Comments on: Microsoft draws fire for stealth test program

Company has turned Windows users into guinea pigs by sending an unfinished antipiracy tool out as a "high priority" update.
Images: WGA screenshots

[vestige]

Updates don't work now

Yep, problems... Since I installed this "vital" WGA update, further Windows updates fail with no explanations. (My Windows XP came with with my new Gateway computer, so I assume it's "genuine.") Sigh. Linux, anyone?

[jerrymacGP]

Redmond thinks they rule the world.

What a load of cr**! With the MacOS, software updates from
Apple are open and above-board. The Mac Software Update tells
you what updates are available, describes each of them in a brief
synopsis, and allows the user to select or de-select which ones
he wants, all before starting the download process.

If enough large network users, such as businesses and
academia, started switching to Mac, maybe Micrsoft would start
to do what's good for the customer, instead of what's good for
Microsoft.

[techguy83]

not just macs

If you used Windows Update, you'd know that if you disable automatic update (which only downloads what MS considers high priority updates), and manually go to the site yourself, you can choose to list all available updates and read a brief message about each update telling you what it is for. The updates are also seperated into three categories: high priority, hardware, and software.

So, its not just apple.

[zyphbear]

Updates are disabled totally

I went to try and use windows update since I haven't updated in about a month and a half, when I went to the windows update webstie, I was greeted with a message saying there is a required update in order to use Windows update, what is this required update? When I click on "what is updated", the only thing listed was "Windows Genuine Advantage". I couldn't get any other updates, I couldn't bypass it, I couldn't do anything unless I choose to "update" my Windows Update software with the WGA update. My XP Pro is a valid licensed version and I think this is stupid that I can't even get IMPORTANT updates unless I get this BETA software that I don't have a choice to install and let it "phone home". Switching to a Mac is looking better and better every day.

[kamwmail-cnet1]

Work-Around for those of you whose settings got hosed.

Go to Googles, select Groups. Search for WGA in Groups. Than specifically look for Ghost's 905474.exe hack. This replaces the WGATray and other WGA codes that messes with your PC and allows a clean Update profile.

Like I said, I have legit licenses for all. It's stuck like an ugly pimple on the side of my PC cases. But I don't like MicroShaft being so nosey into my personal data. If they want to stick their noses up my arse, they can come over and do it physically.

[The user with no name]

YOUR WARNING NOTIFICATION

An executive from Redmond will be contacting you shortly to set up an appointment time to come do that nose in your a$$ thing...as a sidenote... be sure that it's only his nose, those redmond guys have a penchant for sticking it to you in more than one way! lmao

;-)

[Miditone]

Microsoft's stealth program

Linux is looking better all of the time. I have used MS Windows and MSDos before that forever.The mindset at Microsoft seems to grow more "entitled" to whatever they want to do. The level of arrogance is astonishing even from Microsoft. They have put beta on my computer in the past. There must be a way to put a stop to MS intrusiveness.For now, I'll get the hack program.
PWS

[OneWithTech]

Did we forget about the Microsoft.....

Antispyware that was unloaded onto ALL of my clients computers.
Unknown to any of them! How ironic that Microsoft would find the
need to install some anti piracy software. After all, you don't realy
need the Dot Net Framework 1.1; do you?

So this is just the stuff you see! What about the stuff you don't see?

JUSTIN