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WebProWorld Discussion On Windows Genuine Advantage
Chris Crum
Staff Writer
2006-06-23
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
As you've probably read, there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding Microsoft's Windows Genuine advantage.
Many are accusing the update of being spyware, and voicing other problems with it.
There is an interesting discussion going on in WebProWorld on the subject started by WPW member wenwilder who says:
Not being a true fan of MS this news failed to surprise me. Spyware is spyware in my opinion and MS keeps walking on the brink of being labeled as such.
Beta or not, and whether MS can adequately communicate how their program works ... is no excuse for it being "sneaky", in my opinion.
They do plan on changing the connection to every 2 weeks instead of daily. That, however, still worries me a tad. Saying and doing are two different things, and MS isn't always quick at doing...
...Is Windows Genuine Advantage a concern? And do you think it borders on spyware?
One reply comes from steveglobal who writes:
It seems strange that the frequency of the communication seems to make a difference in some people's minds. I can see that someone on dial-up would be irritated by this, but incensed and indignant, claiming that privacy is at stake? Common sense would say that the tool has to call home at least once in the first place. Why would it matter how often?
I understand that no one (myself included) likes to discover that something is happening behind their back, and especially beyond their control. This whole WGA thing ultimately violates a basic principle of human management, in that you do not grant widespread privilege first and then revoke it later. In this case, the privilege was to have your copy of Windows, legitimate or other, unverified. It should always work the other way, where you grant very limited privileges first and then grant more as needed. Thus, Microsoft should have left XP alone, implementing this feature with Vista and beyond. That way, customers know what to expect - install Vista, have your copy verified by Microsoft. Then they can choose to purchase Vista or not, knowing that that is what they are getting into.
Perhaps, though, the real issue is the nature of the subject being communicated - illegal software. Maybe people feel like they are being wrongfully accused of something, and the only way to clear their name is to let Microsoft peak at their computer. Or perhaps the DRM issues that are surrounding the music industry are actually echos of sentiments that are felt across the entire digital industry. It seems to be okay to let Microsoft know that you need a particular update, but no one really wants them to know if you are running copied software (or not). Perhaps people simply want the option of pirating, even if they never do it; the WGA was the start of the hay stack and this issue is just the straw that broke the camel's back.
Many more replies have been posted to this thread, and if you would like to add your two cents on the matter, you can do so here.
Tags: windows genuine advantage
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About the Author:
Chris Crum is a staff writer for SecurityProNews and WebProNews.
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