[Kamikaze]

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/06/06/08/0119253.shtml

SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp. acknowledged Wednesday that it needs to better inform users that its tool for determining whether a computer is running a pirated copy of Windows also quietly checks in daily with the software maker.

[Rictor]

Which is I have Windows Update turned off by default and so, I suspect, do many, many others.

[Mars]

Yep, I do.

[Fury]

I have automatic updates enabled, only asks when I want to install updates. Saves me the trouble of checking WindowsUpdate manually. I don't care if their tool checks with MS daily because my copies aren't pirated.

[AlphaOne]

That I already knew. That is why I turned off automatic updates!

[TrashMan]

Ditto

[Turnsky]

I have automatic updates enabled, only asks when I want to install updates. Saves me the trouble of checking WindowsUpdate manually. I don't care if their tool checks with MS daily because my copies aren't pirated.

true, but for some people this is tinfoil beanie material   

[Ghostavo]

I have automatic updates enabled, only asks when I want to install updates. Saves me the trouble of checking WindowsUpdate manually. I don't care if their tool checks with MS daily because my copies aren't pirated.

I'm more secure than you , because I have a legal version that came with this machine, and even if I wanted to run update, I cannot!!
See? Microsoft thought of everything!

[/sarcasm]

[Ferret]

The Genuine Advantage thing is ridiculous. Mf b/f had his on automatic updates download automatically but ask to install, and the genuine advantage program STILL installed without asking him. (How's that for underhand?)
I have them ask me before downloading and it asked me if I wanted to install "Microsoft Windows Genuine Advantage". The best part is they way it's called that, it's so obviously supposed to hide it's real purpose.

Then if you've got the bastard on your system, popping up every five minutes going "HEY YOU ARE A FILTHY PIRATE!", it wont even let you input another serial number, he has a genuine version of Windows and he can't utilise it without re-installing Windows.

I also love how when you shut down, it pops up for a split second, "HEYBUYM-".

Vista is gonna be worse isn't it?

And I thought it would be obvious that it calls home everyday to check. Probably logging your IP, name and naked pictures of your cat with it. Where's that foil hat emoticon from SA when I need it?

[aldo_14]

'Windows Genuine Advantage'

Presumably all the other 'advantages' of Windows are fake, then?

[Kie99]

What advantage does Windows Genuine Advantage give customers?

[Flipside]

It didn't say it was an advantage to the customers

Seriously though, I turn off Auto updates for the simple fact it just loves to crash system intensive processes such as rendering. As long as the info is only used to verify the software, I don't really have a problem with it, as such, but somehow, it's never that simple.

[CP5670]

I thought everyone knew this? I turned off auto updates and completely disabled the service a long time ago.

[Fury]

I honestly don't know who's more stupid, Microsoft for including home dialer in WGA, user for disabling automatic updates because of it or user using such a product key that would cause it to alarm in the first place.

[Kosh]

Sure, blame the user for not wanting to live under M$'$ version of big brother.

I can proudly announce that I have turned off automatic updates.

[Backslash]

...user for disabling automatic updates because of it...

Well as long as the user is checking the Windows Update site (or equivalent) from time to time, it's not so stupid.  The second Tuesday of every month is when most of the patches come out anyway.  And really, the patches end up getting distributed on other sites from which pirates can get them, so I don't see how this WGA is helping.  (I've got a real version, but I'd probably get fed up and crack it if Ghostavo's problem started happening to me.)

The biggest offenders besides 'pirate' pirates (I mean the kind that distrubute/sell copies) are corporations; many just get the corporate edition and install it on way more machines than they are supposed to... and yet those machines aren't flagged as pirated.

I actually read the EULA, and it was saying stuff about how this tool was a "beta pre-release" version. wth?

[ZmaN]

Microsoft is gay, PERIOD!


EVen if there are pirated systems, its not like they'll do anything about it..  I mean they got enough money anyways...

If they dont want people pirating the software they should lower the prices of it.  its simply too much money to buy 5 copies of windows because you have 5 computers in your house (if your like me)

[Stealth]

for as many people as hate Microsoft, you sure use their products, don't you.  In fact, i'll bet of everyone that posted, 90% of you posted from a Windows machine.  and 100% of you have A machine that's running Windows.

I must be out of the norm, or maybe it's because since writing programs I appreciate anti-piracy even more, but to me, if someone steals something... do they have the right to criticize the designer?  It's like... if i go steal a car, and then complain to the manufacturer because the A/C doesn't blow as cold as it should... *roll eyes*

geez people.  They've got a right to be b****y.  Most of their revenue is coming from their commercial software (about 1/3 of their aggregate revenue comes from business software), and everyone's stealing it.  Yes they're big.  Yes they're a big, massive, evil conglomerate/empire... but does that mean they suddenly don't have the right to make money, because they have so much of it?

I guess the higher you get in the business world, the more you sympathize.

[vyper]

Hang the **** on. This is illegal under either the Data Protection Act, I think.

[Mars]

I haven't been using Linux lately because I'm having issues with my Radeon and Kantonix, but I used to use it a lot, If Microsoft hadn't gotten themselves installed on 99% of every computer manufactured, they would have decent compitition and therefore a decent product.