Thanks MrCobra for the heads up on this update in Back Page News on our forums.
Microsoft defended its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool this week against charges that it acts like spyware because it constantly checks in with Microsoft when a user boots a PC with the tool installed.
A Microsoft representative said that when the WGA Notifications checks in with Microsoft when a PC is booted, it is not providing any information to the vendor if a PC's copy of Windows has already been validated. Instead, it is checking with a "server-side configuration setting to determine if WGA should run or not." The check-in also gives Microsoft the ability to disable the WGA program, if necessary.
View: Full Article @ InfoWorld
In Neowin Archives: Microsoft: Oops, We Forgot to Mention, WGA Calls Home Daily
Microsoft defended its Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) tool this week against charges that it acts like spyware because it constantly checks in with Microsoft when a user boots a PC with the tool installed.
A Microsoft representative said that when the WGA Notifications checks in with Microsoft when a PC is booted, it is not providing any information to the vendor if a PC's copy of Windows has already been validated. Instead, it is checking with a "server-side configuration setting to determine if WGA should run or not." The check-in also gives Microsoft the ability to disable the WGA program, if necessary.
View: Full Article @ InfoWorld In Neowin Archives: Microsoft: Oops, We Forgot to Mention, WGA Calls Home Daily
What part of you seriously thinks its ok, to spend hundreds of £/$ on a piece of software, only to have it constantly be in contact with the manufacturer for whatever reason they see fit?
What if I owned a company that built homes, and when you bought a home from me, the systems of the house would report back to me regularly to make sure you wernt doing anything illegal in that house. Would that be ok? After all, what do you have to hide?
The key difference, of course, is that you never actually own Windows OR the license. So the vendor can pretty much do whatever you agree to, which you do by using the software.
How is this different than Nero checking for updates, or even Windows Live Messenger? It isn't.
This isn't a Trojan, so that's clear. And I compare it this way; Windows has a mechanism to check for update, true. But this isn't Windows checking, it's the WGA program checking that it should still continue to run.
Everyone can freak out all they want, it just looks more pathetic as the day wears on.
Ok Validation first time was acceptable (i hate it but its ok)
Then WGA check if my windows its legal everytime i update (ok if my windows its legal no problem i should be able to get updates)
Now WGA notificacion now this its unaceptable, how much annoying this we legit users have to get over to use our own pcs.
Which part of the 3 totally automated processes tired you out? The step where you had nothing to do, the other step where you had nothing to do or the last step, where you did nothing some more?
Commenting has either been disabled on this article or you are not logged in. Click here to login or register, its free!
Note: Anonymous commenting is disabled in order to keep the quality of responses to a high standard.