Microsoft Misrepresenting WGA's Functionality? 458
Legal Ethics writes "According to an article on Groklaw, Microsoft is misrepresenting what the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool is to pressure people into installing it. It comes with no uninstall, it fails to disclose many pieces of information it provides to Microsoft, and it misrepresents itself as a 'critical update' when it does not address any security vulnerability, although it remains to be seen if it can create one. ZDNet has a series of screenshots so that you can see exactly how badly it misrepresents itself. Oh, and it also checks for updates, so Microsoft can presumably execute arbitrary code on any machine with it installed, merely by making that code part of a WGA update."
Un-American (Score:3, Funny)
.
We also know that Linux is a European consipracy to attack our computers [shelleytherepublican.com].
This story was probably planted by GOOGLE [shelleytherepublican.com], the America-hating empire.
Bill Gates is a true patriot who has spread the American Way of Freedom and Capitalism around the world, and he is clearly far cleverer than this mysterious "P" "J". Friends, don't let the democ-rat lies stop you from getting the facts
Re:Un-American (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Un-American (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Un-American (Score:2)
Shelly The Republican (Score:2, Offtopic)
Re:Un-American (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:This needs a funny mod.. (Score:2)
Why punish legit users? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:5, Insightful)
swich to something better, nobody is forceing you to use microsoft's product http://linux.com/ [linux.com]
Re:Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
Trade-offs (Score:3, Funny)
Real sorry games means so much.
Otherwise, you're there, right? I understand.
Re:Trade-offs (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Trade-offs (Score:3, Insightful)
I suggest you get in touch with Adobe and see if they have released or actioned on any of the results of that survey. There might even still be the opportunity to participate in it.
I think Adobe's (and most other dev houses) biggest issue right now is that they don't think there are enough people to justify porting their applications. If enough existing users
Re:Trade-offs (Score:5, Interesting)
The same is true the other way though. I'm currently for practical reasons running Windows on my laptop (because current employer runs that, and it just ends up being easier overall getting the job done.)
Privately, it drives me nuts, I regret not having made the thing dualboot.
There's no Kphotoalbum, picasa is available from Google, and tries to solve sorta the same problem, but frankly it doesn't measure up. It has lots more eyecandy but much less funcionality. I'm not aware of any other sub-$1000 program even playing in the same ballpark.
Mail clients is a hassle. Thunderbird is barely acceptable, yet fails to manage a lot of stuff I've been taking for granted for years. Simple stuff that mutt, pine and kmail all manage. Yes, it's possible it can be convinced to do something similar, but atleast it's not equally trivial.
Development-tools all have to be installed manually. And they tend to be more opaque than I'm used to. When they fail, they do so with much less information that migth help. Frequently the best advice amounts to "reinstall".
One can install CygWin, but the tools under cygwin are a lot less polished than under a real *nix.
Re:Trade-offs (Score:3, Insightful)
Seriously: there's no reason why there ever has to be a "one true OS." In fact, I think that sort of thinking is harmful, because it could prevent a newcomer from gaining a foothold. Even Linux makes some basic assumptions about how a computer operates that could be challenged down the road.
This is why I'm a fan of openness in data storage formats even more than I am in source code or operating systems: as long as people have the ability to move from
Re:Better... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:4, Funny)
1. Download Knoppix iso
2. Burn iso to CD
3. Reboot computer with CD in drive
4. Use Linux
5. If you like it, open a shell and type "knoppix-installer" to make it permanent
6. ???
7. Profit
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:3, Insightful)
Switching OSes takes hours of work and it will be weeks before you have everything working properly and the way you like it. Add on top of that possible hardware issues (I never switched to Linux because every time I mess around with it, I am reminded how terrible ATI Linux drivers are and that there aren't dri
Baby steps -- not cold turkey (Score:5, Interesting)
Next, once you're comfortable with configuring a live-CD, back up your data and do a dual-boot install. Use linux as much as you can stand it, then switch back to Winderz for the few must-have apps. If you hate it, dump linux and you'll have a fresh Windows install that may run well for a few months. ;-)
Once you convert to OSS versions of most of your apps, and are comfortable with linux being your primary environment, back up your data then install a 100% linux install. Then, for those few clingy win32 apps, try using Wine (a mostly bitter pill, but it does some stuff well) to run the apps. Failing that, try Qemu. If *that* fails, try VMWare or Win4Lin.
