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Will Windows Genuine Advantage Become Microsoft's Rootkit?
from the lawsuits-trying-to-make-it-so dept
After lots of complaints from perfectly legitimate users, who found Microsoft's new "Windows Genuine Advantage" system not so advantageous, Microsoft has finally agreed to back down on the anti-piracy tool a bit. WGA was supposed to check to make sure your copy of Windows was legit, but if it got something wrong, you could be without your computer. Also, many people just aren't that comfortable with a computer spying on them. Well, now the same lawyers who filed a class action lawsuit against Sony BMG for their rootkit have filed a suit against Microsoft, noting that WGA appears to violate spyware laws. While WGA doesn't seem nearly as bad as the Sony rootkit, Microsoft's slow response to complaints could create backlash against the company in the same way that Sony BMG faced a ton of backlash. It's yet another example of a company selling you something where they want to hang onto a lot more control than they should -- potentially causing problems. Once again, treating all your customers as criminals tends not to be a great business strategy.
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Reader Comments (rss)
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OUCH!
Dont treat users as theives and they will make your company grow (circa early M$ 1990's) as opposed to ignore it and let it disolve before your eyes (circa MAC 1990's)
Now MAC is user aware and friendly and Windows is getting creepy in its old age. I operate both systems and I prefer Windorks myself but if they try this carp i will use an old version as a hold out until both systems , MAC/Windows truly become one and then just pick the least overbearing of the two.
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Morons
Morons.
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my car is a pinto - runabout - a mile and stop
Gee, do you think I mighta bought 2 of the same kinda disgraceful design lemons of the 20th century?
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Stop Complaining when M$ changes their software.
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What a PITA
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Re: What a PITA
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doesn't matter to the regular consumer
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Re: Wake Up People
Don't get caught up in minimal legal details when the 'rental' comes with pre-defined expectations of fair-use and privacy.
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It's not about the average joe
Point is, it's not the users fault they are just limited in their options. Though, I do hear that some vendors are starting to push alternative Os' more and custom system builders have done so for a period of time, to save their customers money. IF the vendors decide to go against MS then it will trickle down into the consumers home.
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Other means
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Re:
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shame on you
I also beta tested Vista. I was so upset. It was like a horrible theme on XP, trying to look like OS X. I want something fast and reliable, no one in business is concerned with stupid opacities and shadows. Wake-up MS, don't copy Apple, do something new. If you are going to implement OpenGL, try working with a 3D desktop, with 3D video conferencing with intergrated voip - or something useful for business, not some gay widgets.
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You can remove it
see http://forums.rift-tek.net/index.php?showtopic=710
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nice
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lack of common sense
WGA is just another reason not to buy windows.
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Why dont you just...
Or even better, get a professor or staff memeber to buy you a copy of XP Pro (without the dial-home to activate) for the same price?
It's legit--sponsored by Microsoft (first one's free-er, discounted, kid), and the XP Pro edition--from what i've seen--uses the same serial number for ALL of the copies.
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Re: Why dont you just...
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Re: It's not about the average joe
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Re: shame on you
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Their Loss
I hope WGA does work and works well. Then the techs who build their own computers at home are more likely to try Linux. Then once they are comfortable with Linux, then they are more likely to implement it at work. Then it will hit M$ right in the pocketbook.
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Re: doesn't matter to the regular consumer
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Re: Their Loss
Oh yeah. And it won't be just the techs they lose. It will also be every emerging nation. China and India will also be pushed away from expensive M$ products. There goes 2/5 of the world's population.
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Re: Morons
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Re:
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Re: Re: Their Loss
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WGA, and other windows eavesdroppers
similarly, i believe that when you use windows media center, it uses windows messenger to phone home. for what purpose.
does windows media player phone home, even if you opt not to share information with windows about the media you use?
i have noticed windows self-initiating dr. watson. it is diagnosing my machine without my knowledge?
this is all a fascinating and important topic... but does any one have ANY information about the data being collected by microsoft here?
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Get real
Now-a-days it's in vogue to bash microsoft, so everybody does it to prove that they're in-the-know. Those of us who are will continue to use the tools that make our lives easier.
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WGA
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MS Phone home!
E.T. is really Bill G. and has a plan to own all our brains!!!!
http://www.betanews.com/article/Microsoft_Admits_WGA_Phones_Home/1149798507
"... get your little red finger outta my face or I will snap it off!"
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Re: Get real
As both a EE/CS student and a self-employed tech, I've worked extensively with both. I would personally say that though Windows was initially easier to install, Linux was more configurable, more powerful, and better documented. What was impossible to do under Windows I could learn how to do in Linux within half an hour. The same applies when you look at Apache vs. IIS. And let's not even mention repair: try doing anything from the Windows Repair Console. Linux, just telinit 1 and you can do whatever you need.
