Linux Passes the Microsoft WGA Test

Wil writes "Here's a good one for the Linux fans -- running Wine on Linux and attempting to download a Windows Genuine Advantage protected file from the Microsoft website works just fine. It seems that Bill Gates has a soft spot for Tux after all, or at least isn't bothered about him downloading updates."

Comments

Wine shows up as Win98

[FlameboyC11]

Wine (as mentioned in one of the links) shows up as Windows 98 to microsoft, which, as far as I know, isn't even supported anymore. So, I guess since it isn't supported, it won't be validated or not validated and just lets the user pass through as if it was.

WINE Piracy

[chucks86]

I wonder if a pirated copy of Windows could use Cygwin running WINE to bypass the WGA...

Re:Why should we care?

[FlameboyC11]

Wine doesn't even use MS code, so that's why it's kinda interesting.

That's great . . .

[ifishfortorque]

Too bad it won't work on my XP Volume license anymore without a crack . . .

Re:That's great . . .

[Neo-Rio-101]

Well wouldn't you then just use Linux to download the patches manually and apply them to XP? Thing is, if genuine advantage can be circumvented by WINE or Windows 98 for that matter, ANYONE can get their Windows XP patched (geuine, cracked, pirated or otherwise) without this stupid "Genuine advantage" nonsense. The thing is, this WGA thing was only designed as a stop gap to help computer-illiterate customers report illegal Windows CD vendors. If you still want those patches, you can still get them.

Obvious and easy to hype

[Sv-Manowar]

This is clearly something that those out to criticise Microsoft's attempts at reducing software piracy will jump on and crow about. However, the fact that a windows application checking for the characteristics of a pirated copy of Windows cannot find them on WINE shouldn't be a surprise to anyone rational. At the end of the day, its important to remember that Microsoft are just trying to raise the bar. They aren't trying to stop Joe Cracker and his friends from reverse engineering the activation process and hex editing the checks out of the binaries (at least with this measure), they're trying to stop small computer shops loading systems with pirated 'free' copies of Windows by making the piracy visible and clear to the end user.

I don't agree with Microsoft's policy of restricting updates (such as the essential SP2) from unlicenced products, but cheap headlines like this help noone

Advantage: Linux

[Doc Ruby]

My favorite WGA experience was recently trying to download some WMV codecs from microsoft.com . For the first time since I've been doing that for upgrades after installing Win2K, I got a "we suggest you verify your Windows installation with Windows Genuine Advantage" message. Though it was a "suggestion", I couldn't proceed to download until I let them install software that went through my computer's HD, siftin whatever data, with the "Microsoft assurance" that they weren't uploading any data to their server. After forcing me to let them frisk me, while presenting it as a mere "suggestion", their assurance of course had no credibility. But it was a tabula-rasa new install of a legit Windows OS on my machine, so it passed me without really bothering anything but my dignity.

Then I downloaded the codecs, and copied them to my Linux machine's ffmpeg folder :P.

Doesn't anybody here read WINE's site?

[rincebrain]

This was noted on there awhile ago. WGA checks for Wine's registry key, and initially, demonstrated the behavior initially noted; that is, claiming non-valid Windows.

A bit after WGA was initially released, however, the WGA authentication dialog started accepting WINE-generated WGA codes with no explanation.

I don't know if WGA still checks for WINE, but if it does, it's something Microsoft can disable on their end quickly and easily, any time they want.

This isn't newsworthy, and it's not even news. The above comments about how WINE is being checked for were noted in the first March issue of WINE's newsletter, and the fact that Microsoft began accepting WINE-generated WGA validations was noted a few issues thereafter, though Google can't seem to find it.

Re:Unnecessary

[DrHanser]

This is quite true. Most slashdotters don't actually use Linux. Read the "Operating Systems" portion.