Ask HN: Should Microsoft Brick PCs in Russia?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30638596

by zelon88 • 4 years ago

2 15 4 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I was thinking that if Microsoft pushed a critical update containing a secret dead man switch to Russian endpoints they could then revoke all software licenses in Russia and brick them remotely. Thoughts?

It doesn't seem fair that Microsoft should allow them to actively subvert licensing going forward.

selfhoster114• 4 years ago

With all due respect, this is an insane proposition. Substitute "Microsoft" with "the Linux kernel", and see how you like the idea.

No, a general purpose OS should never damage itself on purpose.

zelon884• 4 years ago

So Russian companies should get to run windows domains for free because Microsoft won't sell them licenses and the government condones software piracy?

But American companies still have to buy server licenses, client licenses, desktop/user cals.

selfhoster114• 4 years ago

No, Microsoft shouldn't make systems actively damage themselves if they notice they are pirated. Technology should serve the user first, and the author second, even if pirated.

It's fine to refuse to function if the system detects it's pirated on the first boot. It's not fine to do the same after an auto-update. It's definitely not fine to do any substantial damage like erasing data or server configuration.

Even Linux gets pirated. It's incredibly easy to comply with GPL, and yet companies like Ubiquiti still don't do it. Should your UniFi network cease to function out of a sudden because Linux kernel devs decided to bring it all down?

walkingbeardN• 4 years ago

Yes. It's not the fault of the Russian companies, is it? Besides, that is the state of affairs in many parts of the world.

johntdaly2• 4 years ago

Have you considered the ethics of this?

Russia invaded the Ukraine, and we stoped doing business with them. They said fuck you, we will now just steal this shit and say its legal. That makes them the bad guy.

The west says, what Russia is doing is wrong and we will not do business with them anymore. Right now that still makes us the good guys. (I hope we don’t fuck it up)

Reacting to Russia making stealing software legal by breaking their stuff is morally questionable and to be honest not very efficient. At best it would make us assholes or opportunists, at worst it would make us evil too. What we can do is make sure you can’t download updates, bug fixes and drivers from Russia. They are stuck with what they have.

Sometimes doing what is right costs you. Not doing what is right when it costs you and only doing what is right when it benefits you doesn’t make you a good guy, it makes you an opportunist.

emptyparadise• 4 years ago

Honestly, this is an insane proposition even in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, but it's outright bizarre to see it presented as some EULA compliance measure.

dvlat• 4 years ago

a) it will help noone (piracy), however Microsoft as a vendor will no longer be trusted by many countries

b) this will be a middle finger to retail users, not large companies and government who are more likely to test updates before installing them

c) I find it interesting that many Silicon Valley companies took investments from DST (=Usmanov =Putin). Putin and his friends directly benefit from those companies, but I see noone asking Apple to brick laptops for engineers of those companies. Should we ask those at least donate to humanitarian efforts? I've submitted a question (poorly worded perhaps) and it was flagged almost instantly.

simonblack• 4 years ago

That would be a good way to reduce Microsoft's prestige in 7/8ths of the World. Definitely a good idea, I say.

'The West' is not 'The World'. The West is only one-eighth of the World. Just India and China's population are three times the size of the whole of the West.

Ask HN: Should Microsoft Brick PCs in Russia?

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