Eventually, a few months down the road (or a couple of years, even), you may decide that the stability and reliability of Linux outweighs the win32 baggage and you either find linux equivalents you really like or you "settle" for something not 100% what you'd prefer.
I began the above transition about 7 years ago (except live-CDs weren't around). Took about 2 years. Games kept me dual-booting for about a year... until a wife and kids took more of my time and I decided that silly free games (nethack and xmame) were enough for the occasional video game fix. Then Quicken and Turbo Tax kept me using VMWare for about a year. I replaced Quicken with GnuCash for a year or so, then I ditched it for a simple spreadsheet checkbook balance sheet. By that time, I was beyond the simple tax returns, and I decided that $200 yearly H&R Block trip was less painfull than the $50 TurboTax and several hours of punching in stuff. (Also, the whole anti-piracy FUBAR for Turbo Tax in the late 90s turned me off Intuit.)
So I've been 100% Winderz free for 5 years, and I'll never go back. I don't put up with DRM or anti-piracy shit any more. If I doesn't run on Linux (now, FreeBSD/amd64), I find something else to use.
Freedom... indeed!
Re:Baby steps -- not cold turkey (Score:4, Interesting)
The bonus is:
1) He still has his Windows machine to fall back on in case he needs to go and read documentation when he biffs his linux installation, play games, or do other windows specific stuff without having to shut down and start up and shut down and etc.
2) There is no need to fret about screwing up everthing on his Windows machine because there's no need to format or partition or anything.
3) He can experiment with using a network to make his two computers get along and do stuff that he just couldn't do before, and learn tons about both operating systems in the process.
With the crap most geeks keep around another computer could be had or built for little to nothing... It's stupid to dual boot unless you're trapped on Antartica where you can't get a few measly parts in the time available (?), or you're so desperately poor that $50 means the difference between having a roof over your head or not.
Re:Baby steps -- not cold turkey (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Why punish monopolies? (Score:5, Informative)
I find your remarks a little odd considering:
If those are actually representative of your needs as a Windows user than you wouldn't have a problem moving over to Linux. If they aren't representative of your needs then get better examples and ask yourself why you chose those examples in the first place.
Re:Why punish monopolies? (Score:4, Interesting)
Better yet, it runs on straight Wine [winehq.org] with a few patches.
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:5, Informative)
disconnect from the internet
open task manager
kill the process 'wgatray'
rename the file c:\windows\system32\wgatray.exe to something else (wgatray.exe.bastard, for example)
There is also a file called wga.dll, or similar, but i didn't do anything with that, if anybody could shed some light on that, it'd be nice. I did the above on a machine that was wrongly reporting as 'pirated', and it worked fine.
A link for the rest of us. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:2)
Or an IP address?
This shouldn't be that hard.
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:5, Informative)
On the other side is that MSFT could solve a lot of their problems just be creating an easy, basic way to enforce security. Unix did that years ago on Unix you have basic file system level defaults seperating users. Then you can use other programs to create an ultra fine grained control.
Under Windows all you have is a very complicated fine grain control system that a massive percentage of the apps break if you use it.
Kill off Active X and add a simple yet effective file seperating on the Filesystem layer and the majority of windows viruses problem will vanish. It won't solve all things. it won't solve stupid users installing things they shouldn't, but It would stop most of those problems instantly.
It's also the one thing MSFT won't do. Not even with Vista. They are keeping activeX and while they are trying to use their fine grained permissions control as a basic level they are finding that it doesn't work well. (just look at all the reviews on the vista Beta, 7 steps to delete an icon?)
