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Microsoft Denies the Windows Kill Switch

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the pirates-beware dept.

WindozeSux writes "Microsoft has denied that WGA will kill pirated copies of Windows. According to Waggener Edstrom,"Microsoft anti-piracy technologies cannot and will not turn off your computer." Microsoft also says that WGA is a necessary part of its campaign to catch those illegally using Windows XP which leads one to think what WGA really does then."

2 of 513 comments (clear)

  1. Up to no good by FridayBob · · Score: 0, Troll
    If M$ doesn't eventually use WGA to kill off illegal machines, I suppose this software could eventually be used in other ways to prompt the owners to do something about it, such as by suddenly:
    • Acting like nagware.
    • Limiting functionality.
    • Limiting performance.
    • Limiting Internet access.
    • Preventing (certain) updates.
    • Preventing further apps from being installed.
    If none of the above, the WGA tool may simply be used by M$ to provide information about you and your machine. If they don't think your machine is properly licensed, perhaps they'll figure this will give them the right to collect additional information on you that they would otherwise not. Hell, it's closed-source malware, written by a convicted monopolist, reporting home to its master -- who the fsck knows what it's up to?! Trust it/them? No way! Glad I'm not using Windows.
  2. Re:I thought IT communities were meant to be... by hackwrench · · Score: 1, Troll

    Oh sure they may start out rational. But then it's like Guantanamo Bay, where they've been held for four years. They may have been innocent four years ago, but because of the incarceraton, they want to kill you.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDrhecqDoO8