bork!Bork! Are you... genuine? It is a question often asked by software in recent years, and Windows is no exception in today's entry to The Register's hall of bork.
Spotted by reader Glenn Hunt while he was stocking up on groceries on Boxing Day in Canada, the sign seems to imply that perhaps somebody behind the scenes has failed to spring for a full licence for Microsoft's former finest. Or perhaps that Windows is having a bit of a validation wobbly.
We say "former" because that sure as heck doesn't look like Windows 10 to us, although the aero-like chrome on the dialog did give us a tiny twinge of nostalgia, even if the message itself might leave a user with a vague sinking feeling.
[1]
Click to enlarge
[2]Product Activation is an attempt by Microsoft to enforce licence compliance, and pings data such as product keys at Redmond's servers to confirm validity. Depending on the version of the software, there is usually a grace period after which bits of the code might stop working and users are nagged to take action.
As for what has triggered this public protestation, a change of hardware configuration could have upset the applecart or (heaven forbid) somebody might be using a key of iffy origin. After all, it didn't take long for Windows XP's implementation [3]to take a tumble .
The sign itself can be found in the delightful Ontario town of [4]Aurora (motto: "You're in Good Company", although also known as " [5]Canada's Birthday Town " by some). While the content of the sign is of the blackest black, other than that Windows message, the frame implies a relationship to the company [6]President's Choice Financial , serving over three million customers by its own estimates.
We're sure the explanation is an innocent one. After all, with a name like "President's Choice Financial", what could possibly go wrong?
Assuming, of course, the president in question is not the orange-tinged one still lurking south of the Canadian border. Otherwise an old version of Windows whingeing about not being genuine is likely the least of our worries. ®
Get our [7]Tech Resources
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/01/05/canadaborksmall.jpg
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2009/07/29/windows_7_product_activation_cracked/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2001/07/10/winxp_product_activation_decoded/
[4] https://www.aurora.ca/en/index.aspx
[5] https://www.canadasbirthdaytown.ca/the-exhibit.html
[6] https://www.pcfinancial.ca/en/about-us/
[7] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Spotted by reader Glenn Hunt while he was stocking up on groceries on Boxing Day in Canada, the sign seems to imply that perhaps somebody behind the scenes has failed to spring for a full licence for Microsoft's former finest. Or perhaps that Windows is having a bit of a validation wobbly.
We say "former" because that sure as heck doesn't look like Windows 10 to us, although the aero-like chrome on the dialog did give us a tiny twinge of nostalgia, even if the message itself might leave a user with a vague sinking feeling.
[1]
Click to enlarge
[2]Product Activation is an attempt by Microsoft to enforce licence compliance, and pings data such as product keys at Redmond's servers to confirm validity. Depending on the version of the software, there is usually a grace period after which bits of the code might stop working and users are nagged to take action.
As for what has triggered this public protestation, a change of hardware configuration could have upset the applecart or (heaven forbid) somebody might be using a key of iffy origin. After all, it didn't take long for Windows XP's implementation [3]to take a tumble .
The sign itself can be found in the delightful Ontario town of [4]Aurora (motto: "You're in Good Company", although also known as " [5]Canada's Birthday Town " by some). While the content of the sign is of the blackest black, other than that Windows message, the frame implies a relationship to the company [6]President's Choice Financial , serving over three million customers by its own estimates.
We're sure the explanation is an innocent one. After all, with a name like "President's Choice Financial", what could possibly go wrong?
Assuming, of course, the president in question is not the orange-tinged one still lurking south of the Canadian border. Otherwise an old version of Windows whingeing about not being genuine is likely the least of our worries. ®
Get our [7]Tech Resources
[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/01/05/canadaborksmall.jpg
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2009/07/29/windows_7_product_activation_cracked/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2001/07/10/winxp_product_activation_decoded/
[4] https://www.aurora.ca/en/index.aspx
[5] https://www.canadasbirthdaytown.ca/the-exhibit.html
[6] https://www.pcfinancial.ca/en/about-us/
[7] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: We don't even have a president
John Savard
Pricey stuff? It's the upper-tier generics, so it's pricier than the really cheap stuff, but still cheaper than the national brands.
Re: We don't even have a president
Yet Another Anonymous coward
I only just found out that they invented the non-brand "white label" own brand concept - although in their case yellow.
[1]ob xkcd cartoon
[1] https://xkcd.com/993/
It Isn't Trump
John Savard
It's the President (and CEO, I presume) of Loblaws, the grocery chain that operates Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, and NoFrills. Not Donald Trump, so there's no increased chance of things going wrong for that reason.
keith_w
Dave Nichol was the president of Loblaw's at the time that they started the "President;s Choice" house brand. Even the writing of the brand name is his.
We don't even have a president
President's choice is the 'Tesco Finest' branding for the pricey stuff at Canadas big discount supermarket chain.
It's what they also call their own bank/credit card
A bit ironic having a 'Presidents choice elite worldclass' mastercard from the equivalent of Aldi.