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:3, Insightful)
This is already outdated information and partially incorrect. ActiveX is severly disabled and limited even in WindowsXP at this point. To install an ActiveX control after SP2 takes the user to approve it, and that is
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:3, Insightful)
Statements like this indicate that you don't undersand how viruses work. A virus can do plenty of damage running as a normal user. Your home directory is probably far harder to replace than the rest of your OS, but no special privileges are required to wipe it out. You don't need root to become a spam zombie, to install extensions or plugins in Firefox, or to steal
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:5, Informative)
Option one:
Start in safe mode and find the file
file properties and remove the execute and write permissions for all users
including System. The daily checkin and the WGA System Tray tool are both
started from this DLL so making it non-executable kills the whole WGA
Notification system. Making it read-only stops windows update from 'repairing
it' and installing future versions.
Option two:
Download and burn Ubuntu Dapper Drake or order a FREE CD from
shipit.ubuntu.com (downloading is quicker). Back up your important documents and
completely replace Windows.
Personally I chose option two many years ago, but I continue to watch Microsoft's antics with a degree of detatched amusement.
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:2)
Because they're Microsoft. Because they can. Because they know that the majority of users are complacent and will continue to pay for Windows either way.
If you don't like it, stop giving them your money.
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:5, Insightful)
Because Microsoft has never been punished for doing so.
Re:Why punish legit users? (Score:2)
WindizUpdate [62nds.com] (plaintext http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/ [62nds.com]) might be want you want. Download a small utility and get automated Windows updates without needing ActiveX or using MSIE. I believe you can also download and apply individual updates from the same site.
Somewhat obvious. (Score:5, Informative)
It's a damned-if-you-do and damned-if-you-don't situation...
Re:Somewhat obvious. (Score:2)
Re:Somewhat obvious. (Score:2, Informative)
I had no problem with Windows Update, just used a well-publicised trick to gain entry and then told it not to install WGA and not to mention it to me again (there's a check-box for that purpose).
Re:Somewhat obvious. (Score:4, Interesting)
If you choose the 'Expert' installation option, you have the option of not installing the WGA update, Windows Update then asks if you'd like to turn off notification of that particular update.
That is, of course, what I did.
Of course, for all I know, WU goes ahead and installs it anyway.
Just stay away from Microsoft. (Score:2, Insightful)
For most needs, Linux, Mac OS X, Solaris, and BSD are more than suitable. And far cheaper!
If you depend on software that only runs on Windows, petition the developers to create a Linux/Solaris/BSD/Mac OS X edition, or a port to those platforms. Say straight out that you do not want to use Windows, but you do want to use their software. Give them an alternative they can contemplate.
There is no need to b
That's interesting (Score:4, Interesting)
Isn't this a violation of spyware laws? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Isn't this a violation of spyware laws? (Score:2)
Sony was prosecuted? Man, how did I miss that!
Re:Isn't this a violation of spyware laws? (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft is not a company, go to any state building or federal building in the nation, and find out what they're running. You're talking about a corporation that has settled antitrust lawsuits with licenses and lockin [com.com].
If Sony doesn't get it's ass handed to them for rootkits, why would you think Microsoft would receive any punishment at all?
huh (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:huh (Score:5, Insightful)
HAHA (Score:2)
I'm laughing, of course, at this:
You must be new to this Interweb thing if you still think 17 pages is impressive [tomshardware.com]
Re:HAHA (Score:2)
Re:huh (Score:2)
http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/wp-mobile.php?page_id=
The "wp-mobile.php" page gives you the PDA version, which means no ads.
Re:huh (Score:2)
BBH
Re:huh (Score:2)
It's Spyware by any definition (Score:5, Insightful)
the question is when are the anti-malware community going to step up to the plate and provide protection from this software
the fact its made by Microsoft should be irellavent, just analyse the behaviour of the application and judge it on that
communicates unique information at any time to an American based advertising company (msn anybody?) with you the user having no idea of what data and what the implications are of giving this company that data
can your business really risk an application like this on your systems ? are you prepared for the consequences of letting this program run unchallenged inside your companies infrastructure ?
