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It's Windows vs. Windows as Microsoft battles piracy
February 3, 2005
The software maker has been delivering a prerelease version of Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications software to PCs as a "high priority" item in the built-in update feature in Windows. The tool, also known as WGA Notifications, is used to validate the authenticity of Windows software installed on a PC.
The move is a first for the software maker. Microsoft normally asks people to join test programs before it initiates the download of any such trial software.
"I don't think that we have done it before," David Lazar, director of the Windows Genuine program at Microsoft, told CNET News.com on Monday. "WGA Notifications is a unique program."
Microsoft has been expanding its effort to distinguish pirated copies of Windows from legitimately acquired ones. The original WGA program, launched in September 2004, calls for people to validate their Windows installation when they download additional Microsoft software from a Microsoft Web site. In November, it introduced the separate WGA Notifications program. It now sends prerelease WGA Notifications software to people in a number of countries, including the United States.
But some security experts are troubled by Microsoft's decision to deliver prerelease software to millions of Windows users without clearly notifying them. People may not realize they are participating in a trial and have in essence become unsuspecting guinea pigs, they said.
"It shouldn't be offered to such a wide audience without more notification of the fact it is beta," said Russ Cooper, a senior scientist at Cybertrust, a security vendor in Herndon, Va. "Even with more notification, I think it should not be offered in the way it is."
Microsoft notes that this is "prerelease software" in the user license, which is displayed when WGA Notifications is about to be installed. People can decline the download at that point, but experts believe that most won't understand the license and that many don't read user license details.
No immediate benefit
Some suggest that pushing the antipiracy tool out as a "high priority" update in the same way as security fixes is a ploy to get people to install it.
"I don't see any way for Microsoft to get the software run by a large fraction of the user base except by calling it 'high priority,'" said David Walker, an IT professional in Las Cruces, N.M.
Running the tool doesn't offer any immediate benefit for users, Walker noted.
"You could argue that this is mislabeling," he said. "I suppose it is a high priority for Microsoft to get rid of counterfeit software...It's not critical for the continued operation of the user's computer."
Michael Cherry, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft, agreed.
"While I have been supportive of Microsoft's Genuine Windows Program, there are no circumstances that I can think of where it makes sense to use Windows Update or Automatic Updates to distribute beta or nonfinal code," he said. Automatic Updates is the update feature in Windows.
Microsoft needs to find a better way to distribute noncritical or test software, Cherry said. The company should consider coming up with better labels for updates so that customers can understand when an update is needed to resolve a security problem or when it is needed to improve reliability, he said.
No warning label
Indeed, most consumers won't know what to do when Automatic Updates offers them the piracy tool and thus will simply accept it, said Michael Silver, a Gartner analyst.
"There's not a lot of benefit for consumers to allow this to be installed, but most won't know what it is and will probably just allow it," he said.
Although the WGA Notifications tool isn't finished yet, the software doesn't come with the same caveats as other Microsoft beta software, such as warnings that it could cause system crashes or otherwise affect PC performance, Microsoft's Lazar acknowledged.
"It is prerelease software. We're still testing it end-to-end, including the delivery mechanism," he said.
But, he added, "I want to assure everyone that WGA Notifications has been rigorously tested, and we're confident that the software can be installed and used safely."
Microsoft does understand the distribution concerns, Lazar said.
"We can see that people are very concerned about this particular feature or this particular aspect of the rollout, and it is something that we will consider in our future plans," Lazar said, indicating that Microsoft is not about to change the way it is testing WGA Notifications.
See more CNET content tagged:
antipiracy, priority, Automatic Update, Microsoft Corp., software company
Just search the Web or Usenet for 905474.exe. Install that WGA spyware as MicroShaft insists you do. Than shut down Internet Explorer. Install this hack. Boot your PC. You're in business, PRIVATE business.
So you might be a pirate and you don't know. And if the lawyers come to check, you have no excuse. You deliberately disabled the piracy check, so they might even suspect you knew your copies were pirate.
What's the big deal? Enable the thing and let it go.
WGA is not spyware, no matter what you claim. It does what it tells you it does, it can be uninstalled and it is installed with an adequate prompt. So if you don't like it, it is because of something else, not because it is malware.
