Posted on 06/13/2006 11:45:10 AM PDT by Panerai
Millions of Windows users may unwittingly be test subjects for an unfinished Microsoft antipiracy tool.
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.com ...
I had a message about that pop up a couple of days ago. First did a search on it and then OKed it.
I thought it was resident software verifying some update from MS.
I hate tattleware.
I don't think ANY software should EVER be installed on a user's machine without their consent and without an easy method for complete uninstallation, but this doesn't strike me as Big-Brotherish simply because it's for anti-piracy.
You think there's backdoors in the current version, just wait till Red Star Win 1.0.
If Apple didn't require you to run Tiger on it's overpriced proprietary hardware, I assure you it wouldn't be $69.
..make that "$89"
I've got that update sitting somewhere on my computer right now.
My comp automatically downloads the updates and then asks me if I'm ready to install it.
Well, I don't want to install it but can't figure out how to dump it and stop asking me.
I've searched for the file and can't find it.
My copy of XP came with my Dell, I just don't like the idea that MS could shut me down if the wished.
Pretty sure it's ..K892130
Too late, Gates already did that...at least with Windows 98.
Thanks.
That is a cute web site.
I only own a couple of I-pods, but I have 6 Macintoshes.
(I also have 3 PCs and a Sun Unix workstation in my basement)
So do most of the open source crowd. Their leader Richard Stallman even has a plan to tax us for it.
I'm against monopolies of any kind. MS is a monopoly.
Iggle's Back!!
Whoohooo!!
LOL
No name calling or I'll ping the moderator.
Well then I guess we we should have turned the oil industry over to the government because of Standard Oil, turned the phone industry over because of AT&T, and even the computer industry would have already been taken over from IBM and handed over to the government back in the 60's. Yep, you could have prevented Microsoft that way, so we wouldn't even have to worry about it today right?
You do that and see how far it gets you.
The MS spyware calls home every boot. What happens if you configure your external firewall to stop the connection from happening? My guess is that your system declines to boot. (An interesting situation for people who do not want their system having connectivity to the net for security purposes)
Now what happens when MS decides to desupport XP, and pulls the plug on the server that all the XP installations phone home to?
Hopefully I won't have to, but if I do I would appreciate your support. I've been a very long time poster here and would like to see an end to the unprovoked name calling as we just saw above. Thank you very much.
You do that and see how far it gets you.
LOL!
Thanks! You just made my day!
Excellent question Sauron. I don't have XP here, but my firewall definitely has the ability to blackhole sites, or entire networks.
Would anyone here care to try it?
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