bottom line: It is now possible to activate a fresh install of Windows XP, even though Microsoft no longer uses their online activation servers. Windows XP has been in the dust for a long time now, but there are still plenty of legacy OS machines that can benefit from this tool.

Register points to a blog post from tiny apps covering the semi-recent developments on the subject. Sure, people have been cracking Windows XP for decades, but now it’s possible to do it safely, securely, and without Microsoft’s involvement.

behind Reddit post on the subject, the tool is based on reverse engineering the Microsoft phone activation algorithm.

According to the latest data from StatCounter, Windows XP is installed on only 0.35% of computers worldwide. It’s hardly a flicker on the radar, you say, so why does it matter at all?

Only StatCounter and other analytical services measure systems that are connected to the Internet and visit sites with a tracking code installed. The truth is that there are many systems in the wild that are not connected to the Internet. But why are they still using an ancient operating system like Windows XP? Out of necessity.

There is no shortage of legacy hardware and software that is only compatible with older operating systems like XP. A few years ago, I worked as an IT person at a tanning salon and they used proprietary software from Helios to manage T-Max hardware sleep timers. The software and hardware has probably come a long way since then, but at the time it had to be run on an older version of Windows.

In many cases, upgrading these critical systems is simply not possible because proprietary hardware or software is no longer being developed. If you find yourself in this boat and Windows XP is your only paddle, it’s good to know that there’s a way to activate the OS without an internet connection. Microsoft also offered telephone activation, but it’s not clear if this method works today.

Full details of what you need to activate XP can be found at tiny apps blog. It also begs the question: does Microsoft ever want to release an official activation tool for XP?

Image credit: Jen Theodore

Leggett told researchers that she “became one” with her device. This helped her control the unpredictable violent seizures she usually experienced and allowed her to take charge of her life. So she was devastated when she was told two years later that she had to remove the implant because the company that made it went bankrupt.

The removal of this implant and others like it could constitute a violation of human rights, ethicists said in an article published earlier this month. And this problem will become more and more urgent as the market for brain implants grows in the coming years, and more people get devices like Leggett. Read the full story.

— Jessica Hamzelu

You can learn more about what happens to patients when their life-changing brain implants are removed against their will at latest issue of “Check”Jessica’s weekly newsletter for all things biotech related. register to receive it in your mailbox every Thursday.

If you want to know more about brain implants, why not check out:

+ Brainwaves can tell us how much someone is in pain. The study could open the door to personalized brain therapy aimed at treating the most severe types of chronic pain. Read the full story.

+ ALS patient sets record for brain implant communication. Brain interfaces could allow paralyzed people to speak at near-normal speeds. Read the full story.

+ Here’s How Personalized Brain Stimulation Can Treat Depression. Implants that monitor and optimize our brain activity are on the way. Read the full story.