A computer user is suing Microsoft Corp. over the company's Windows Genuine Advantage anti-piracy tool, alleging that it violates laws against spyware.
The suit by Los Angeles resident Brian Johnson, filed this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle, seeks class-action status for claims that Microsoft didn't adequately disclose details of the tool when it was delivered to PC users through the company's Automatic Update system.
Windows Genuine Advantage is designed to check the validity of a computer user's copy of the operating system. But the tool became a subject of heightened controversy earlier this month, after PC users began noticing that it was making daily contact with Microsoft's servers without their knowledge, even if their software was valid.
A Microsoft spokesman, Jim Desler, called the suit "baseless" and disputed the characterization of the tool as spyware. "Spyware is deceptive software that is installed on a user's computer without the user's consent and has some malicious purpose," Desler said. Windows Genuine Advantage "is installed with the consent of the user and seeks only to notify the user if a proper license is not in place."
The lead lawyer representing Johnson in the suit against Microsoft, Scott Kamber of Kamber & Associates LLC in New York, was co-lead counsel for consumers in the lawsuit over Sony Corp.'s surreptitious placement of copy-protection "rootkit" software on PCs, through music CDs. That software, designed to prevent music from being copied illegally, disabled protections against viruses and spyware, potentially leaving unaware computer users vulnerable. Sony settled the suit.
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View: Full Article @ Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The suit by Los Angeles resident Brian Johnson, filed this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle, seeks class-action status for claims that Microsoft didn't adequately disclose details of the tool when it was delivered to PC users through the company's Automatic Update system.
Windows Genuine Advantage is designed to check the validity of a computer user's copy of the operating system. But the tool became a subject of heightened controversy earlier this month, after PC users began noticing that it was making daily contact with Microsoft's servers without their knowledge, even if their software was valid.
A Microsoft spokesman, Jim Desler, called the suit "baseless" and disputed the characterization of the tool as spyware. "Spyware is deceptive software that is installed on a user's computer without the user's consent and has some malicious purpose," Desler said. Windows Genuine Advantage "is installed with the consent of the user and seeks only to notify the user if a proper license is not in place."
The lead lawyer representing Johnson in the suit against Microsoft, Scott Kamber of Kamber & Associates LLC in New York, was co-lead counsel for consumers in the lawsuit over Sony Corp.'s surreptitious placement of copy-protection "rootkit" software on PCs, through music CDs. That software, designed to prevent music from being copied illegally, disabled protections against viruses and spyware, potentially leaving unaware computer users vulnerable. Sony settled the suit.
View: Neowin Forum Discussion View: Full Article @ Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Does no one know anything about the reason? It phones home to check whether or not it should turn itself off. If MS releases an update that conflicts with WGA, they can use thisphone home to disable WGA, thus allowing legit users to continue to use their system without issue.
Some seem to want to sit here and clap like a trained seal for this thing, and they can go ahead, since they don't see to understand fully what it does. But don't knock others for being wary over something like this considering the track record Microsoft has for screwing things up.
It does not trasmit your CD key during the daily phone homes that people are complaining about. As for the IP address, of course. Your IP is sent to any server you ever connect to on the internet. This would be no different.
Trained seals? More like someone with common sense who tends to be a little less paranoid.
Last edited by bangbang023 on 30 Jun 2006 - 02:07
It does not trasmit your CD key during the daily phone homes that people are complaining about. As for the IP address, of course. Your IP is sent to any server you ever connect to on the internet. This would be no different.
Trained seals? More like someone with common sense who tends to be a little less paranoid.
There's a key in the registry that contains a hash of your cd key. That hash IS sent and checked against a database. That little item IS your cd key. Saying that your key is not sent is not valid. If it weren't then Microsoft wouldn't know if any particular copy of XP was genuine or not.
So, with the cd key hash and an IP being sent to the servers, personal identifiable information is sent. There are no two ways around it.
Jesus Christ people don't listen or comprehend. The key is NOT SENT during the daily phone home process. Of course it's sent when you validate your install before updating your system, but the phone home process does not include the sending of any information.
from j.cxp.net
And that has nothing to do with the former daily phone homes which is what people are complaining about.
I understand...WGA checking once....but why the need to check every 14 days from the same computer.....does MS think..that once run..the user is gonna install a 'pirated' copy....and then again...you will either have to install the WGA over again..or avoid it...or maybe MS thinks the user is gonna 'change' keys on a daily bases...just to have something to do....get real retard.
Reading comprehension, where hast thou gone?
It doesn't verify your installation every 14 days. It connects to the MS servers every 14 days and checks to see whether it needs to turn itself off or not, in case of a update that conflicts with it in the future.
And you believe this...want to buy a bridge off the coast of Florida?...it should check once..and shut down and delete itself..if they wanted to turn it back on..they can offer it again on the WU...if your assumption is right..which I highly doubt, this WGA will be exploited by a hacker soon and this so-called 'check in with the MS server' every 14 days will be too late for many.
Lol, I'm not going to argue with your insane logic. I'm the one presenting facts and you're presenting your own conspiracy theories. I've long learned there's no use in fighting someone who doesn't rely on any logic.
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