How to Disable the WGA Add-on (Score:5, Informative)
If you want to be able to disable the Genuine Windows Advantage Add-on for IE (accessible via Tools|Manage Add-ons... in IE), you might be surprised (or not) to see that Microsoft will not let you do so. It gives you some sort of stupid "disabled by Administrator" message, even when you're logged on as Administrator (I guess MS thinks it's the administrator for your computer).
To enable the radio button that allows you to disable this worthless add-on, follow these instructions I found:
Bypass & Disable Genuine Windows Validation Ch (Score:5, Informative)
How to bypass and disable the Genuine Windows Validation Check (from http://www.mydigitallife.info/2006/03/07/bypass-an d-disable-genuine-windows-validation-check/ [mydigitallife.info]):
Note: The data.dat that are replacing the original data.dat can be blank text file or empty, or you may type whatever you want there.
With this hack (or crack if you want), Windows WGA piracy check will be bypassed and you can now download software from Download Center or apply updates from Microsoft/Windows Updates.
Re:Bypass & Disable Genuine Windows Validation (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:How to Disable the WGA Add-on (Score:2, Insightful)
Now, I have one purely academic question related to this.
Can it work on reverse?
In other words, suppose we have a piece of spyware that installs itself as an IE extension. Can it mark itself to have same sort of "stickiness" as the WGA add-on?
If so, it might be a bit of a headache for spyware-cleaner types...
And a practical corollary to that academic question, and a follow-up to your instructions: Exactly how long before there will be a tool that allows you to nuke an IE extension from the orbit, no
That, OR (Score:5, Informative)
Re:How to Disable the WGA Add-on (Score:2)
Don't worry just yet, we're still in the good times. I mean, you can at least SEE it's there, and you can't turn it off.
In Vista, it'll be a part of the core OS and completely invisible. And we all know we're getting Vista sooner or later (if we depend on Windows software).
Re:How to Disable the WGA Add-on (Score:2)
Damn that stupid icon. (Score:3, Interesting)
Why would I need to re-verify my installation anyway?
oh noes (Score:2)
It's SkyNet!!! It must be destroyed! Death to Microsoft!
Critical Security Vulnderability Reported... (Score:5, Funny)
A Critical Security Vulnerability has been reported for all x86-platform PCs.
Short description: By retailing a piece of software called an "Operating System" to a computer user, and then using social engineering to promote the installation of this software, a so-called "Operating System Vendor" may be able to execute ARBITRARY CODE on a user's computer.
I don't understand... (Score:4, Insightful)
Windows not HIPAA compliant? 1234567890 (Score:5, Interesting)
Since Windows is sending information home, and the user has no control over that messaging with regard to timing or content, it seems to me HIPAA-compliant systems (and other systems requiring security) cannot be built on Windows.
What an opportunity for the open source world!
Re:Windows not HIPAA compliant? 1234567890 (Score:3, Funny)
Millions of vets and active duty soldiers had their identities stolen recently, and they were probably taken from well patched, completely up to date Windows machines."
The information was stolen from an analyst's laptop, in his home. It might have been a window they got through, but I'm pretty sure then went throught the doors. On the other hand, the analyst was reported as having obtained a MCSE recently.
Plus it does not work correctly... (Score:5, Interesting)
http://forums.microsoft.com/Genuine/ShowPost.aspx
Notice the MS solution, delete this, open up all permissions on that (good idea?), read, write, execute, delete for everyone! Or pay-up to get your copy of MS Winders to shut up.
Nothing like family (non-admins) and employees (non-admins) thinking they have purloined software. Isn't an unfounded accusation called, "Libel" http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Libel/ [reference.com]?
(My SuSE never accuses me with false accusations.)
WGA virus? (Score:2, Interesting)
If this is true then it is only a matter of time before someone hacks it and uses it to write some malware which only damages people who own a genuine copy of Windows. Surely Microsoft can't be *that* stupid?
index.dat, anyone? (Score:2, Interesting)
It can update itself! (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh, and it also checks for updates, so Microsoft can presumably execute arbitrary code on any machine with it installed, merely by making that code part of a WGA update.
