Windows 10 Key: Mail from the public prosecutor's office because of illegal licences
Windows 10 Key: Mail from the public prosecutor's office about illegal licences
Well, have you looked in your letterbox today? It’s possible that you’ll find a letter in there, the sender of which will make your blood pressure rise. It could be a summons from the public prosecutor. And if, when reading the contents, you remember that you bought a „super-cheap“ Windows 10 key at an „absolute bargain price“ at some point in the past, it might put you in a worse mood. The question is: Did everything go according to the book at the time of purchase – or was the Windows Key illegal? And above all: What are the bona fide buyers facing now?
The subpoena is about the Windows Key
In recent years, Windows Keys have repeatedly been offered on well-known sales and auction platforms, some of which were considerably below the normal sales price. Buyers of such cheap Windows 10 licences are now to make statements to the public prosecutor’s office about the facts of the case. This concerns both the version Windows 10 Home as well as Windows 10 Pro.
The question is: Did one commit a criminal offence by buying it?
First of all, the summons is about clarifying whether the suspicion of „criminal copyright infringement“ or „reckless money laundering“ is justified .
Reasoning:
Looking at the actual price of a Windows 10 Key (starting at about 145 euros), as offered by Microsoft, everyone should have noticed immediately that something could be wrong and that the Windows Key might be illegal. After all, neither Windows 10 Pro nor Windows 10 Home can be had for a price of just 10 euros. However, the public prosecutor’s office mainly wants to get on the trail of those behind the scenes who are selling Windows 10 keys or Microsoft applications extremely cheaply. If you are affected, you should still contact a lawyer in the event of a summons.
Is my Windows 10 key illegal?
Yes and no. Because the trade in used software is basically legal in Europe (unlike in the USA, for example). The problem is that quite a few dealers acquire the Windows keys illegally and then resell them on Ebay or Amazon, for example. It is also forbidden to use the keys more than once. The prerequisite for a legal sale, for example of a Windows 10 key, is that the dealer provides certified proof of the origin of the Windows key. Above all, the product key must have been properly deactivated before the sale. If these basics are met, the Windows 10 licence is legal. If not, then it is illegal software.
How to spot a legally resold Windows 10 key
Who would have thought that not only Windows, Office and other Microsoft applications can be legally sold? Even OEM or system builder versions of Windows can be resold without any problems, as long as they are legal licences. Unfortunately, there are also many black sheep on the marketplaces. These tips help you to recognise whether the seller of the Windows 10 key is a reputable provider – or someone with whom you run the risk of being dragged before the judge:
- The packaging of the boxed Windows or Office licence must be complete, i.e. it must also contain the official product card including the product key.
- The dealer must be able to provide proof of where he himself acquired the used licence keys.
- The Windows key must be activated directly at Microsoft and not via a third-party website.
- In addition, the product key may not be activated more than once by different users.
Additional tip: If you are unsure – Microsoft itself offers the product information service to check whether the software is legal. Here, after entering some data, you can quickly see whether you will soon have to expect unpleasant mail from the public prosecutor.
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Microsoft Office Update 2021: What we already know
Microsoft Office Update 2021: We already know this
Millions of users work with Microsoft’s Office package every day. Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint have become indispensable in both private and business applications. For 2021, the company now has a number of innovations in the bag. In part, these updates are really practical and sensible, especially in the professional sector – but in part they are likely to cause annoyance. Here is everything you need to know about the Microsoft Office Update.
This is what the new update brings with it
After the update, there will be two versions when you start the download: one for home use and one for enterprise, but both versions will support both 32-bit and 64-bit.
- Office LTSC (Long Term Servicing Channel) for larger businesses and government users.
- Office 2021 for home users and small businesses. Here, the support was shortened from seven to five years. In addition, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint can only be used on a PC or Mac.
It is likely that the price of Microsoft Office will rise with the update. Users should expect a price increase of around 10 per cent on individual purchases, according to unconfirmed rumours. As already Microsoft Office 2016 and Microsoft Office 2019 there is no obligation to connect the application to the internet after the update. So for the single purchase, there is no need to take out a subscription or work via a cloud.
Some innovations in Microsoft Office
- Microsoft has announced new features in both Office 2021 for home users and Office LTSC for business:
- Better Accessibility.
- Excel now gets functions like Dynamic Arrays and XLOOKUP.
- Multiple apps can be used better thanks to the supported dark mode.
- Standard apps like Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint get performance improvements.
