From: /m 


Mainstream press is starting to become more interested in this story. Seems
like Microsoft is unable to squash uprising using heavy-handed tactics in
the support forums.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5144698.stm

===
An anti-piracy check for Microsoft Windows is causing problems for some
users who are being told their copies of operating system XP are not
genuine.

The tool, called Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), is aimed at cracking down
on millions of illegal copies of Windows XP in circulation.

The tool is downloaded and installed voluntarily but Microsoft has said it
could become mandatory in the future.

Blogs and forums have been hit with comments and queries about the tool.
The tool was downloaded as part of a wave of security updates Microsoft
offered to users. If it is not installed Windows XP will periodically
remind people to download and run the program.

On the official Microsoft forum for WGA, thousands of people have left
confused comments.

One person posted: "I have a Microsoft sticker on the back of the
computer with 25 characters.

"Doesn't that assure me that the XP version on the CPU [Central
Processing Unit] is genuine? Why everything was okay before (for three
years) and suddenly I get this from Microsoft..."

Readers of the BBC News website have also reported their computers being
forced to dial up to the net with their modems everytime they re-boot or
having problems with brand new equipment.

WGA requires users to enter the key code that comes with every copy of Windows XP.

If the code is not genuine or has been used by someone else, users are told
that they do not have a licence to use XP and are invited to buy a genuine
copy at a discount price.

Counterfeit copy

Users with a counterfeit copy of Windows XP can continue to use their
computer and will receive periodic notices that the operating system is
unlicensed.

A shop in Vietnam encourages users to buy genuine products


Michala Alexander, head of anti-piracy for Microsoft, in the UK, said the
tool had been a huge success in countering piracy.

"Customers have been crying out for a tool which could tell them if
they have been duped," she said.

But she admitted that the company could have been a bit more "open and
honest" about the pilot tool when it was launched.

Ms Alexander said Microsoft had listened to users and updated WGA accordingly.

According to Microsoft 15% of operating systems checked so far have proved
to be counterfeit in the UK.

Microsoft has said it will not deny users access to their computer if the
key code is not correct and has reassured people that it does not use the
tool to collect personal data.

But some people have complained of glitches with the WGA tool that means
they are being told erroneously they are using a counterfeit copy of XP. In
its information for users Microsoft says that "validation failure is
almost always caused by the use of a non-genuine Windows licence".

Microsoft says it has successfully validated more than 150 million systems.

'Stolen'

Ms Alexander said many of the problems stemmed from XP being installed
incorrectly or if a machine had been sent for a repair and a new version of
XP was installed with a generic key code.

"We are 100% adamant that key codes blocked by WGA are illegal," she said.

Microsoft has also admitted that the tool can cause false positives and
that a pass on the system initially could lead to a failure.

Once installed the tool checks the copy of Windows XP periodically.

Microsoft is determined to crack down on piracy before it releases its next
operating system, called Vista, in January.
===



"We are 100% adamant that key codes blocked by WGA are illegal," 
-- hmmmm, that's not what Microsoft is saying on this side of the pond....





But my favourite quote of the article is:

"Customers have been crying out for a tool which could tell them if
they have been duped," [Michala Alexander, head of anti-piracy for
Microsoft, in the UK] said.



Stuff like that, it's just precious.

  /m

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