Windows may be easier for the average Joe, but that's because power comes with responsibility. Windows hides everything behind pretty pictures, but under the hood it's an ugly beast. Linux is more like a well laid out computer with a clear side panel. Sure you see the guts sometimes, but they're actually nice to look at.
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I can't imagine that keeping the first world honest is the point. If Microsoft really wanted to kybosh piracy, it would offer a free turkey for registering Windows, nab a few hapless suburbanites, and put their heads out on legal stakes for all the public to witness.
No, keeping Americans honest can't be worth the money of developing a rootkit -- not to mention the support costs for the system screw ups and other anomalies. So what's the ROI? Forcing upgrades, maybe. Collecting valuable data on customers' IS environments, system inventories, and God knows what else the software can scan and share, maybe. And if not this iteration, which might be a relatively harmless trial balloon, then the next one.
Screw that. I'll find a workaround out of principle. Microsoft has repeatedly demonstrated that it can't be trusted to treat its customers decently. And, like Mama always said, only liars think everyone's a liar.
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Re: Get real
FIRST: It never crashed the whole time I had it not once and I left it on all the time.
SECOND: It came with Firefox the best web brower out there today.
THIRD: With a little bit of work it was able to play every video and audio format I could find. And I was able to install Quicktime
FOURTH: Email was no problem with the built in email program
FIFTH: Open Office was a nice Productivity sweet that was able to open all my MS Office files.
SIXTH: Never got a computer virus
SEVENTH: It was very easy to install.
EIGHTH: I was free.
NINTH: The GUI was a lot like OSX it was very easy to use and quite nice looking.
And most home users only want to surf the web possibly write papers and Emial from there home computers. So the lack of crashing and viruses would be a huge plus.
The only thing missing is gaming that is almost exclusively written for PC's but I'm not a big gamer and didn't miss it.
All that said I don't believe Linux will replace Windows, at least not with this generation. Most users seem to only have it in them to learn one OS and then stick with it for life. And even I would hate to lose programs like Powerpoint and Excel and Open Directory on the server side although I think in the next few years we will see something comperable come out for Linux.
And they make great servers.
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Only in windows
Windows has this game down. The consumer wants easy. Even as a relatively compitent tech, I cannot do all that i can with windows in linux. Games are specifically built for windows. Using that lovely wine program i can get about half of the games i like to work. When a new patch comes out for your average MMO, wine takes about a week to catch up. Give or take.
Your average user wont stand for that. They want it and they want it now.
Linux is great for things like Word processing, web surfing and the like. But honestly, it doesnt have the easy interface, and usability windows currently sports. You cant just throw in a dvd (with most distros anyway) and make it work. You cant just toss in a game and play it. You have to research, find and implament a lot of code to get it running the things you want that run natively on windows. Your average user wont do that.
Just because of that, windows is here to stay. Once linux can run any piece of software on the shelf that was designed for windows without the work, it will become a viable option for the average level consumer.
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how can i brack windows genuine copy confring
i am vihar so i have a problem of windows confring log when i start a computer please give me advice for stop this windows legale copy
please give me a advice or crack
thanx
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Re: how can i brack windows genuine copy confring
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Re: WGA
They will think twice about doing this again.
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WGA
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Consulting fees for Microsoft
They are not technical and as such call me in to help. They have purchased the licenses and have the original bill of sale etc.
I have to deal with calling Microsoft for hours. I'm done. Disabled all automatic updates. Happy to help Microsoft fight their piracy issues that were brought on by them. They just need to identify where my clients can send a bill to them to be paid, for the lost downitme, pay for the time the client gets charged from me to deal with them etc. etc.
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I love Microsoft! Windows Rules
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Re: Get real
--preferred Novell Netware to windows desktop OS shoehorned into server mode, with the same faults as the base desktop
kernel video, too many reboots to fix system changes, has improved but not enough
Gui ease of use is not any better than Mac servers or Netware or Linux,
Novell's groupwise is a better product than Ms exchange, but maybe there is not enough payola to make it viable for the execs to pick something that makes more sense technically..
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WGA Fucker
WGA Fucker - http://wgafucker.hostingdb.info/
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WGA has "infected" my computer
Any suggestions on how I can get this resolved would be greatly appreciated.
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WGA disabler
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do I have to register?
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WGA or BUST
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Correct
I would not allow any software in my pc to break my privacy and freedom. Whether it is about music files or os.
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http://fixexe.com/ultimate-windows-genuine-advantage-wga-remover/
It worked for me!
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