- The new packages come with the Microsoft Teams app. For this, the Skype for Business Client is no longer available.
Examples with which Service-Plus Microsoft binds customers
New Outlook functions:
In future, there will be wording suggestions when creating messages, and a new booking environment for conference rooms will also be available with additional functions. With the new drop-down menu in the search area, the search can be made easier – a click switches between the current folder and the current mailbox. Messages from Outlook can now be shared directly with a person or channel in Microsoft Teams, and a new dictation toolbar, enhanced voice commands and automatic punctuation make composing messages easier.
Enhancements to the Teams feature:
When sharing a PowerPoint file, the speaker view is also possible. With Microsoft Forms, one can start direct polls among the participants of a meeting. In the desktop client, it is easy to return to the last places visited using the history menu, and depending on the administrator setting, telephone numbers can be masked in future, which leads to more Privacy and anonymity.
Word gets easier:
With the overhaul of the editor, it is now easy to take typing and spelling suggestions directly with a click, and HEIC images from iPhones or iPads can also be inserted without conversion. For new documents, folders can be pinnedusing the shortcut Ctrl+S , eliminating tedious searches for the right location.
In summary: the changes in the Microsoft Office Update
- Microsoft has so far finally confirmed the following editions Office 2021 Standard and Office 2021 Professional Plus.
- These will come with OneNote and Teams delivered.
- The packages are available as purchase licences and perpetual licences.
- A price increase for Office packages and individual apps or products is to be expected.
- The Office versions are available for Windows and Mac.
- 32- and 64-bit editions are still available.
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Instructions: Create a backup - now work safely at home!
Instructions: Create a backup - now work safely at home!
Especially in times of the home office, purely private data such as pictures, e-mails or music collections are joined by business data, which is indispensable for a smooth, optimised workflow. And what if there is a crash? Then everyone who does at least part of their job at home will be in trouble! So it’s high time for a professional backup – here’s how!
Definition: Data backup
The hard disk of a computer stores all data. But also the browser favourites and especially the access data to the computer are stored here. In the course of time, a veritable data library is created at the heart of the computer. Practical on the one hand – but risky on the other. Unfortunately, the hard disk also has a limited lifespan. Malfunctions and defects can occur, data can be lost or the computer can simply no longer be started.
Caution: Danger
Another danger to sensitive data is malware, such as a computer virus or ransomware, which will not release data until a ransomis paid. Due to so many possibilities of data loss, it is essential to make a regular backup on two independently operating storage media. How often this data backup should take place depends, among other things, on the frequency with which data is changed. In the home office, with its constant workflow, a daily data backup is recommended. With a backup, a copy of all data is made manually or by means of suitable software. This is done with the help of an external storage medium, such as an external hard drive. From there, a so-called data recovery is possible at any time.
Backup methods
Basically, there are several methods available for backing up data – and each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Manual backup:
This option is inexpensive but requires a bit of discipline. In any case, it should be done every time data is changed or new data is added. Tip: With a tightly timed, regular schedule, it is often easier to maintain this discipline . Procedure: First, a data carrier (external hard drive) with sufficient storage volume is connected to the computer. Then copy the data from the source data carrier (the computer’s hard disk) to this external hard disk. Disadvantage: As a rule, the computer’s system data cannot be backed up with the manual backup.
Semi-automatic backup:
Here, software is used that even backs up the entire system, depending on the version. Another option is to back up specific files or folder structures. Procedure: Again, an external data carrier (hard disk or DVD) is connected to the computer. Alternatively, the data can also be saved under a network address (cloud). For the backup of the data, a time must be specified at which the programme is to carry out the backup. Tip: Do not specify the time during normal working hours, as the data backup may require a high level of computer performance.
Fully automatic data backup:
For this, appropriate backup software is set up only once. The programme then creates backups independently in the specified period and according to the desired frequency. Procedure: Connect an external data carrier as usual, then install the software. Now enter when and how often the programme should make the backups. In most cases, you can also set up certain types of backups. Advantage: With the fully automatic data backup, the software does everything by itself, including the system backup.
Suitable backup programmes
AOMEI Backupper Professional
AOMEI Backupper Professional enables backups of hard disks, individual folders or files as well as the complete system. The programme is time or event controlled and can even delete outdated backup folders on its own.
Stellar Photo Recovery
With Stellar Photo Recovery you can recover damaged, deleted or lost photos as well as music and video files. The programme can recover data on internal as well as external drives, CDs, DVDs or memory cards.
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