Microsoft to roll out new version of WGA

[vasulic]

Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday released a revamped version of its Windows Genuine Advantage tool that it hopes will reduce complaints arising from paid-up users of Windows XP caught in the dragnet of the controversial anti-piracy program.

The main change in WGA Notifications is a new category of results for PCs with Windows installations of questionable validity.

The change addresses a problem raised by the other half of Microsoft's anti-piracy program, WGA Validation, which was introduced in mid-2005. PCs that were scanned by WGA Validation and failed to prove to Microsoft’s satisfaction that they were running non-counterfeit copies of Windows XP were formerly labeled as "non-genuine" by Microsoft.

That caused WGA Validation to disallow access to certain Microsoft software, and WGA Notifications to send periodic messages asking users to reinstall XP or buy a legitimate license for it, leading to "nagware" complaints from some users.

Many users also claimed that WGA, due to technical glitches or other issues, mislabeled their genuine copies of Windows XP as pirated. Microsoft has maintained throughout that the rates of such "false positive" errors were very low.

At the same time, its online forum for WGA-related problems has registered nearly 20,000 postings from aggrieved users.

Yesterday’s change in WGA Notifications is aimed at addressing complaints from users who have yet to pass WGA by creating a new "indeterminate" category for copies of XP that failed to prove they were genuine yet did not use a license of XP known by Microsoft to be pirated.

Microsoft keeps a database of pirated XP licenses, most of which are stolen from corporations using a single volume license to install multiple Windows on multiple PCs.

Continued.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/...8&pageNumber=2

[techtronic]

Thanks for the post

[~Phenom~]

It hardly matters to me. i have got Linux to survive.

[caleb]

Thanks vasulic
There was one thing that puzzled me the most in that article...the last paragraph said "Microsoft plans to update the tool every 90 to 120 days, as a way to react to re-evaluation of the software and any changes in software piracy."

Obviously "re-evaluation every 90 to 120 days" means more R&D etc which only means spending more money on fat pay cheques for the guys working on it or increasing the number of personnel to "re-evaluate"...either way it only means more cost to the company, which Microsoft will only pass on to the end users eventually....instead why doesn't Microsoft sell their OS at half the price...surely Microsoft can afford it...it would be one way of Bill Gates showing his charitable side... and it will also re-inforce Microsoft's customer care...that will curb priacy to a great extent. They even advertise that fact as a selling point to score over their competitors.

I am a hard core Windows fan but I don't think their pricing is fair.

[anandk]

nice update. thanx

[Choto Cheeta]

Microsoft keeps a database of pirated XP licenses, most of which are stolen from corporations using a single volume license to install multiple Windows on multiple PCs.

what about those XP Cds stolen (rather copied) from Corporate Houses / Universities / Colleges ?? how would they track those ??

btw i visited the Microsoft Update, i didnt find any such tool available for me... also went to download few Microsoft Product which need validation and there too i wasnt asked to revalidate... may be autometic update downloaded the new WGA... !!!

[ketanbodas]

In the new version, Microsoft has also changed the wording of the warning displayed on PCs that are found to be running a pirated copy of Windows. The old "This copy of Windows is not genuine" was too accusatory and people didn't understand it, Lazar said. The new version states: "Your system did not pass genuine validation." http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6...ml?tag=nl.e550