Where did WGA come from? Auto Updates. What does Auto Updates do? Downloads executable code and makes it a part of your Windows OS.
"Shocking facts" like those really put Slashdot editors low in my eyes.
Re:It can update itself! (Score:5, Insightful)
However, if I install this, I have no choice (leaving hacking it aside) but to give Microsoft that capability. It is not removable (through ordinary means), and allows Microsoft access to your machine in an even less transparent way than fully automatic updates.
This is definitely a large step beyond automatic updates, and is far more sinister.
Get updates without going to Microsoft (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.autopatcher.com/ [autopatcher.com]
By the way, Autopatcher will update pirated copies, for better or for worse...
I just hope... (Score:2)
So?! (Score:2)
There are countless stories of medium businesses on some sort of SA plan or volume licensing where if the business doesn't pony up on whatever MS has to offer, the sales person gets irate and makes the business owner think they are out of compliance and need to have the BSA investigate how many licenses are in use.
This is taking it to the home level where:
A) People in the know will know how to bypass it
B) Standard consumer doesn't need to worry about
Okay! OKAY! I GET it now... (Score:2)
So is there some freely available update system that does the same thing as Microsoft's Windows update? Preferably one that SysAdmins can distribute at time of login? No good sysadmin would trust Microsoft's updates on their business network anyway. All updates and patches and such need to be cleared before deployment to the masses just in case it breaks something critical to the business. (Imagine if by some human mistake, a Microsoft pat
Windows 2000 looks better all the time (Score:3, Insightful)
Letting the vendor have a backdoor into your machine is really risky. If you're in a financial institution, is the vendor bonded? If you're a healthcare provider, is the vendor HIPPA compliant? If you're in a law firm, are any of your clients competitors of Microsoft? You have no contractual guarantee that somebody at Microsoft, or elsewhere, isn't using that backdoor in some interesting way.
Nothing new... (Score:2)
In other words:
Pirated windows will remain pirated AND insecure.
Legit windows will remain legit AND spied on.
The lesson (for those who still have blind faith in Microsoft): Microsoft doesn't give a SH*T about security or the welfare of the internet. They're only greedy bastards.
Re:Nothing new... (Score:2)
And even if they stat out at XP SP0 which is unlikely, like SP1 and SP2 are not available to download anyway.
Er, please try to make sense in future.
Re:Nothing new... (Score:2)
Mmmmmm.... I feel a class action lawsuit coming in (Score:2)
Imagine people in suits. Imagine briefcases, papers, signatures. Imagine a new class action lawsuit
Even more fun when it breaks (Score:5, Insightful)
I poked around trying to figure out what was wrong.. Didn't see anything. I clicked the "get legal" or whatever it says button at login but nothing ever happened. I eventually remembered that this particular computer had locked up on reboot the week before on a Tuesday and thought perhaps it had something to do with the latest updates from MS. I uninstalled the last few updates I could find. Rebooted, reinstalled them and eventually everything came back to normal and no more complaints about an illegal copy.
I hope this never happens to aunt Tilly. I wonder when XP will really be ready for the desktop.
Re:Even more fun when it breaks (Score:4, Insightful)
And if it happens to aunt Tilly, you'll be the one spending part of your free time to fix it. Is this taken into account for in the Total Cost of Ownership studies of Microsoft? XP is not ready for the desktop. From windows 98 it "advanced/regressed" to something that has less direct stability issues is more complicated to maintain as a whole. Furthermore it has lots of amazingly distracting features, just these pop-up balloons that mention if a network cable is plugged/unplugged, an upgrade should be installed or whatever. Most non-tech people I know really start panicking when these things occur. Actually a friend told me once that out of nothing she got a pop-up saying that an update had been installed, and the computer needed to be rebooted. I tried to find out afterwards what it could have been, it might have been a malicious website, program, or something legitimate. Normal "desktop users" have lots of troubles handling all this crap, and even the techies have.
