Microsoft to Tighten the Genuine Advantage Screws

[fyire]

To date, with its Genuine Advantage anti-piracy programs, Microsoft has targeted consumers. Windows and Office users have been required to validate their products as "genuine" before being able to obtain many downloads and add-ons.

Come this fall, however, the Redmond, Wash., software maker is planning to turn up the Genuine Advantage heat in two ways: by baking more Genuine Advantage checks directly into Windows Vista, and by taking aim at PC makers, system builders, Internet cafes and other sources of potentially pirated software.

Microsoft officials—whose Genuine Advantage Notification strategy came under fire earlier this summer—declined to share specifics about its new Genuine Advantage plans. But executives already have been setting the stage for the upcoming changes in recent keynote addresses.

"We expect to do more to make Windows more differentiated when it's genuine, and so genuine customers get a truly different experience than non-genuine customers, as well as to make piracy harder, so that our genuine partners can do a better job competing with those that don't play by the rules," Windows Client Marketing Chief Michael Sievert told attendees of Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference in July.

Microsoft Platforms and Services Co-President Kevin Johnson was more specific about Microsoft's plans, in his remarks to Wall Street analysts at Microsoft's Financial Analyst Meeting in late July.

"We built a set of features and a set of functionality that is only available to genuine Windows customers," Johnson said. "Windows Defender, for example, the anti-spyware for Windows XP and Windows Vista, is available to genuine Windows customers. Windows Media Player 11.0, Internet Explorer 7.0, will be available for download for Windows XP customers who are genuine, and of course those are built into Windows Vista. Future updates to Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player for Windows Vista will require them to be genuine. And certainly there's some premium features built into the Windows Vista operating system that will require genuine validation as well. So we're really trying to amplify the fact that being genuine enables the set of benefits and value to access these types of features and capabilities."

So.. is this WGA++?

[ToyotaFreak]

Look slike its time for my sister to consider upgrading to a Linux OS.

Otherwise, I hope that they're going to price Vista reasonably.

[fyire]

Originally Posted by ToyotaFreak

Look slike its time for my sister to consider upgrading to a Linux OS.

Otherwise, I hope that they're going to price Vista reasonably.

Perish the thought. The BSD Devil's cuter than the Linux penguin anytime

+ BSD comes in so many cool variants

[ZuePhok]

haha, as usual it will still be cracked within hours.

ms cant write anti piracy software, not even a piece of shit!

[Max_87]

Originally Posted by ZuePhok

haha, as usual it will still be cracked within hours.

ms cant write anti piracy software, not even a piece of shit!

Yeah Those people damn geng one

[Adrian Wong]

I wish they would spend more time tweaking Windows, rather than trying to add more locks... which are always broken anyway.

[djspinnet]

I call it the problem of incredibly high pricing of Windows, and almost zero fan loyalty. Most (emphasis most, not all) people use Windows because they have no other choice, or because their work requires it, or because they want to play games, or because <insert excuse here>

So MS gets complacent due to their market share and knowing there will still be people using Windows..

.. the hackers have no qualms breaking through every WGA lock MS puts down..

.. and laypeople have no qualms and no problems buying a pirated copy of Windows and applying all the hacks and workarounds by the hackers to get over WGA.

So piracy goes up, and MS gets fed up because sales is going down, and... the whole vicious cycle starts again.

[Chai]

Originally Posted by djspinnet

I call it the problem of incredibly high pricing of Windows, and almost zero fan loyalty. Most (emphasis most, not all) people use Windows because they have no other choice, or because their work requires it, or because they want to play games, or because <insert excuse here>

So MS gets complacent due to their market share and knowing there will still be people using Windows..

.. the hackers have no qualms breaking through every WGA lock MS puts down..

.. and laypeople have no qualms and no problems buying a pirated copy of Windows and applying all the hacks and workarounds by the hackers to get over WGA.

So piracy goes up, and MS gets fed up because sales is going down, and... the whole vicious cycle starts again.

Yup, I think I can finally agree with you on this topic.

[Trinity]

Looks like I will have to buy an OS someday down the road...

But not today!!!

Last time I had to "pay" for it was win98.

[Papercut]

LMAO. WMP11 and IE7 require genuine copies of Vista
Not saying that I won't end up getting a genuine copy, but these are two pieces of software that I can definitely live without!