What is "hacking" according to NBR?

What is "hacking" according to NBR?

I'll present an example. Software restriction policies(SRP) are present in the Pro and higher editions of Windows.

Now, if someone presents a way of implementing SRP in home etc editions by creating and modifying registry keys, is that "cracking" windows and hence forbidden by NBR? BTW, I'm sure modifying registry keys etc is 100% legal; as MS itself publishes on how to turn off autorun etc by tinkering around with the registry.

 

As all version windows 7 starter to ultimate contains all the files and setting just disabled accordingly what key is entered the question is much wider.

 

Generally NBR follows the rule that if it's against the EULA, we'd rather it not be talked about here. I believe that adding features that are unlicensed to your version of Windows against the terms of the EULA would fall under that.

 

100% agree

Does the EULA say anything about what features are "unlicensed" to a version of windows; and whose addition by third parties would constitute an EULA violation?

There are many features that windows does not provide, but which are legal to have them added by third parties (anti-virus, dvd burning for XP, Open office etc).

As far as I can tell, the only thing that would be off limits is getting a non-genuinely obtained lisence. Once you have a legit lisence to the OS, anything you do with it is legal (without hacking OTHER systems).

Anyone read the MS EULA?

 

Whether you try and hack a third party add-on or Windows own code to have a feature you are not entitled to have you are in violation of policy. discusion of how to obtain these unpaid features are a violation as well. You may not be breaking EULA but when you hack in paid features for free you are most likely in violation of copyright laws.

It is akin to paying for $0.99 one track on an album release but then because you figured out how to obtain the rest of the album tracks thinking you are then entitled to have them. So if you don't like the price of the added features find them somewhere else either cheaper or free so long as it is LEGAL.................

 

Generally EULAs will provide that the features you have a license to are the ones you are limited to. Adding those features in is likely against the EULA. None of the features you listed are inherent features of Windows - they're third party software that has nothing to do with the OS itself. That has nothing to do with honoring or dishonoring the EULA.

Honestly, if you're concerned about it, go find your version at License Terms and read it thoroughly. Browsing quickly through the Windows 7 Home Premium OEM English EULA, I find this to be relevant for you:

and

I believe you're talking about working around the technical limitations of the software to run another version, which would be a big no-no.

 

Not quite, I dont want to convert home premium to ultimate through registry hacking; that is a clear no-no


However, I'm totally confused about the following

So I cannot use windows optimally? And how do I figure out whats a technical limitation and not allowed? Reently, there was an LNK exploit, a temporary work around for which was to modify some registry key. Was that against EULA?
The modification was published by MS themselves --- so did MS tell us to violate their EULA?

This I'm completely confused about.


So, using/making a tool to implement Software restriction policies in home premium is considered against the EULA?
Note: SRP in win pro is a front end to making changes in the registry which implement the policies. In Home premium, the front end is missing, but the registry values are still there, and can be changed by our own tools, at least to a large extent.

 

If that's a Windows Pro+-specific tool, then unlocking it in Home Premium seems to be a pretty cut-and-dry no-no. If, as you said, all versions of Windows ship with the same features, but with certain switches flipped on and off depending on which version you have, then flipping those switches yourself to unlock higher level features, unless it's directly supported by MS, would be a EULA violation.

 

if you have to argue about whether or not you are violating a license or end user agreement, then you probably are.....