I don't own OS X, but from what I've seen of it it's probably the closest to "OS ready for the desktop" as you can get. The most elegant thing of it all is how you can combine easy and consistent GUI interfaces with command lines for solutions that need more coding. Genious!
MS's defines spyware (Score:4, Interesting)
Collects info about user? Collecting info about my hardware and my installation without my consent is close enough. Check.
Change settings on my computer? You cannot remove it without some hack. Check.
Doing all this without "appropriately obtaining your consent"? Hell yes check.
WGA is spyware by Microsoft's own definition.
Let's not forget to bash the other bad guys too (Score:5, Interesting)
In 2 personal cases, other products I paid a lot of good money for stopped. First Norton anti virus, after a hard drive failure would not validate and refused to run on the new hard drive.
And second the most evil spy ware in the universe - steam - tells me I have a banned CD key - I'm sitting here looking at a CD, a box, a manual, and a receipt for $50 and I have never given a copy of anything to anybody - and they call me a crook and ban me - I swear if I ever get the opportunity I will do physical harm to someone who is responsible for steam. Then their joke of tech support says they cant offer any help since i have a banned key. Don't cross my path in a dark alley, i'll ban your head from your shoulders, thiefs.
Bypass WGA (Score:3, Informative)
I had to call MS because of WGA on a legal XP (Score:5, Interesting)
I contemplated installing the various coporate versions and hacked Pro versions that i have on back up just out of spite.
But instead i called up MS went through their automated crap which is a nightmare in stupidity. After it finished it told me "I can not activate my key and to hold on to for an operator"
YAY.
So i get to the operator... I give her the code, she gives me a new key... all is solved...
Not so fast...
I go to install updates... and WGA must be installed first...
OK lets do it...
ERROR.. UNKNOWN ERROR.
What?! What the fuck?
I call MS tech support...
The guy is completely useless and puts me through to a smarter tech...
As i'm waiting for brainiac to pick up, i discover that by default windows XP installs IE with "Custom" security settings which does not allow WGA to install.
So lets recap. WGA wont install automatically on a default XP install because IE is set to custom security rather than "Medium"
Oh the stupid headache...
So i figure it out while waiting and then the guy picks up cause i'm a nice guy i waited to tell him what the problem was...
I tell him and i hang up.
WGA is not only a pain in the ass for legal users... the activation itself in windows is down right stupid. I have to call MS everytime i want to reinstall now.
Which is what? every month?
I made an image of the boot drive install instead. No thanks MS.
Its just too much. I dont care about MS's bottom line, i care about the dollars i spent and its a headache. Too much is too much and that too much was WGA itself.
I have the coporate and hacked WGA versions, I know how to reg hack the WGA dll out and kill access to it and bypass the windows update...
BUT I also OWN my windows... I tried to do the right thing and in the end, yeah it works but it was a big fuckign headache that i'm not willing to deal with any more. Things are only going to get worse as DRM and every other attempt made at taking control of your computer is made by these companies.
I like for it to be known that its just as easy to run the hacked versions with less of a headache... I was on the verge of doing it out of spite...
I only wanted to know why my Key wasnt working and why WGA was not allowing me to update cause i was angry... Thats the only reason i am running my legit copy of XP now.
I'd gladly explore other options next time if it means saving my time and my sanity.
Also affects Office 2007 beta (Score:4, Interesting)
In case anyone is curious, these are the benefits Microsoft claims if you use WGA: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39157 [microsoft.com]
What is really funny is that if you click Validate Now on that page and you are using Firefox, it wants to install a plugin for Firefox. Yes, Microsoft has written a plugin for Firefox!
WGA (Score:3, Interesting)
What I can't figure out is why MS needs to monitor the legitimacy of your copy of Windows XP in real time. Is a valid copy suddenly going to become illegitimate for some obscure reason?
Re:WGA (Score:3, Interesting)
Got this little gem from my companie's Microsoft rep. There are a variety of "leasing" options available, where a) your volume license expires after so long, or b) you get MS product ala carte (i.e. SQL server for $X/mo, and can scale up as needed - targeted at hosting providers ).