Either you're completely naive, or you authored this and are sitting back watching peoples personal data roll into your scam web site...
Get a clue.
Anything before Windows 98 is essentially useless since these OS's didn't support: FAT32, USB, AGP and a myriad of other technologies.
http://zxo.blogspot.com/2006/06/stopping-windows-genuine-advantage.html
They've been releasing pre-release quality software since DOS, this isn't any different in that regaurd. Heck, even DOS had to be finished during the plane ride to IBM. Those pesky last minute boot loaders.
Seriously though:
Does this not smell a lot like that Win98 snaffoo where windows update was sending M$ system spec and software lists at each visit? An "oh, by the way" software installation under a false pretence isn't any better.
Granted, any business has the right to protect it's product from theift even if it is an absurdly over priced bile sac of bloated code. The issue is not that they are trying to reduce the number of pirated copies, it's the unethical way in which they go about it each time.
I have asked several Microsoft MVP's and technets and they cant fix the 299 error.
I have spent over 20 hours trying to get the OS updated but microsoft update refuses and says validation failed.. I know the step by heart to FIX IT THE MICROSOFT WAY but so far no fix is available. releasing beta code killing my LEGIT install that is not a pirate copy IS full of BS!
The programmers of WGA need to be fired PERIOD!
I have asked several Microsoft MVP's and technets and they cant fix the 299 error.
I have spent over 20 hours trying to get the OS updated but microsoft update refuses and says validation failed.. I know the step by heart to FIX IT THE MICROSOFT WAY but so far no fix is available. releasing beta code killing my LEGIT install that is not a pirate copy!!!!
The programmers of WGA need to be fired PERIOD!
I have asked several Microsoft MVP's and technets and they cant fix the 299 error.
I have spent over 20 hours trying to get the OS updated but microsoft update refuses and says validation failed.. I know the step by heart to FIX IT THE MICROSOFT WAY but so far no fix is available. releasing beta code killing my LEGIT install that is not a pirate copy!!!!
The programmers of WGA need to be fired PERIOD!
Listen when sleazy malware companies do this they are now charged under the new federal legislation that specifically prohibits this incredibly ILLEGAL behaviour.
Someone had better clue MS in to the fact that our PCs and what every the hell is one them is our PRIVATE and PERSONAL PROPERTY and is subject to the same RIGHTS and any other piece of PERSONAL PROPERTY!
God damn I hate the ******' company!
CLASS ACTION! CLASS ACTION! CLASS ACTION! CLASS ACTION! CLASS ACTION! CLASS ACTION! CLASS ACTION!
you know it you'll be on your knees begging the public to come
back..
Yes, I think MS can and should do better then this incident; but I'll admit it won't make me switch back to the Mac(I left the Mac years ago and have been much happier for it).
If you'd be happier on the Mac, then be off.
Microsoft easily the #1 OS in the world.. begging for users to come back is quite funny.. yea.. im sure there is a huge exodus to other OSs right now.. yea.. its not happening.
Right, for the users benefit. Uh huh.
If someone has legit version of winodws - there is nothing to worry about.
Only people who have pirated version (and I would say 50% have pirated versions) are trying to put Microsoft down with stupid comments about privacy. Those people should get their privacy in jail.
Pirates are always trying to say they will change to Linux or Mac, but interesting that they never do. Probably because nothing can replace good old windows?
Guys I am very technical guy, I used MSX2, OS2, all version of windows (including Vista), most versions of linux (and latest ones), many versions of Solaris, all version of Mac OS and I know that once people try to go for anything else than windows, they come back to their senses pretty quickly.
So just shut up and let Microsoft do their job. And they do the best job.
I dont get it either. If you have a legit copy then you are fine. Don?t extrapolate...and go off on some conspiracy theory like ?well if they did this what is next?. You are either a pirate or not. Stealing is stealing plain and simple.
Ummm.. obviously you are the idiot who doesn't seem to comprehend that a lot of "legit" computers seem to have problems with this crapware.
I maintain more than 20 computers in an office where 9 of them I had to call Microsoft to finally convince these are legit windows XP computers.. licenses in hand.
