p2pnet - rss feed: Windows Genuine DisAdvantage
p2p news / p2pnet: The ‘advantages’ attached to of Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) are all one-sided, it seems.
Or as The Register puts it, WGA will, "phone Redmond every day - something it neglected to tell users before they installed it".
Windows Not-So-Genuine Advantage is supposed to allow Bill and the Boyz to ferret out illegal MS software, and it launches pop-ups if it thinks you’re not the real deal.
Two UK dealers have already complained WGA had branded their software as an illegal copy and now, "The software checks what is installed on your machine and then reports back to Microsoft - it sends your IP number and information on your software set-up," says the story.
El Reg contacted Michaela Alexander, head of anti-piracy at Microsoft UK, who said:
"First of all this is a pilot - customers have the choice to subscribe or not. WGA is very careful about which license keys are checked - some numbers have been leaked and therefore have been culled by Microsoft. If customers bought a genuine copy of Windows but as a result of a poor installation or a repair a different license key was used then WGA would flag it as not genuine."
And, "The last thing we want is unhappy customers so we are investigating this - but it is a pilot and this is part of the process."
Bill and the Boyz say the secret application, "is a safety measure designed to allow the tool, called Windows Genuine Advantage, to quickly shut down," The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has the WGA’s David Lazar as saying. "It’s kind of a safety switch."
Lazar said the company was worried it might have an "unforeseen emergency" calling for the program to terminate quickly, says the story, adding:
"But he acknowledged that Microsoft should have given users more information about the daily interactions."
Microsoft is, "looking at ways to communicate that in a more forward manner," he says.
But wait ——- an unforeseen emergency that would require the program to terminate quickly?
"That’s a horrific thought for those of us that have allowed the tool to have free reign on our machines," says Ars Technica.
"I would prefer to not have the WGA tool owning my system, and I wouldn’t have even installed it had it not been for the weeklong nagfest wrapped in the little yellow shield that it put on for me, but I digress. The way I understand Lazar’s explanation, Microsoft fears that the WGA could wrongly accuse a machine of being pirated, and well, shut it down or do some other evil to it."
Digg this story.
Also See:
The Register - Microsoft product phones home every day, June 8, 2008
launches pop-ups - Microsoft spyware project, April 28, 2006
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer - Microsoft plans better disclosures for piracy monitoring tool, June 7, 2006
Ars Technica - Microsoft discloses that the WGA tool phones home daily, June 7, 2006
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June 8th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Windows Genuine Advantage is a cakewalk compaired to the skullduggery to be included in Vista.
And, does WGA check what non-MS software is installed while it’s big brothering our computers?
June 8th, 2006 at 7:35 pm
probably only if the company that creates the software pays M$ or if they think they can force one of their own applications on you.
June 8th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
All I can do is thank Microsoft, all they have done is made more business go over the Linux and OpenOffice.org. In the last month I have move over 30 business to these systems.
So thanks Microsoft, they will not have to pay any of you Tax’s again!
June 8th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
spyware apps would die have the power M$ has right now
June 8th, 2006 at 10:18 pm
Well yes, but M$ did write the OS, so they can just add in any crap they like whenever they like.
I’m just curious, if it’s Genuine Advantage, would using a warezed copy of Windows be an Unfair Advantage? I am still stunned that M$ aren’t, at the very very least, selling Windows as a loss leader in order to beat ‘piracy’. It’s almost like they want people to copy it, they don’t seem to want to give the user the Genuine Advantage, certainly.
June 9th, 2006 at 3:45 am
Check out this translation of xp’s EULA into english and take a good look at section 2 onwards. Scary stuff huh?
http://linuxadvocate.org/articles.php?p=1
June 9th, 2006 at 6:54 am
That was actually quite a laugh.
From Sec 17: “Microsoft is further not liable for failing to use “good faith,” “reasonable care” or for negligence.”
Microsoft claims they are not liable for negligence? Sorry, but the law says you are liable.
“Microsoft is not liable even if they break the terms of this agreement.”
If they can break their own agreement, then what is the point of having one? Isn’t that “breach of contract?” Funny thing is after reading this I’m finding myself thinking that people should pirate their software…all they can. Oh, but they expect you to abide by the terms of this agreement… Can we say hypocrite?
Microsoft, as a company, is a two faced bastard child…fuck em.
June 9th, 2006 at 3:42 pm
If MicroSoft and everyone else whats to take control of everyone’s computer and use it for their purpose and to feed themselves information, they are just creating a great defense for all criminals. In fact a person’s computer today is now a shared piece of hardware and even one shared without the users’ permission! So exactly how close do these fools at MS and company want to get to the computer user, their equipment and all their other software AND activities with them? I would hold some of these outfits responsible and as participating in some questionable activities if they have this information. The more they try to gather info the more they should be held responsble for being an accomplice.
These fools all want to be married with a built in divorse license.
It is time for them to be forced to specifically spell out their intent and actions or be held responsible for everything.