[FEATURE] - Removing Windows Activation requirement

[ikrashpk]

What is your feature request regarding to?

Atlas Playbook

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

[FEATURE] - please remove windows activation people are very sad because of this

Describe the solution you would like.

[FEATURE] - please remove windows activation people are very sad because of this

Describe alternatives you have considered.

[FEATURE] - please remove windows activation people are very sad because of this

Additional context.

No response

[JayXTQ]

No, we can't due to the nature of the product.

[Ast3risk-ops]

We can't remove this because Microsoft would slam us into the ground, as we'd technically be letting freeloaders modify their OS that they did not pay for (Microsoft locks customization behind activation, so that shows their stance on this).

As for your 4 points, they're wrong. If we added criminal tools or illegal content we'd get sued for other reasons.

The activation requirement is basically futureproofing. We don't want any trouble from Microsoft. If you want to modify the playbook in private and remove the requirement (or even distribute a version without the requirement), you may do so, the GPL permits it. However, we could not care less.

If you're too lazy or poor to pay for Windows, just try a Linux distro. They're free, lightweight (usually), and amazing.

Any future reports about removing activation will be closed and locked as well.

(Note by PencilNavigator: Ast3risk-ops send me an improved version of the original message and i help edited it's post.)

[mkuznetsov]

Can I see a legal definition of MS "nature of the product"? From legal stand point where are 4 things that u could not do for thing you ship (personal usage and etc are not another mater): 1) get a windows and rebranded (debranding is one of cases) as new product without paying to MS and getting all kind of papers. Dramatically changing of UI can be ruled as debranding. It can be avoided if you mark you product as DIY script and don't do any branding. 2) you somehow make customisation or alteration that some how break copyrighting, policies and partners agreements of MS, as result MS may be have some court time. Alteration usually is most finicky part. 3) make a some kind of fraud or criminal tool that harm reputation of MS by association with original OS. 4) add some prohibited content. Anything from pirated software, stollen books to adult content.

From the list above looks like you break (1). making this thing optional will make you free people again, and as a bonus you just make life of many enthusiasts and testers better. MS make a pain out of OS installation in homelab.

[JayXTQ]

We are keeping the activation. This is to avoid legal trouble that can arise. Stop complaining about it. If you really care, build Atlas yourself without it. We could care less.