This will allow them to deactivate these machines remotely, even if the user plays games with the clock. The rep also made it sound like there were plans to eventually add support for other Microsoft apps (Office,
wgatray.exe can be used to annoy microsoft (Score:5, Funny)
Now, if, for example, someone were to write a simple program that called wgatray.exe in an infinite loop and had a few hundred thousand people running it, then Microsoft would wind up on the end of a DoS attack. What would happen if the wga server was down? Would Windows stop working?
(When I say simple, I mean simple, as in a 2 line batch file, didn't Microsoft think this through?)
tray.bat
-----------
wgatray.exe
tray.bat
Re:wgatray.exe can be used to annoy microsoft (Score:3, Interesting)
The particularly amusing part about this would be the following: as I understand things, Microsoft has failed to report to the end user that this piece of software phones home. This means that if a user ran the program a million times in a row, they could plausibly claim that they had no way of kno
Take responsibility for your own machine (Score:3, Informative)
Why not just block it with a firewall? According ZonaAlarm the IP that WGA connects to is (or maybe *was*) 64.4.52.189
From WikiPedia:
Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications and Firewalls
Some personal firewalls, though not the basic one in Windows, may alert on the method by which wgatray.exe is started, in the case of Outpost firewall, it is identified as a "hidden process". The wgatray.exe process itself can be firewall blocked, without apparent problems. Removing the reference to WGALOGON.DLL using HijackThis appears to effectively de-install this update, to the point where it will be offered again if it has not been marked "do not show".
And I'm sure there are a dozen other ways to avoid the WGA.
windos like games (Score:3, Interesting)
Looks like windos will be next in line for that attitude.
Oh yeah - last I checked, the whole multi-million dollar copyprotection software did exactly zilch for the level of illegal copying in the games world...
Virtualization? (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm not trying to debate the licensing (I know I'm supposed to use my own numbers; I don't care, though) or the multiple machine issues (I've got all the licenses I need legally; convenience is the issue). Instead I bring questions:
How does activation work in a virtual environment on multiple, physical machines? Sure, the virtual machine "footprint" is going to change between using VMWare, VPC, and Parallels. But what bearing does the host machine have on it? If I take my legally activated product (the non-corporate version) disk image from physical machine to physical machine, is there a tie to the real, physiscal hardware? As far as I know, processor ID, MAC address, and so on are all virtualized, but is there something else in the activation checksum that these commercial VM solutions tie to the physical hardware?
I don't know enough about the license (who really does?); to me the "machine" is the disk image, so I have no moral qualms about moving it from physical machine to physical machine as long as they're not used at the same time (etc. etc.).
Oh, so why don't I try it? I just don't want to "burn up" any of my serial numbers. Meaning, invalidate them because now I look like I've pirated the number because I'm installing onto too many machine. VMWare for Windows and Linux, VPC for Mac and Windows, Parellels for Mac/Linux/Windows... I'm a big time pirate trying to install a single serial on *seven* computers, ya know?
I have fresh installs that don't install WGA (Score:3, Interesting)
I suspect they are silent on that point because there's a flaw in WGA which would verfiy any machine you managed to intall it on.
Re:Sad... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Sad...MOD UP parent {plasmacutter} please! (Score:2)
Re:Sad... (Score:3, Funny)
Have nice day.
Bwwwwwwwwwwwahahahahah!
KFG
Re:ok (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:ok (Score:2)
Re:So, Does it work yet? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:I am not Pro Microsoft but... (Score:4, Interesting)
A M$ piece of spyware reporting home in realtime is just setting the stage for remote control over your software choices. Think about the RIAA/MPAA asking M$ to dis-able Limewire on all computers for a big enough bribe. Or M$ deciding that they don't want Open Office to run on their OS. It will happen!
There has never been a reason to trust M$ and I don't see that changing.
It DID happen in the past! (Score:3, Informative)