Ed Foster’s Gripelog || WGA and Activation Failures Don’t Faze Redmond
This article is a must-read if you want to keep abreast of Microsoft’s dark side. Ed Foster’s Gripelog || WGA and Activation Failures Don’t Faze Redmond describes the experience a business had trying to get their computers back up after Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) improperly identified them as using unlicensed software.
From Ed Foster’s Gripelog || WGA and Activation Failures Don’t Faze Redmond:
With neither Microsoft or Dell willing to help in a situation where the reader’s company clearly had valid licenses for XP, the reader had little choice. “So, here we are, working weekend hours and all, reinstalling XP on machines that shouldn’t have to be reinstalled,” the reader wrote. “And of course, Microsoft makes you call to validate Windows XP. The first machine we try, their outsourced validation firm agrees that the Product Key is valid - but won’t issue an Activation Code. There’s a problem that they can’t figure out. That, they say, requires Customer Support. Customer Support agrees that the code is valid, and can’t say why it might not work, and we need to speak with Technical Support. Unfortunately, Technical Support is closed. Could we perhaps call back on Monday?”
As the reader and staff worked their way through re-activating each Optiplex, they found the more typical pattern was to be told the best answer to pay Microsoft more money. “You call the 800 number, read out the endless series of digits into the IVR,” the reader wrote. “Get transferred to India. Read the numbers again. Only to be told that their systems are down for maintenance, and could we try activating Windows XP tomorrow? Or, if we need it activated tonight - we can pay $149 per machine to get the machines back up and running immediately. What kind of a firm does business in this manner? How can Microsoft claim to be a vendor able to handle ‘business critical’ systems when they pull stunts like this?”
The scary part about this whole situation is that Microsoft sneakily distributed WGA on windows update as a Critical Update. This means that it got installed on millions of computers automatically under the guise of being a security update.
From WGA on Wikipedia italicized text added:
Beginning April 25, 2006, Microsoft began distributing Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications[1] as a “critical update” KB905474 to millions of Windows users. Users with unofficial copies will be exposed to alerts[2] at startup, login and during use of the Windows OS stating that they do not have a genuine copy of Windows. Users with legitimate copies will not see the alerts. Note: It seems that this is not entirely true. Users who have legitimate software were receiving the alerts as per article referenced above and other accounts on the internet. On May 23, 2006, Microsoft updated the program, closing some forms of circumvention, but reportedly not all[3]. It was updated again on May 30, 2006, June 6, 2006 and June 27, 2006 though some forms of circumvention are still usable.
There are some who are alleging that WGA is spyware. It was installed on user’s computers without permission and was found to phone home every time your computer was restarted. Microsoft did not disclose at the time that the software phoned home.
The notification tool has been accused of spyware-like behaviour, “phoning home” on a daily basis [10] [11]. Microsoft subsequently admitted the behaviour, but denied that it amounted to spyware [12] [13]. Following pressure, Microsoft announced that in future the tool would only ‘phone home’ once every two weeks, instead of every day.[14] Microsoft has also provided removal instructions for the pilot version of WGA.[15]
Microsoft is being sued under anti-spyware statutes over WGA’s non-disclosed “phone home” behavior [16]. The outcome of the lawsuit has not been determined.
I find Microsoft’s behavior reprehensible. It is important for them to try to stop piracy; however, the way in which they did this is unacceptible. Microsoft Windows is the predominant business operating system. Business users need to trust the company. Microsoft’s behaviors affected home users as well as small business users that do not use Microsoft’s Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
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