"Windows Genuine Advantage Notification"--is this for real? (vanity)

Microsoft ^

[pillut48]

What is WGA Notifications? Genuine Microsoft Software

Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications is a program that helps Microsoft fight software piracy and helps you validate that the copy of Microsoft Windows XP installed on your computer is genuine and properly licensed.

By confirming that your copy of Windows XP is genuine, you can take advantage of all the capabilities, support, and continuous improvements—as well as the peace of mind—that come with using genuine Windows. If your copy is not genuine, WGA Notifications will provide periodic reminders to help you take the appropriate action. It's part of Microsoft's commitment to fight software counterfeiting and help you avoid problems before they happen.

[mysterio]

It’s real. It’s windows tattleware.

[pillut48]

Yeah, had to do that, got a sticker for the computer tower as well with the product key on it. Installed it all with no problems whatsoever.

[pillut48]

Yikes! This is exactly what I was afraid of! :-O
How do you tell the difference between real and the worm version though??

[aft_lizard]

So you are saying my experience isn’t true? Like I said I had to call them one time and that was after replacing my motherboard. It was quick and easy, I got a string of letters and numbers and with in five minutes I was up and running. Hardly an inconvenience, considering I did not even need to reinstall.

[bethybabes69]

You should have got refunded on the copy of WinBlows and download a copy of openSuSE instead, for free, for keeps, forever.

There's really no excuse not to use open source OS now, embrace it! The WGA process is genuine though, if that's what tickles your fancy.

[Para-Ord.45]

Actually, you`re implying my friend`s experience isn`t true.

[bethybabes69]

Major hardware changes will trigger the WGA failure, it’s just contract talk reminding you that Windows doesn’t belong to you, you’re paying Bill Gates a hire fee to use it!

[aft_lizard]

Show me where?

You specifically called my story a lie, I never called anybody that but asked them where they heard that(an obvious appelite posted it) and that my experience was difference. So in fact you called me a liar, and are now getting defensive.

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Run a virus scan.

Sometimes there are obvious spelling errors in the warning, or the links are to non MS URLs. I think yours is missing a checkbox, but MS has changed that a couple of times.

[bethybabes69]

Apple OS, no serial numbers and no genuine advantage spyware

Linux, no keys, no spyware, no charges, no limitations, and no overpriced hardware or xenophobic software implementation. Not to mention light years ahead of the paranoid rubbish churned out from Apple and Microsoft.

Microsoft is the embodiment of the theory that it's better to have good marketing than good products!

[struggle]

Of course, you could install a non-serial coded corporate XP and no one would know the difference.

[humblegunner]

It can't be real.

Only some moron would ask "What IS WGA notifications".

It should be "What ARE WGA notifications".

[mad_as_he$$]

The registration number had probably been used by someone else and Microsoft decided yours was the “illegal” copy.

[pillut48]

Thanks, everyone, I think I’ll just keep closing it out on startups—better to be safe than sorry!

[raybbr]

Linux, no keys, no spyware, no charges, no limitations, and no overpriced hardware or xenophobic software implementation. Not to mention light years ahead of the paranoid rubbish churned out from Apple and Microsoft.

Okay, how easy is it to pick out a distro? Which one do you choose?

Second, once you get it up and running you have to spend days finding the right drivers for the hardware.

It can be done but you have to know what you are doing and someone who isn't even aware of the basic nomenclature of computers is never going to get it running.

MS is a product of a monopoly and marketing but for most people it's the answer.

[Bon mots]

It’s just your friends at Microsoft accusing you of stealing and nagging you to prove that you did not.

[bethybabes69]

Hi Raybbr, I understand the conveniency M$ products provide, buying a PC with the OS ready to go is what people pay the premium for, and that's fine.
However, many manufacturers are selling hardware with open source software now, and also, if one needs to reinstall the OS, it's no harder to install a modern Linux distro than installing Windows, most modern hardware will be automatically detected and you'll be ready to go in under an hour.

My Mum, a pensioner, total IT'phobe has been running SuSE for 3 years now, and from a half dozen phone calls a month to fix basic things when she ran on Windows, now there's nothing for me to do, no issues with spyware, no stability issues, no phone calls to fix 'her broken PC'!

ANYONE who is thinking about upgrading their PC to something faster, or even just something more 'modern looking' should stop, and try a modern Linux distro.

If you want to try Linux, you can get a Distro that will run completely in RAM, you can pop it in your CD Drive, reboot your PC, the OS will install [completely in RAM with a swap partition], no changes will be made to your system or your Windows installation, you can try it [albeit sometimes slowly depending on your hardware] and when you reboot your PC it will be gone and back to Windows.
This is a good way to try your hardware compatability, and get a feel for Linux.

Here's a link to an openSuSE Live CD which if you burn to a CD, will do exactly what I said above to try it out.
OpenSuSE is probably the best place to start for people who want to give Linux a try, as it will, 99% of the time have hardware drivers that will be compatible with most systems.

Once someone gets confident with, and gets a feel for open source software, you'll never look back into the dark oppression of Microsoft and Apple, my pensioner Mum is living proof of it!
Here's a link to a video of the basic KDE4 desktop, and a few menus and stuff to show how logical, and less complicated than Windows, SuSE is.

[right way right]

Its not a virus. Its because of piracy but, it can cause false bootleg declarations because of consumer confusion.

I had a legitimate disk declared a bootlegged one.

If you call Microsoft when this happens (when you try to activate a fresh installation) they may be able to fix this.

They have made this a pain and they finagled me into buying another disc because I did not call first.

I did not understand what was going on and that they would not reimburse me.

(Stupid move on my part!)

I just registered a complaint with Microsoft about this because of this thread because it reminded me about it .

I will see what happens.

Maybe the FBI will show up at my doorstep! I am trying for activation or reimbursement.

[Fresh Wind]

Apple OS, no serial numbers and no genuine advantage spyware

And no hope of installing it on anything other than a computer sold by Apple.

[Big Giant Head]

Second, once you get it up and running you have to spend days finding the right drivers for the hardware.

I remember the last Windows 2000 installation I did on one of my laptops that literally took over NINE HOURS to install, download all drivers from the manufacturer, the Windows updates, etc.

Most modern Linux distros are done in under 1/2 hour, more likely 15 to 20 minutes, and most are full featured. I'm a fan of PCLinuxOS, and I've run Mandriva, Suse, Ubuntu, Puppy, DSL, Xandros in on my netbook, and several others.

Go to Distrowatch.com and look at the top 10 or so. Most of those are good distributions.