So now.. your generalization of just "pirated" people complaining is moronic and small-world.
The outcry is, of course, all a bit silly. Everyone knows that every piece of software Microsoft releases is essentially beta software, hence the endless patches. The release of Windows Vista will be yet another adventure into paid beta testing. And you kind of blew your cred when you said "once people try to go for anything else than windows, they come back to their senses pretty quickly." And did you actually say "good old windows"? Non-ironically? I thought that even Windows fans pretty much held it at arm's length.
I actually doubt there are too many documented cases of Windows recidivism, and anyone who comes trudging back is likely doing so because they feel they have no choice.
Anyway, I can't really blame Microsoft for wanting to lock down Windows, given that entire countries are running pirated copies, it's really just a matter of whether they overstepped by making this a mandatory update before it's finished.
I used MSX2, OS2, all version of windows (including Vista), most
versions of linux (and latest ones), many versions of Solaris, all
version of Mac OS." My guess is I could quiz you right here and
now about various aspects of Linux, Solaris or OSX, and you
would not have a clue, even with Google at your beck and call.
That being said, you should be a little more reticent in regards
to words like "idiot." Do you even know what beta software is?
The issue is not just that it is an invasion of privacy and is, at
best, duplicitous. The issue is that this software is still in beta
form, which means that even Microsoft is unwilling to stand
behind it and say that it has no significant bugs that can destroy
your system. That is why they supposedly have a policy to
ALWAYS inform users that certain packages are beta. (I say
supposedly since it is ridiculous for MS to claim that this policy
is still in effect when this, per se, violates it.)
Considering the low level at which this software resides and
does it's work, its potential to wreak havoc on your system, even
destroying entire drives due to unforeseen buffer overflow
issues (you SERIOUSLY trust Microsoft not to have released
buggy software, especially in a beta release?!!!!!) is enormous.
Your inability to see this indicates that the idiot moniker might
better be applied a little closer to home.
-Mark
(someone who DOES work with various versions of Linux, UNIX,
and OSX, and, reluctantly, Windows.)
One reason that the system complains about counterfeit software is that the firewall they were using asked the users whether to allow the program access to the internet and not knowing any better they blocked it.
Other reasons that the counterfeit message appears is that any of 5 or 6 active x controls may not be working correctly or accessing the internet.
And all of these were on legitimate PC's !!!
Each instance required a technician to spend 15 to 30 minutes to diagnose and repair the problem.
While i know that MS must protect itself against piracy, punishing legitimate users is not the way.
By the way, Who left you in charge of "shut up"?
PWS
SpyResearch
Amen
SpyResearch
Amen
Ummm.. obviously you are the idiot who doesn't seem to comprehend that a lot of "legit" computers seem to have problems with this crapware.
I maintain more than 20 computers in an office where 9 of them I had to call Microsoft to finally convince these are legit windows XP computers.. licenses in hand.
So now.. your generalization of just "pirated" people complaining is moronic and small-world.
- Windows lacks safety and stability
- by gerardogerardo80 June 13, 2006 10:20 PM PDT
- Always has and always will, 21 years with remedies and band-aids but no cure. All version had unresolved issues that MS could not fix
- Reply to this comment
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (68 Comments)I've found that Windows has many popular applications that have not been developed for Linux because there is no money in Linux. But file sharing with a LinuxOS is a real pleasure, surfing the net is as safe as one can dream no worms, virus, spyware you name it. I'm sure MS is going to make a killing with Vista and One Care, and I'll buy the stock. But my daily computing will be done with Linux. Life without Microsoft is possible. But what is next to come, will be spending money to buy Vista and then $50.00 a year for OneCare forget Norton and Mcaffe, they are already out of the picture, and on top of that, keep reintalling Vista every time gets infected with God knows what new malware will come in the future.
After all Linux has Open Office, CD/DVD Burning and many more tools that work, You don't get every thing in life. Windows lacks security, there is no such a thing as peace of mind while running Windows, you are always on the edge and many times ,in serious trouble. Restoring, reinstalling, reformating, updating, patching twice a month.
Now MS wants the public to test and give them feedback, for free?? and pay later for a version of Vista??